National Junk Food Day

There should be absolutely no limit to your junk food cravings on  July 21  as we celebrate National Junk Food Day!

Satiate your hunger by eating the largest pizza, juiciest burgers, crisp french fries, sweet treats, refreshing cold drinks, and whatever else you wish to eat.

Forget about carbs, calories, or fat as today is all about enjoying food without any guilt!

Who Started National Junk Food Day

We have no concrete knowledge about who started this awesome day but it could have either been a Junk food lover or a diet expert who needed a cheat day. Either way, it is a fun holiday with no restrictions. 

The Most Loved Junk Foods

Pizza

National Junk Food Day is incomplete without pizza. From Pepperoni pizza, New York-style pizza, Apizza, Stromboli, Sicilian pizza, Chicago thin crust pizza, Detroit-style pizza, and Chicago-style deep dish pizza, to grilled pizza, the choices are endless!

More than 3 billion pizzas are sold in the USA each year which means Americans order around 350 slices of pizza every second. That seems like an awful lot of pizza!

Did you know that there's also a day called  National Pizza Day ?

Tacos

Do you know what the word 'taco' means? It is a Mexican Spanish term that means a light meal and Americans eat over 4.5 billion tacos every year. 

There are many different types of Tacos- Grilled steak tacos, carne asada, picadillo, birria tacos, Pescado, al pastor, barbacoa, sesos (made from cow brains) and many more so choose your favorite. 

National Taco Day  is celebrated on October 4th every year.

Ice-Cream

What is better than some cold ice cream in the sweltering heat? Forget about its calorie or sugar content on National Junk Food Day. 

From chocolate ice cream, vanilla ice cream, strawberry ice cream, mint chocolate chip ice cream, butter pecan, chocolate chip cookie dough, cookies and cream, coffee ice cream, and pistachio ice cream, the list just doesn't end!

As of 2024, New Zealand tops the chart of countries in ice cream consumption followed by the US and Australia. 

National Ice Cream Day  is celebrated on the third Sunday of July every year.

Fried Chicken

Crispy fried chicken is just fit for every occasion- birthday party, watching movies, date night, picnics, potlucks, game days, and more. 

The earliest fried chicken recipe in America can be credited to Hannah Glasse. The original recipe goes as follows: 

• Cut 2 chickens into quarters.
• Marinate them in vinegar, pepper, salt, bay leaf, and cloves for around 3-4 hours.
• Make a thick batter with wine, flour, egg yolks, melted butter, nutmeg, and parsley.
• Deep fry the chicken pieces dipped in batter in hot hog's lard.

Did you know that there's a day dedicated to fried chicken called  National Fried Chicken Day ?

Hot Dogs

Last year in 2023, Americans had spent over $8 billion just on hot dogs and sausages. Have you ever wondered why is a hot dog called a hot dog? 

Germans were the ones who brought sausages to the United States. They also brought dachshunds or wiener dogs along with them. It is very very likely that the name hot dogs originated as a joke referring to the shape of these dogs.

The bun in hot dogs came much later. National Hot Dog Day will be celebrated on July 17, 2024.

Burritos

Burritos are a yummy and staple Mexican American treat that has originated in Mexico and Texas. Burritos are simply tortillas wrapped around a bunch of ingredients such as meat, cheese, vegetables, beans, lettuce, and so on. 

For many years, Taco Bell, Chipotle, and Qdoba have been credited with making one of the best burritos in America. 

National Junk Food Day will definitely be incomplete without burritos which host a multitude of flavors and spices.

Waffles 

Waffle is the king of sweet treats. From chocolate waffles, lemon waffles, Belgium waffles, waffle cones, potato waffles, Brussels waffles, bubble waffles, and croffle, waffles come in distinct and vibrant flavors throughout the world. 

It was in 1725 that the word 'waffle' was first used in English. However, its earliest variation can be traced back to ancient Greece when people used to make obelios or flat cakes between two metal plates.

Read about  National Waffle Day  to know more. 

Hamburgers

Hands up if your idea of ​​a perfect National Junk Food Day involves a hamburger that requires two hands to hold! Today is all about getting your hands messy and your tastebuds happy.

Currently, Americans consume over 50 million Hamburgers per year.

Hamburger derives its name from Hamburg, a city in Germany. When they began migrating to the United States, they brought Hamburgs or Hamburger steaks along with them. 

One of the most pressing questions about Hamburgers is whether they always contain ham. The answer is no, the name is a bit deceiving.