National Crouton Day

That amazing crispy-crunchy goodness that comes from a crouton really just can’t be beat for a delicious salad topping. Though croutons are often unassuming and probably fairly happy to be a sidekick, it’s time to pay respect and let them be the star of the show, at least for this one special day.

And National Crouton Day is here to celebrate this little salad accessory that often gets overlooked but deserves a bit of attention!

History of National Crouton Day

Croutons have a history that can be traced back to the country of France. Well, at least the word “crouton” has its roots in the French language as it comes from the word croûte, which means “crust”. This is likely because the original croutons were made from the crusts of day-old bread that had gone a bit stale but could be cut into cubes and toasted with herbs and butter to keep from wasting food.

National Crouton Day began in 2015 when it was established by Rothbury Farms, a family owned business located in the United States. The idea for National Crouton Day was presented in February of that year and the first celebration took place on May 13, 2015.

As far as Rothbury Farms is concerned, the best croutons should be made starting with fresh bread that is carefully toasted and then seasoned with tasty spices, herbs and cheeses. The result is a super crunchy, amazingly flavorful bit of zest and interest that can be added to any salad or soup to make it much tastier.

How to Celebrate National Crouton Day

Whether throwing a whole party in honor of croutons or just sharing some with a friend, National Crouton Day comes with many options for observing the day. Or come up with a few of your own ideas or have fun with some of these:

Enjoy Eating Some Croutons

The most standard and expected way to pay respect to the crouton might be to simply eat a garden salad that is topped with croutons and a favorite salad dressing. Or choose to add them to a traditional Caesar salad. And those are certainly some viable options.

But some people might want to make things a bit more interesting on National Crouton Day by placing some croutons on top of a bowl of soup, using them as a garnish with chili, or even try putting them in scrambled eggs. Actually, croutons are so delicious that they can even just be eaten as a snack all by themselves!

Try Making Croutons at Home

When there’s a bit of stale bread left in the bread box, don’t just throw it away! Repurpose that day-old bread and make it into croutons. Start by cutting the bread into small squares and place them on a lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, and toss with spices. Bake until golden, turning once halfway through, about 15-20 minutes.

Enjoy a delicious batch of homemade croutons on various dishes at home, or share them with friends in honor and celebration of National Crouton Day!