Grab the maple syrup and butter, pile up a plate of flapjacks and get ready to enjoy all of the yummy goodness you can stand! Because it’s time for National Flapjack Day!
History of National Flapjack Day
Flapjacks, also called pancakes in the US, have a history that dates back hundreds of years. It is unclear exactly when they originated, but it is believed that even the ancient Greeks had a sort of batter-like concoction they would pan fry as far back as 2500 years ago or more!
Some historical records show that flapjacks seem to have gotten their name in English some time around the 17th century, when the word “flap” was used to mean “flip”. While no one is quite sure where the term “jack” came into the equation, the flipping part certainly makes sense when considering how these fluffy little treats are made.
Founded in 2020 by Kodiak Cakes, National Flapjack Day makes a conscious effort to celebrate everything related to a hearty, delicious breakfast in an old-fashioned style, the way that the pioneers used to do!
In fact, Kodiak Cakes is a company that is so dedicated to making breakfast healthy that they make their mixes with 100% whole grains and 14 grams of protein.
Plus, the Kodiak Cakes company is passionate about using responsibly sourced ingredients to protect the environment and the creatures who inhabit it, particularly the grizzly bears. Instead of calling them pancakes, this family owned company refers to them as flapjacks. Thus, the reason for the origination of National Flapjack Day!
National Flapjack Day Timeline
Pancakes originate
Somewhere in ancient Greece, a poet describes the eating of warm cakes fried in a pan.
Flapjacks get their start in England
The name seems to come from previous times when the word “flap” meant “flip”.
Recipe for flapjacks is published
The Nottingham Evening Post publishes a recipe for flapjacks.
Flap Jack Shack restaurant opens
In Traverse City, Northern Michigan, a restaurant called Flap Jack Shack gets its start.
First National Flapjack Day is celebrated
Kodiak Company helps to establish the first National Flapjack Day on March 7.
How to Celebrate National Flapjack Day
Pay heed to this tempting and delicious day by implementing some of these ideas for celebrating:
Enjoy a Plate of Yummy Flapjacks
Of course, the simplest way to get involved in National Flapjack Day is to pile up a stack of delicious flapjacks on a plate and get to eating them. Order them up at a diner that serves breakfast food–and ask for extra maple syrup!
Those who want to stay home to celebrate National Flapjack Day can certainly have fun making them at home. With a little bit of flour, some oil, milk, baking powder, and perhaps some eggs, it’s easy to whip up some flapjack batter at home and enjoy the deliciousness!
Get Creative with Flapjacks
Of course, there is nothing wrong with a classic and traditional stack of flapjacks made with the usual stuff. But perhaps in honor of National Flapjack Day, it would be fun to reach into that innovative side and make things a bit more interesting! Try out some of these ideas for inspiration:
- Pumpkin Flapjacks. This recipe for flapjacks is super easy when it is made using pumpkin from a can. Add some chocolate chips for an even more decadent flavor. Top with cinnamon syrup if desired.
- Nutella Stuffed Flapjacks. Plan these in advance by freezing some dollups of nutella on a sheet of baking paper. When making the flapjacks, pour some batter on the pan, add a nutella disc, and pour more batter over the top. The nutella melts and creates a yummy middle. Add strawberry slices on top for a fresh finish.
- Pina Colada Flapjacks. Add a can of pineapple chunks or crushed pineapple to the flapjack batter recipe, along with some coconut flakes. Top it off with a rum-sauce for a tasty island flavor.
- Lemon Ricotta Flapjacks. Make these delightfully fresh flapjacks by adding ricotta cheese and some lemon juice and lemon zest to the mix. Instead of maple syrup, finish it off with a light dusting of powdered sugar.
Host a Flapjack Eating Contest or Event
Because they are rather easy to make, filling and fairly affordable, flapjacks can be a fun food that works well for events, eating contests or fundraisers. Charities and non-profit groups or community organizers can enjoy National Flapjack Day as a time to throw a big party!
Invite various members of the community to participate in the event, some of whom will be in the kitchen making flapjacks like mad men! Whether a contest is created to see who can eat the most flapjacks, or a flapjack dinner is hosted to raise funds, it’s a fun day to bring people together.
It’s possible to charge a flat fee at the door for all-you-care-to-eat flapjacks, or make it a per-plate fee. Either way, National Flapjack Day is a perfect opportunity to enjoy a fantastic community gathering, raise awareness and earn some funds for a school, church or other organization or group.
Enjoy a National Flapjack Day Playlist
Pretty much any day can be a little better with a soundtrack playing in the background! Have tons of fun on National Flapjack Day by creating a themed playlist that offers a delightful time to listen and sing along. Get that playlist started with some of these pancake and flapjack themed songs:
- Banana Pancakes by Jack Johnson (2005)
- Bishop Danced by Bruce Springsteen (1998)
- Pancakes, Please by Sarah Silverman (2010)
- Polkadot Pancakes by Christine Lavin & The Mistletones (2003)
Learn the Difference Between British and American Flapjacks
Travelers beware! Americans who are heading over the ocean to the United Kingdom may find themselves a bit surprised if they pop into a cafe and order a stack of flapjacks. Though it seems to have originated in England and did at one point refer to pancakes, the term ‘flapjack’ has evolved into something else entirely.
Today, ordering a flapjack in the UK will probably produce something along the lines of a bar made with oatmeal and syrup or honey, more akin to a handmade granola bar than a pancake.
Certainly, it’s probably not something a person would eat a stack of, nor does it come with a pat of butter or a cup of maple syrup!
Facts About National Flapjack Day
Ancient Greek Pancakes Were Flavored With Honey and Wine
Literary evidence suggests that ancient Greeks ate pancake-like cakes known as tagenites as early as the 5th century BCE.
The playwright Cratinus and the poet Magnes both described flat cakes fried in a pan and sweetened with honey, often flavored with sesame seeds or even wine, making them an early example of a seasoned, skillet-cooked breakfast food.
Pancakes May Be One of the Oldest Processed Foods Humans Ate
Research on the stomach contents of Ötzi the Iceman, a 5,300-year-old mummy found in the Alps, revealed partially charred, finely ground einkorn wheat alongside meat and fat.
Archaeologists and food historians interpret this as evidence that he likely ate an early form of flatbread or pancake cooked on a hot stone, suggesting that grain batters or doughs cooked on griddles date back to the Neolithic period.
Shrove Tuesday Helped Turn Pancakes Into a Pre-Lenten Tradition
In many Christian countries, the day before Lent became associated with eating pancakes because households needed to use up rich ingredients like eggs, milk, and fat before the fasting period.
By the late Middle Ages in England, “pancake day” on Shrove Tuesday featured pancake races and communal feasts, firmly linking griddle cakes with both thrift and celebration.
British Flapjacks Evolved as a Ration-Friendly Oat Traybake
The British version of a flapjack, an oat bar baked with butter and golden syrup, rose to prominence in the 19th and early 20th centuries when rolled oats became widely available and cheap.
Because these bars were dense, calorie rich, and kept well, they became popular for school tuck shops, packed lunches, and even as a convenient energy food for hikers and soldiers.
American Diners Turned Pancakes Into an Iconic Roadside Breakfast
In the early to mid 20th century, the growth of highway travel in the United States helped solidify pancakes as a classic diner staple.
Short-order cooks could quickly pour batter on a griddle, flip, and serve stacks topped with butter and syrup, which made pancakes ideal for crowded roadside restaurants that needed inexpensive, filling food for travelers and truck drivers.
Whole-Grain Pancakes Can Improve Satiety Compared With Refined Flour Versions
Clinical nutrition studies have shown that breakfasts made with whole grains, such as whole wheat or oats, tend to increase feelings of fullness and moderate post-meal blood glucose more effectively than those made with refined white flour.
When pancake batter is formulated with whole grains and adequate protein, it can behave more like a slow-release carbohydrate meal than a typical “sugar spike” breakfast.
Flour Milling Technology Helped Standardize Modern Pancakes
Before the Industrial Revolution, pancakes were highly variable because flour quality and grind could differ from one mill or region to another.
The spread of roller milling in the 19th century produced more uniform, finely ground wheat flour, which in turn allowed cookbooks and later boxed mixes to specify consistent recipes, leading to the fluffy, standardized pancakes common in North America today.
