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National Junk Food Day

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Whether you’re snacking on candy or chips or noshing on deep fried goodies, you can do it without guilt when National Junk Food Day rolls around on July 21st.

While not technically considered an “official” holiday, you can make this an official cheat day. Save the salads for tomorrow and indulge in your favorite junk food.

National Junk Food Day will be observed on Sunday, July 21, 2024.

National Junk Food Day

What Is Junk Food?

Junk food is generally considered any food that is high-calorie, high in fat, processed, and otherwise mostly unhealthy. Many people reserve junk food as an occasional treat or an occasional convenience food. Others like to snack on chips and candy and consume fast food frequently.

One of the first mass market junk foods was Cracker Jack, that popular ball park treat made of popcorn, peanuts, and molasses. Introduced in 1893 at the Chicago World Fair, by 1916, it was the best selling snack in the world.

Fast food is also considered junk food because of its high level of fat and cholesterol. This became more mainstream as our highways developed and people turned to quick-stop burgers and fries while they were out on the road. Prior to fast food, most meals were prepared at home with whole, local ingredients.

Most Popular Junk Food

You can find junk food on every corner of the city and on the shelves of stores. But what are the most popular things that people turn to when they’re craving junk food?

  • Potato chips: Ruffles, Doritos, Cheetos, Lay’s, Pringles, Fritos, Funyuns
  • Dessert Style Foods: Brownies, cakes, pies, donuts, pastries, Twinkies, muffins
  • Store Bought Cookies: Oreos, Chips Ahoy, Nutter Butter, Nilla Wafers
  • Candy Bars: Snickers, Twix, Butterfinger, Nestle Crunch, Snickers, Kit Kat, Hershey’s Chocolate Bars
  • Candy: Gummy Bears, Sour Patch, Starburst, Skittles, M&Ms, Licorice, Milk Duds
  • Fast Food: Pizza, Burgers, hot dogs, french fries, burritos, tacos, chicken nuggets, fish & chips
  • Fried Foods: Fried Chicken, fried cheese, onion rings, egg rolls, funnel cake, hash browns

How To Celebrate National Junk Food Day

  • Have a junk food potluck at work. Everyone brings their favorite junk food item to share.
  • Have a junk food dinner – eat your favorite fast food, fried food, or candy for dinner.
  • Serve a DIY junk food dessert bar. Set up ice cream, candy, and other junk food items, and let everyone build their own dessert.
  • Share your favorite junk food on social media with the hashtag #NationalJunkFoodDay

Things to remember on National Junk Food Day? Don’t count your calories! Enjoy the day as an opportunity to indulge in your favorites. You don’t have to go overboard to celebrate, but don’t be afraid to choose something less healthy than your usual choice. Have fun with it and satisfy those cravings.

Junk Food Fun Facts

  • The term “junk food” was first used in the 1960s and became more popular during the 1970s.
  • Americans eat an average of 4 pounds of chips every year.
  • Cotton candy was invented by a dentist and it was originally called fairy floss.
  • Creators of Pepsi thought that it would help relive indigestion.
  • Almost 900 million gallons of ice cream are produced in America each year.
  • Chocolate Chip cookies are the most popular cookie in the US.
  • Over $2 billion of candy is sold for Halloween each year.
  • 13 Billion hamburgers are eaten by Americans every year.
  • Weird Jelly Belly jelly bean flavors include vomit, booger, rotten egg, and dog food.
  • Doritos were created by a cook at Disneyland who turned leftover tortillas into seasoned chips.
  • Tootsie Rolls were first sold in 1896.
  • White Castle was the first Fast Food chain.
Heidi Deal
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