September Food Calendar
Click on a Quick Link to find TIPS, RECIPES, and RESOURCES related to the day, week or month. Or simply scroll down the page.
Questions about September Calendar? Email author, Kayla Colgrove, MS, RD, Extension Educator (kayla.colgrove@unl.edu)
National Food Days
- Macadamia Nut Day (September 4)
- Cheese Pizza Day (September 5)
- Acorn Squash Day (September 7)
- Celiac Disease Awareness Day (September 13)
- Peanut Day (September 13)
- Eat a Hoagie Day (September 14)
- Linguine Day (September 15)
- Guacamole Day (September 16)
- Better Breakfast Day (September 26)
- Coffee Day (September 29)
- Hot Mulled Cider Day (September 30)
National Food Weeks
- Waffle Week (1st week)
- Vegetarian Awareness Week (2nd week)
National Food Months
- Better Breakfast Month
- Chicken Month
- Childhood Obesity Awareness Month
- Cholesterol Education Month
- Food Safety Education Month
- Fruits & Veggies--More Matters Month®
- Mushroom Month
- Papaya Month
- Potato Month
- Rice Month
- Whole Grains Month
- Wild Rice Month
Food Calendar
Nebraska Extension's Calendar of Food Days, Weeks, and Months is a monthly, web-based food-themed calendar. It provides resources for selected national food-themed days, weeks, and months.
We hope this provides you inspiration for blogs, tweets, programs, and articles.
To receive notification of Calendar of Food Days, Weeks, and Months updates, please subscribe to the Food Calendar Update Mailing List.
~Kayla Colgrove, MS, RD, ACSM-CPT (kayla.colgrove@unl.edu)
Please see our other food and health related newsletters, blogs, and social media resources.
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Macadamia Nut Day (September 4)
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Cheese Pizza Day (September 5)Tips for making healthy, delicious pizzas include:
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Acorn Squash Day (September 7)Acorn squash is considered a winter squash and is harvested at a mature age when its skin is hard and inedible. It is always served cooked. Stored properly, it can keep up to 3 months. The Fruits & Veggies More Matters website gives directions for selecting and storing acorn squash as well as Top 10 Ways to Enjoy Acorn Squash. Different types of winter squash often can be substituted for each other in recipes. |
Celiac Disease Awareness Day (September 13)Did you know? One of the grains people with celiac disease can eat is flour processed from food sorghum varieties. Whole grain sorghum flour is a wholesome, hearty grain that provides important fiber and has a mild flavor that won't compete with the delicate flavors of other food. Learn more about baking with sorghum and get the recipe for this gluten-free bread and several other recipes and fact sheets using sorghum. Obtain additional information about celiac disease on the Celiac Disease Foundation website. |
Peanut Day (September 13)
A single ounce of raw peanuts or dry roasted peanuts (a scant 1/4 cup) weighs in at around 160 calories, according to the Peanut Institute. Peanuts are packed with protein and contributes to satiety which may help us eat less. As a legume, they also are a source of dietary fiber. Peanuts are high in heart healthy unsaturated fat.. Vitamin E, niacin, folate and manganese are among are among the nutrients found in peanuts. |
Eat a Hoagie Day (September 14)According to Wikipedia, the term hoagie originated in the Philadelphia area. There are several theories as to the origin of the name, "hoagie." A hoagie, according to the Free Dictionary is "a large sandwich made of a long crusty roll split lengthwise and filled with meats and cheese (and tomato and onion and lettuce and condiments)." Enjoy your hoagie today and load it up with lots of veggies for a nutrient-packed celebration of "Eat a Hoagie Day." Flickr image courtesy of Jeffreyyaki per CC license |
Linguine Day (September 15)Did you know? The name linguine means "little tongues" in Italian? According to the National Pasta Association, linguine is "a great shape to compliment a variety of sauces." And, "also a good choice for salads and stir-fry dishes." Find recipes and tips for cooking with linguine and other types of pasta on the National Pasta Association website. Photo of Linguine with Spicy Thai Shrimp Sauce Recipe, made with linguine, courtesy of the National Pasta Association. |
Guacamole Day (September 16)Try Guacamole on the Go for a quick, basic guacamole recipe. Tastes great and you don't need to purchase lime or cilantro to make it. To get started, here's how to peel and pit an avocado. Learn how to select and store avocados plus Top 10 Ways to Enjoy Avocados from Fruits & Veggies More Matters. Two tablespoons or 2 -3 thin slices of fresh avocado weigh in at just 50 calories. For more information and recipes for avocados, visit California Avocados website. |
Better Breakfast Day (September 26)
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Coffee Day (September 29)While the new Choose MyPlate icon doesn't include a coffee cup, there is increasing evidence of the health benefits of coffee. While a plain cup of coffee has about 2 calories, the calories in additions to coffee and specialty coffee drinks can add up.
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Hot Mulled Cider Day (September 30)There are two types of cider made from apples. One type, referred to as "cider" or "hard cider" is a fermented beverage made from apple juice. Cider varies in alcohol content from 2% to 8.5% by volume. The other type is an unsweetened, non-alcoholic beverage made from apples. It is referred to as "apple cider, "sweet cider," or "soft cider." Enjoy this mulled spiced "apple cider" recipe from University of Illinois Extension. |
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Waffle Week (1st week)Tips for enjoying healthy, delicious waffles include:
Here is how to keep waffles warm if you are preparing several at a time. Flickr image courtesy of Lemon_Solo per CC license |
Vegetarian Awareness Week (2nd week)Learn more about nutrients and tips for Vegetarians from Choose MyPlate. Nutrients to focus on are protein, iron, calcium, zinc, and vitamin B-12.
Flickr image courtesy of Jean-Francois Chenier per CC license |
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Breakfast MonthFor many people, breakfast is a low priority or not one at all. If you think you are saving time or cutting calories by skipping breakfast, think again. Learn more about the benefits of breakfast and healthy breakfast ideas from these resources:
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Chicken MonthCheck our Meat Preparation section for preparation, handling safety and cookery methods for chicken. Make this Chicken Strata a la King recipe the night before and bake the next day. For a change of pace, try this Barbequed Chicken Pizza recipe from our Youth / 4-H section. |
Childhood Obesity Awareness Month
Resources:
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Cholesterol Education MonthMore than 65 million Americans have high blood cholesterol, a serious condition that increases risk for heart disease. High blood cholesterol itself does not cause symptoms, so many are unaware their levels are too high.
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Food Safety Education Month
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Fruits & Veggies--More Matters Month®Check the following for tips, recipes, and resources:
Flickr image courtesy of The Meeting Place North per CC license |
Mushroom MonthMushrooms are low in calories, fat-free, cholesterol-free and very low in sodium. One of the nutrients found in mushrooms that is receiving increased attention is vitamin D. The Mushroom Council gives more information about the vitamin D content of various mushrooms.
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Papaya MonthThe papaya is a melon like fruit with yellow-orange flesh enclosed in a thin skin that varies in color from green to orange to rose. Papayas are a good source of vitamins A and C. Learn now to select and store papayas and Top 10 Ways to Enjoy Papayas from Fruits & Veggies More Matters. |
Potato MonthResources:
Photo by Alice Henneman |
Rice Month
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Whole Grains Month
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Wild Rice MonthSeptember is both Rice Month and Wild Rice Month. Technically wild rice isn't a rice but the seed of a type of aquatic grass. It has a pronounced flavor and is often consumed in combination with other rices or grains. The Whole Grains Council includes a section about wild rice, which includes recipes! Flickr image courtesy of Indiana Public Media per CC license |