National Junk Food Day

Junk foods are usually, by definition, high in fats, sugars, salt, and calories. But more often than not, they are delicious! Junk food day is the perfect day to treat yourself. On National Junk Food Day, you get to eat anything you want. Eat any amounts that you want, too. Tomorrow, however, it’s back to a healthy diet.

It doesn’t have to be candies either. Like bacon? Eat so much bacon! Like chili cheese dogs? Eat all the dogs you want. Onion rings, yes please. Pizza? Have it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. National Junk Food Day is all about indulging in your favorites.

Please Note: Junk food may be hazardous to your health. After all, mom knows what’s best for you. Do so at your own risk. That risk includes having too much and Mom saying: “I told you so!”

Learn about National Junk Food Day

National Junk Food Day is a day that allows you to chow down on the foods that you usually would not. Junk foods, by their definition, tend to contain a lot of calories, salt, sugar, and fats, and they offer very nutritional value. You may think that it doesn’t do anyone any favors to have a day that is dedicated to junk food.

However, if you follow a healthy and balanced diet, there is nothing wrong with having one day of the year whereby you can eat anything that you want to. In fact, this is encouraged, because it means that you are more likely to eat healthily the rest of the time, right? Of course, it is up to you whether or not you decide to fully embrace National Junk Food Day, but we know that we will be!

History of National Junk Food Day

Upon searching for the history behind this food filled day, we found no information on the origin of this day. It was most likely created by a diet conscious individual or group who desired to eat junk food, without guilt, at least one day a year, sounds like a great idea to me. For it to become a “national” day it requires an act of congress. I don’t mind celebrating it anyway.

But, what about junk food? When did this start to come into our lives? Well, this coincides with the advent of packaged foods throughout the late 1900s. Of course, for decades, home-cooked meals were still the standard. However, after WW2, junk food really started to take off.

The population was traveling more and eating out more, and this resulted in fast food chains and the frozen food aisle really taking off. There were so many different foods for people to choose from. However, it was not until the 1970s that junk food started to get a bad name. This was when microbiologist, Michael Jacobson, actually coined the phrase. His aim was to try and curb our appetite for high preservative, high salt, and high sugar foods, which we were eating at a worrying rate.

Since then, there has been more knowledge and information about junk food, and a lot of food manufacturers have tried to make healthy versions of the junk food that we love the most! Nevertheless, if you have junk food now and again yet you generally maintain a healthy diet, it should not do you any harm! After all, we all deserve a treat now and again, right?

How to celebrate National Junk Food Day

Celebrate this wonderful day by eating any sweet or salty treats you want! Bake cupcakes, make cookies, heat up some popcorn, buy some of your favorite candies. Invite friends over and have them bring in their favorites and make a junk food buffet and spend the rest of the day watching movies. You can always go get some fast food for fun. Take a cheat day from your diet and have dessert for dinner.

Consider trying some junk foods from other countries. Japan has a particular talent for making fun candy that you have to mix together. Look online to see if you can order special treats for the day. To name a few for you Korea has Cheong Woo Pumpkin Candy.

The Ukraine has Mr. Fizzy, a small hard candy that fizzes in your mouth. Columbia has Jet chocolates, a package of chocolates that also comes with a dinosaur sticker. Japan has Unican Mikita Melon Milk candy, a chewy candy with melon flavor. In Spain they have Violetas, sugar coated natural violets. In Poland they have a crunchy wafer-chocolate bar called Prince Polo made by Olza.

Another way that you can celebrate junk food is by creating your own versions of your favorite snacks. For example, instead of heading down to KFC, why not try making your own southern fried chicken? There are lots of great recipes online for junk food nowadays. In fact, you will see that there are some weird and wonderful creations, including different and unusual burger recipes and much more!

You may also want to decide to spend National Junk Food Day with your friends. Why not host a junk food party? You can tell your friends that everyone has to bring carby and fatty foods. There are no green leafy foods allowed! Enjoy the day and indulge together. After all, it’s not like it is something that we all get to do all of the time, is it? So, you may as well make the most of it and indulge in those naughty foods. We won’t tell anyone!