The Most Popular National Food and Drink Holidays in Every State
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If you’re like most Americans, you pull out all the stops when it comes to holiday cooking. Even if you keep your meals simple the rest of the year, you probably spend Thanksgiving in the kitchen roasting turkey, baking pumpkin pie and preparing a plethora of delicious sides to cover the table. Then, when summer hits and the time comes to celebrate Independence Day, you fire up the grill, spending most of the day with either a burger or a beer in hand. And even when non-federal holidays like Valentines Day roll around, you might not cook, but you’ll certainly make it a point to go out for a nice meal with your significant other.
But despite our incorporation of tasty cuisine into pretty much every holiday we celebrate, we still tend to forget about the holidays that exist to honor the sheer existence of our favorite foods and drinks: National Pizza Day, National Taco Day, National Tequila Day, National Beer Day, the list goes on. Not only are such holidays the perfect excuse to enjoy some of our favorite foods and drinks, they also have a special way of fostering a sense of togetherness among foodies both near and far.
So, in the spirit of bringing people together, we decided to take a look at the most popular food and drink holidays across the country. Using Google search interest data, we determined the most popular food holidays in each state and across the board. Check them out below – our findings might just surprise you.
Have you ever wondered if your favorite food holiday lines up with that of others in your state? Well, wonder no more.
If you’re crazy about tacos, there’s a good chance you’re from Texas, California, or Oregon, as National Taco Day is the most popular food holiday in these states. But Oregon’s northern neighbor, Washington, diverges from the taco craze to celebrate a sweeter holiday: National Doughnut Day, which isn’t too much of a surprise since the state’s capital has a notoriously amazing doughnut scene.
Over in the opposite corner of the country, people are all about pulled pork. In both Florida and Georgia, National Pulled Pork Day is the most popular holiday. This love for pulled pork doesn’t seem to make its way up to the Carolinas, though. Based on their favorite holidays, North and South Carolinians are much more into breakfast. And if you prefer pancakes and bacon to waffles and sausage for breakfast, then you might be from North or South Carolina, as National Pancake Day and National Bacon Day are the most popular holidays in these two states, respectively.
You’re in good company if beer is your alcoholic beverage of choice, as National Beer Day is the most popular drink holiday in 8 states across the U.S. These include Iowa, Idaho, Maine, Michigan, Wyoming, North Dakota, Washington, and West Virginia, so its popularity has an impressive geographical range.
Are you more inclined to celebrate National Wine Day than National Beer Day? Then there’s a good chance you’re from Vermont, South Carolina, Indiana, or Kansas. Unless you specifically fancy red wine, then you might be from Virginia or Oregon where National Red Wine Day is the most popular drink holiday.
Not from any of these wine-loving states? You could always take a little road trip on May 25th, to celebrate National Wine Day surrounded by wine enthusiasts. The fine people of Vermont, South Carolina, Indiana, and Kansas would love to have you — if you remember to BYOW (bring your own wine), that is.
Your favorite food and drink holidays might align with your in-state neighbors, but how do they fare across states within the same region?
If you live out West and plan on going all out for National Taco Day and/or National Margarita Day this year, then it looks like you’re in the right place, as these are the most popular holidays in your region. But if you prefer pizza to tacos, and beer to margaritas, then it might be time to venture to the Midwest, where National Pizza Day and National Beer Day peak in popularity.
Down South, it appears that people are really into pancakes and tequila, given that National Pancake Day and National Tequila Day are the most popular food and drink holidays among southerners. Much like southerners, those in the Northeast love tequila. But unlike those who call the South home, northeasterners prefer to celebrate ice cream when it comes to their top food holiday.
Don’t worry too much if your favorite food or drink holiday is out of touch with that of others in your home state — especially if your favorite food holiday happens to be National Pizza or Ice Cream Day. Or if your favorite drink holiday is National Tequila or Beer Day. Because even if these holidays aren’t all that popular in your home state, they’re the overall national favorites.
How do your state’s top food and drink holidays compare with your personal favorites? What about your region’s? Feel free to share in the comments below!
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