Celebrating National Food Months.... Not!

My post about National Lasagna Day (July 31) got me thinking about a Deseret News column I wrote a few years ago on food "holidays" and observances. Just so you know, the July is National Baked Bean Month, Blueberry Month, Hot Dog Month, Ice Cream Month, Picnic Month, Lasagna Awareness Month, Culinary Arts Month, and Pickles Month.

With so many designated observances, I don't get too excited about writing a special story just because it's a certain day, week, month or even year.  For instance, the United Nations declared 2008 the International Year of the Potato, and 2004 the Year of Rice. 

Aside from the United Nations, I'm not sure who assigns all these food observances. I suppose any person or group can designate one. I'm pretty sure most of them are part of promotional campaigns by food growers or manufacturers.

Over the years I compiled a calendar of national food designations. Just in case you don't want to miss Papaya Month in September or Split Pea Soup week in November, here's my list: 

January: Oatmeal Month, Soup Month, Pie Day (Jan. 23), Healthy Weight Week (Jan. 20-26), Fat Free Living Month, Bread Machine Baking Month, Dried Plum Breakfast Month, Hot Tea Month, Wheat Bread Month.

February: Bake for Family Fun Month, Canned Food Month, Celebration of Chocolate Month, Snack Food Month, Potato Lover's Month, Great American Pie Month, Cherry Month, Grapefruit Month, Hot Breakfast Month, Pot Roast Month, Return Shopping Carts to the Supermarket Month.

March: Nutrition Month, Peanut Month, Agriculture Day (March 21), Noodle Month, Frozen Food Month, Flour Month, Sauce Month.

April: Garden Month, Pecan Month, Fresh Florida Tomato Month, Soft Pretzel Month, Soybean Month.

May: Asparagus Month, Artisan Gelato Month, Barbecue Month, Hamburger Month, Salad Month, Egg Month, Herb Month, Salsa Month, Strawberry Month, Food Allergy Awareness Month.

June: Candy Month, Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month, Hunger Awareness Month, Iced Tea Month, Papaya Month, Beef Steak Month, Seafood Month, Soul Food Month, Turkey Lovers Month.

July: Baked Bean Month, Blueberry Month, Hot Dog Month, Ice Cream Month, Picnic Month, Lasagna Awareness Month, Culinary Arts Month, Pickles Month.

August: Catfish Month, Peach Month.

September: 5-A-Day Month, Chicken Month, Honey Month, Mushroom Month, Rice Month, Biscuit Month, Organic Harvest Month, Papaya Month.

October: Apple Month, Pasta Month, Pizza Month, Popcorn Month, Pork Month, Seafood Month, World Vegetarian Day (Oct. 1), Celebrate Sun-Dried Tomatoes Month, Caramel Month, Cookie Month, Spinach-Lovers' Month, Vegetarian Awareness Month.

November: Peanut Butter Lover's Month, Split Pea Soup Week (second week), Diabetes Month, Culinary Week, Men Make Dinner Day (first Thursday), Peanut Festival, Pomegranate Month, Roasting Month.

December: Cookie Cutter Week (first week).