Last Updated on October 28, 2022 by Jim Edwards
Have you heard….July 21 is perhaps the greatest holiday ever – National Junk Food Day!
Do you have a sweet tooth? Or are you constantly craving salty snacks? Do we really need to ask you this? Because if you are part of our Junk Food Community, we already know you love Junk Food.
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History and Origin of National Junk Food Day:
Honestly, no one really knows the origins or history of this holiday.
It is not an official holiday of course. Because to be an official national holiday you need either a presidential proclamation or an act of congress. And as we all know, this has not happened and will likely never happen.
We suspect it was created by someone who liked to indulge in junk food and wanted to have a good excuse to do so.
Can you blame them?
How to Observe National Junk Food Day
Enjoy your favorite junk food. Try a new food restaurant. If you need some suggestion for snacks see our posts on for the most popular American snacks and also the most popular snacks in the world.
And share you celebration on social media using the #NationalJunkFoodDay hash tag.
Finally you might enjoy our Junk Food Lover Quotes on this day too!
If you have issues with gluten, be sure to see our gluten free junk food post.
We all love cheat days after an entire week of only eating healthy food. But even with cheat days, you have to look after what you eat and how much you eat.
That said, do you ever wish there was a day you could eat absolutely any junk food without any guilt? Where it was NATIONALLY accepted to eat as much junk food as you want, and no one would say anything? A day that is much more than your average cheat day?
Well, your wish has been granted because July 21 is National Junk Food Day. It is celebrated every year in the U.S. where people collectively indulge in their favorite snacks and treats without any guilt. You are allowed to eat your favorite burger with extra cheese and as many chocolates as you want.
Let’s see how this day is celebrated and how it came into being.
History of National Junk Food Day
We went through the National Days archives and searched a lot about the origin of National Junk Food Day, but there is no information about the origin and history of this day. It was probably created by a junk food lover or a group of diet conscious people who wanted a dedicated day only to eat junk food.
Honestly, one day a year sounds like no big deal for your health. But it definitely is a big deal for people who love junk food and don’t mind celebrating it. Although it is the National Junk Food Day, it is not an official holiday in the U.S. as it is not recognized by Congress or the President. It is just for plain fun.
History of Junk Food
While we don’t know about the origin of National Junk Food Day, we definitely know where and when junk food came into our lives. The origin of junk food began with the popularity of packaged foods in the late 1800s. While home-cooked meals were considered the standard until World War 2, junk food started to take off after the war.
Since people started traveling and eating out more after the war, there was a rise in the number of fast-food chains. Even the frozen food aisle became quite popular, and grocery stores would see their frozen food items sell out in no time. There was also a huge variety of fast food available for people to choose from.
However, junk food started to get a bad name in the 1970s when the term “junk food” was coined by the microbiologist, Michael Jacobson. He wanted to spread awareness about junk food and help people curb their cravings for high salt, high sugar, and high preservative foods that were consumed at an alarming rate during those times.
Ever since the 1970s, people have gotten more aware of junk food. Many junk food manufacturers have attempted to create healthy versions of their food products. However, if you only eat junk food once in a while, there is no harm in it. We all deserve to nibble on our favorite treats sometimes, don’t we?
How to Celebrate National Junk Food Day?
Snack on your favorite chocolates, chow down on a bag of chips and nibble on your favorite candies. Don’t keep the celebrations to yourself. Share it with your friends, family, and colleagues!
Our Favorite Ways to Celebrate National Junk Food Day:
1. Eat Your Favorite Snacks
What better thing to do on National Junk Food Day than eating your favorite snacks? That’s the best way to participate in the celebrations. Whether you love french fries, pie, chips, chocolates, or burgers, order your favorite food and start eating without worrying about the calories.
2. Throw a Party
How about a junk food party where you ask all your friends to bring over their favorite junk food, and you play exciting games like coke pong instead of beer pong. The one and only rule of the party should be: “No leafy food allowed”. Just good ol’ cheesy, fatty, sugary, and carb foods.
You can celebrate National Junk Food Day by showing off your celebrations to your friends and family. Record the most memorable moments of binge-eating your favorite treats and post them on your social media. Write an interesting caption and use the hashtag #NationalJunkFoodDay.
4. Satisfy Your Cravings
There is always that one snack that we crave all the time. National Junk Food Day is your best excuse to satisfy those cravings. Craving is a phenomenon where our brain’s dopamine and opioids react to the taste of high-calorie foods. It is a way that your brain uses to compel you to eat junk food, and you won’t be fully satisfied until you curb these cravings.
National Junk Food Day: July 21
Today, July 21st, is a giant menu of items for National Junk Food Day. Each year, this day permits us to chow down on the foods we usually do not include in our daily diet. It was most likely created by a diet conscious individual or group, no information on the origin of this day.
Summary
Celebrate your love for junk food on National Junk Food Day this July 21. Let your inner child get what it wants for just one day. As long as your stomach allows it, enjoy your favorite treats and share your love of junk food with the people you love. Whatever you do, don’t forget to savor every moment of this day and don’t count the calories because you can do that every day for the rest of the year.
National Junk Food Day — Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which Is National Junk Food Day?
National Junk Food Day is celebrated in the United States on July 21 every year. Don’t mistake it with your average cheat day because on National Junk Food Day, you can eat as much junk food as you want all day. Make sure it is high in sugar, salt, calories, and fats because otherwise, it won’t be junk food!
Who Created National Junk Food Day?
The National Junk Food day was most probably created by a group of junk food lovers and diet conscious people who were not allowed to consume junk food every single day. So they dedicated an entire day to junk food where no one would stop or judge them for eating whatever they wanted.
What Is the Number 1 Junk Food?
Sorry hamburger fans, but pizza is the favorite junk food of Americans. Hamburgers, french toast, and fried chicken are also some of the most loved junk foods in the U.S.
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I’m Jim Edwards and I started this website to share my love of Junk Food. We cover new junk food, desserts, snack foods, fast food secret menus, candy (of course!) and other related news. We love trying “secret menus” at restaurants. And we love trying new products too. So, we are trying to have some fun with our hobby and share some useful information with you, our community. Please feel to send us your suggestions and feedback through the contact form. And if you have products you would like us to try, let us know…!
