Looking towards August, there are several food observance days approaching that you may want to, well, observe. July is nearly over and it was National Ice Cream Month, but did you know that there is a National Root Beer Float Day? That’s right, August 6th. And if you don’t eat conventional ice cream don’t worry. I’m sure if you go to the grocery store, they’ll have a soy or coconut based ice cream to plop into your root beer. As a kid I could never get enough of these cool summertime treats. I get nostalgic just thinking about A & W Root Beer and the afternoons we would spend outside at the tables sucking on floats and pretending that it wasn’t 110 degrees. If we were lucky, we would watch the monsoons build up and crack open right above our heads.
Another national food observance day is National Zucchini Day. Why? Squash is prolific in the summer months. Grows almost like a weed. It is how Calabacitas were born. Zucchini is a flavorful and vitamin packed vegetable that tastes good in almost everything. If you haven’t yet tried zucchini bread from the PPK, or this recipe found on veg web for baked squash, August 8th is your chance to impress your friends with great squash-wielding power.
My next favorite is National Waffle Day on August 24th. How does a plant-based, healthy eating human being eat waffles on this day? Try quinoa waffles. They are delicious, loaded with good stuff, and will disappear as fast as you make them. Try them for Sunday brunch or just because you love waffles. And since it is also National Peach Month and August 22nd is Eat a Peach Day, make a peach compote to serve with the waffles. Quinoa and peaches? You bet. I’ll be posting recipes for both next month, so check back for those.
August is also National Sandwich Month, so get cracking on your favorite veganized sandwich and share it with us. Here’s mine : a T.B.L.T.C.A. (tempeh or tofu bacon, lettuce, tomato, cheese, avocado). Construct it on your favorite sandwich bread. If you stick frilly toothpicks into it, you can cut it like traditional sandwiches and serve them as appetizers..
One last note, August 31st is both National Trail Mix Day, and Eat Outside Day. So plan a hike, take your favorite trail mix, and eat outside. Perfect for the weekend before the big holiday.
Here are just a few of the food observances in August:
- National Brownies At Brunch Month
- National Peach Month
- Eat Dessert First Month
- National Apple Week – Second week of August
- National Mustard Day – first Saturday
- National Watermelon Day – Aug 3rd
- National Chocolate Chip Day – Aug 4th
- National Root Beer Float Day – Aug 6th
- National Zucchini Day – Aug 8th
- National S’Mores Day – Aug 10th
- National Soft Ice Cream Day – Aug 18th
- Hot & Spicy Food Day – Aug 19th
- Lemonade Day – Aug 20th
- Eat a Peach Day – Aug 22nd
- National Peach Pie Day – Aug 24th
- National Waffle Day – Aug 24th
- Banana Lover’s Day – Aug 27th
- National Toasted Marshmallow Day – Aug 30th
- National Trail Mix Day – Aug 31st
- National Eat Outside Day – Aug 31st
Now get outside and do something fun while it’s still summer!
