INTERNATIONAL RED PANDA DAY

During the third Saturday in September, International Red Panda Day dedicates a day to learning about about red pandas. Join the campaign to raise awareness about saving their habitats.

Red pandas are much smaller than the more familiar black and white pandas. In fact, red pandas are not related to giant pandas at all. Red pandas weigh between 12 to 20 pounds, which is about the size of a housecat. These adorable mammals live in the trees of the Himalaya Mountains. The Red panda’s popularity in Asia features them in cartoons and as team mascots. However, only about 10,000 red pandas live in the wild. Because of deforestation, poaching, and the illegal pet trade, red pandas are endangered.

5 Fun Facts About Red Pandas

  1. Their fur is the color of cinnamon and keeps them warm in cold climates.
  2. Red pandas eat mostly bamboo.
  3. They were discovered in 1825, before the giant panda.
  4. Other names for the red panda include bear-cat, firefox, and Himalayan raccoon.
  5. Although they resemble raccoons, they have no living relatives.

According to the Red Panda Network, red pandas symbolize of life. Red pandas help to keep forests healthy, the water clean, and the ecosystem vibrant. Saving the red panda helps combat global climate change as well as protect the ecological integrity of South Asia.

INTERNATIONAL RED PANDA DAY HISTORY

The Red Panda Network launched International Red Panda Day in 2010. At that time, 16 schools and a few zoos participated in red panda activities. Currently, more than 60 zoos around the world participate, with over 100,000 visitors on Red Panda Day.

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HOW TO OBSERVE #InternationalRedPandaDay

Many conservation organizations, along with schools and zoos all around the world, celebrate International Red Panda Day. Some zoos celebrate by having informational presentations about red pandas. In China, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding visits schools in rural areas where red pandas live. In Nepal, communities celebrate with speech competitions and film viewings. Many other organizations host activities that educate the public on the importance of red panda conservation.

If you want to take part in International Red Panda Day, check with your local zoo to see if they have any activities. Donate to the Red Panda Network or another group that strives to protect the red panda. Encourage your child to become a Red Panda Ranger to help spread the word about red pandas. You can also share an image of a red panda on social media with #InternationalRedPandaDay.

INTERNATIONAL BACON DAY

The first Saturday in September is International Bacon Day and a day to enjoy all things bacon! This delicious food holiday is a favorite because bacon makes everything better!

There are so many things we can say about bacon and the flavor it adds to dishes. Today, we are reminding everyone that bacon is not just a breakfast food, but also a great way to add delicious flavor to any recipe.

Bacon Backstory

Bacon is pork cured in salt made from cuts of the belly or back of a pig. Curing pork dates back thousands of years. During ancient times, Chinese, Egyptian, and Roman cultures all had methods for preserving pork. However, Romans recieve credit for sharing their knowledge of curing pork calling their bacon “petaso.” As cured pork expanded throughout Europe, the meat became a staple to families because of the ability to preserve it easily.

European settlers brought their pork curing techniques to America the same time the first settlers arrived. However, the meat was much saltier and leaner than what they would eat in Europe. During the 19th and 20th centuries, meat production began to expand to the general public. Brining and smoking bacon became widely acceptable in mass production, making the distribution of bacon much easier. Today, bacon plays a significant roll in American cuisine.

5 Bacon Festivals in the U.S.

  1. Bacon Fest, Pennsylvania
  2. Bourbon and Brews Festival, Kansas
  3. Bacon & Beer Festival, New Hampshire
  4. Bacon Bash, Texas
  5. Memphis Flyer Bacon & Bourbon, Tennessee

Did You Know?

Bacon is one of the most popular and recognizable meat products around the world and is known for its distinctive savory and smoky flavor.

Are there different types of bacon? Yes! Here the 4 common types of bacon throughout the world:

  1. American bacon is the most well-known bacon type. It’s made from pork belly and contains both meat and fat. This type of bacon becomes crispy after cooking.
  2. Canadian bacon is made from the lean parts of the pig. Normally, Canadian bacon is similar to ham in flavor and appearance.
  3. Pancetta is an Italian bacon made with salt and spices that can be eaten cooked or uncooked. People often use pancetta in sandwiches, but also in some dishes.
  4. Guanciale is another Italian bacon commonly used in carbonara and amatriciana. This type of bacon is the fattiest of all other bacon types and is probably most flavorful.

Bacon adds rich flavor and versatility to cooking by enhancing the dishes it is added to. Whether enjoyed on its own, as a savory ingredient, or as a guilty pleasure, bacon remains a favorite food around the globe.

HISTORY BEHIND INTERNATIONAL BACON DAY

Each year on the first Saturday in September we celebrate International Bacon Day as a way to indulge and enjoy bacon. We plan on starting our day with bacon and eggs, have a bacon sandwich for a mid morning snack, and eat a BLT for lunch. Then, we will likely eat a bacon-inspired pasta for dinner with a bacon infused dessert. Later in the evening, we are going to relax with a nice Bloody Mary with bacon garnish.

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Salami Day

Bologna Day

Corned Beef Hash Day

Cold Cuts Day

International Bacon Day

Wiener Schnitzel Day

Sloppy Joe Day

National Sausage Month

National Meatball Day

Bacon Day

Pigs in a Blanket Day

6 INTERNATIONAL BACON DAY CELEBRATION IDEAS

International Bacon Day is a time to savor the delight of delicious bacon! Embrace your joy for bacon today by having fun with today’s food holiday.

  1. Host a bacon-everything breakfast by adding bacon to your eggs, pancakes, or omelets. You can also make breakfast burritos or add bacon to your waffle batter.
  2. Experiment with bacon in a new recipe or add it to a favorite one you already make.
  3. Cook different types of bacon and have a bacon tasting party with your family and friends. We recommend adding Applewood -smoked, maple-glazed, or peppered flavor to your menu.
  4. Create the ultimate beverages by adding bacon and other ingredients. In fact, we hear adding bacon as a garnish to a Bloody Mary is delicious!
  5. Find a local bakery or specialty bacon shop that offers a variety of bacon flavors. This might be a great way to treat yourself to a better quality bacon versus buying bacon in the grocery store.
  6. Share your love for bacon on social media using the tag #InternationalBaconDay.

BETTER BREAKFAST MONTH

There is no better time to celebrate breakfast than during the entire month of September. It’s Better Breakfast Month! Breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day. Eating breakfast has many health benefits. Eating a regular morning meal helps control weight and can guide us towards eating healthier meals regularly throughout the day.

It’s that time of year again. Kids are getting back to school, and everyone is beginning to prepare for the winter months ahead. It’s important to take stock of how to start off the day. Consuming a well-balanced breakfast in the morning gives our bodies energy to get our day started the right way. Kids who have a healthy meal before school starts consistently perform and behave better at school. Having breakfast as a family every morning to talk about daily plans and promotes healthy eating. Breakfast is essential, but don’t skip the fun of preparing breakfast with your kids!

Breakfast food can be anything you want it to be, within reason of course. Cereal is the most common breakfast food. However, if you wake up with a hankering for a slice of leftover pizza, enjoy it! Pizza is good for you when consumed in moderation.

For years, eggs got a bad rap on the food pyramid. Recently, eggs have been proven to provide essential vitamins and minerals needed to promote a healthy diet. Bacon, waffles, ice cream, pancakes, french toast, orange juice, are all popular breakfast foods. Oatmeal is a good healthy alternative to sugary cereals.

A complete breakfast should contain a balance of all the major food groups. Protein, dairy, fat, and carbohydrates. These elements are vital to maintaining stamina and fending off hunger throughout the day. Though carbs and fats are needed in the daily intake of nutrients, it’s important to not overindulge in these two areas. However, a little bit won’t hurt you.

There are also a great selection of keto friendly recipes and foods some like omelets and breakfast sandwiches can be found at your local grocery. Kodiak makes pancakes, waffles, syrups and more with protein power and more ketogenic diet friendly. If you cant find them local Amazon or ordering direct are good solutions.

HISTORY

Originating during World War I, the United States government encouraged citizens to eat a Better Breakfast. The program gained momentum again during World War II. Then, in 1951, the Cereal Institute promoted Better Breakfast Month for the first time in September. Research gathered by the institute suggested that breakfast was the most important meal of the day. They selected the month to coordinate with children returning to school and businesses gearing back up after the lull of summer vacation. As a result, September became the ideal time to promote the benefits of a healthful and delicious breakfast.

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HOW TO OBSERVE

Start your day with a complete breakfast. Set a time aside for the family to grab a quick bite to eat before everyone heads out the door. Share recipes with friends and family on healthy ideas for breakfast. Don’t forget Better Breakfast Day on September 26th.

Try making some of these too. We made them and popped them in the freezer.

MUFFIN TIN EGGS WITH HAM & CHEESE – LOW CARB / KETO

These ham and egg cups are really good too.

Use #BetterBreakfastMonth in social media correspondence.

NATIONAL CHICKEN MONTH

For over two decades, the National Chicken Council has banded together with major chicken producers in the U.S. to promote chicken sales in September. As a result, September is known as National Chicken Month! This once slow month, as the summer grilling season waned, has turned into one of the year’s best performing sales periods. September might be the month we find out which came first, the chicken or the egg.

First domesticated for cockfighting, the chicken eventually made its way to the dinner table. Many families have their own homemade spice recipes. A major part of enjoying chicken is the spicing. Food experts have debated for years about the contents of KFC. White pepper, paprika, and even Thousand-Island dressing are among the eleven herbs and spices supposedly in the Colonel’s recipe.

There are 25 billion chickens in the world, making them the most abundant bird species. Did you know all vertebrate species lay eggs? And, all hard-shelled variety eggs originated with reptiles? Chickens, like many birds, are descendants of the dinosaurs. Chickens are relatively closely related to reptiles on the evolutionary chain. In recent decades, many researchers have started describing dinosaurs as more like flightless birds than reptiles. Even though chickens are not entirely flightless, they can get airborne enough to get over a fence or into a tree.

Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner!

Ever wonder why so many different meats like rattlesnake and alligator apparently taste like chicken? Several explanations point to why mainstream Americans tend to have limited experience with judging flavor. Our taste buds, in other words, are not finely tuned. Our meat experiences are limited mostly to beef, pork, and chicken. A gourmet with a seasoned palette has a broader experience, which makes them more apt to identify exotic meats like rattlesnake and alligator.

Chicken is full of health benefits. When eaten without the skin, chicken is very lean. It is carb-free and rich in Vitamins B3 and B6, as well as two important minerals, phosphorus, and selenium. Various parts of the chicken are considered special treats in some countries. For instance, in China, chicken feet are considered a delicacy.

HISTORY

For over two decades, the National Chicken Council has banded together all of the major chicken producers in the U.S. to promote chicken sales in September, turning a once slow month, as the summer grilling season waned, into one of the year’s best-performing sales periods.

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HOW TO OBSERVE

There are several ways to observe National Chicken Month. We recommend trying a new recipe. Whether you choose white meat, dark meat, fried, broiled, baked or warmed over, prepare your chicken the way you like it!

Try one of our family favorites…

Use #NationalChickenMonth in social media correspondence.

Emeril Lagasse Dual Zone 360 Air Fryer Oven Combo with French Door, 25 QT Extra Large Family Size Meals to Cook Two Foods in Two Different Ways at The Same Time, Up to 60% Faster from Frozen to Finish#NationalChickenMonth
Emeril Lagasse Dual Zone 360 Air Fryer Oven Combo with French Door, 25 QT Extra Large Family Size Meals to Cook Two Foods in Two Different Ways at The Same Time, Up to 60% Faster from Frozen to Finish

NATIONAL WAFFLE DAY

National Waffle Day on August 24th commemorates the anniversary of the first waffle iron patent issued. Celebrate by savoring your favorite kind of waffle!

On August 24, 1869, Cornelius Swarthout of Troy, New York received his patent for the waffle iron. While waffles existed long before then, the invention made waffles more readily available.  

Eaten throughout the world, a waffle is a leavened batter or dough. When cooked between two patterned plates, the dough bakes in the waffle’s characteristic uniform impressed surface. Waffles also come in many forms. Depending on the type of batter or iron used, the resulting waffle varies by consistency, size, shape, and flavor.  

Waffle irons and waffles originated around the 14th century.  An anonymous husband penned the first known waffle recipe as a set of instructions for his wife.  According to the manuscript, Le Ménagier de Paris, each of the four recipes began: 

Beat some eggs in a bowl, season with salt and add wine. Toss in some flour, and mix. Then fill, little by little, two irons at a time with as much of the paste as a slice of cheese is large. Then close the iron and cook both sides. If the dough does not detach easily from the iron, coat it first with a piece of cloth that has been soaked in oil or grease. 

  •  1911 – First electric waffle iron introduced by General Electric.
  • 1953 – Frank Dorsa’s Eggo Frozen Waffles are sold in Supermarkets for the first time.
  • 1964 – Belgian Waffles debut at New York’s World’s Fair.

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HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalWaffleDay

Enjoy your favorite waffle recipes. Or visit a local restaurant for some fresh served waffles. Restaurants across the country specialize in waffles, crafting delicious combinations for every meal of the day. No matter your preference, there’s a waffle for you!

Invite friends over for a waffle making party. Set up a buffet with fresh fruit, syrups, and nuts. Ask them to bring their best ingredients and get tasting! You never know what you’ll discover. Make it breakfast, brunch, snack or dessert, waffles are very versitile.

True Belgian WafflesClassic Buttermilk WafflesApple Cinnamon WafflesBanana Oatmeal Buttermilk WafflesBest Chocolate Chip Waffles

Use #NationalWaffleDay to post on social media.