National Bacon Lovers Day 2023: Date, History, Facts, Activities

August 20 is National Bacon Lovers Day. No aroma on Earth is more enticing than thinly sliced bacon simmering in a pan and served with whatever is available, which is arguably our favourite in-office holiday. Bacon is the star of every dish in which it is included. No doubt it has been such a significant part of western cuisine since 1500 BCE. This means that we have enjoyed the sweet-savory aroma and meaty flavour of bacon for thousands of years. One could contend that our historic fondness for bacon is now encoded in our DNA.

The background of National Bacon Lovers Day

While bacon has been a part of our diet as a species since 1500 B.C., pigs were first domesticated around 8500 B.C., meaning that for seven thousand years, humans had bacon right under their nostrils without even realising it. Before the 16th century, the term ‘bacon’ referred to any pork cut. Over the centuries, the process of curing bacon for human sustenance has also been refined but has remained relatively unchanged. Today, the only difference is that hygiene standards have improved and the scope of bacon production and consumption has skyrocketed.

In the 12th century, a church in the English town of Great Dunmow challenged the married men to a type of wager over the availability of bacon. If a man could go an entire year and a day without arguing with his wife, they would receive a side of bacon as a reward. Thus was born the phrase “bring home the bacon,” which is now commonly used to characterise a person who can provide for their family financially.

A few centuries later, the industrial revolution introduces an entirely new level of production to the swine industry. Prior to that time, bacon and other pork products were previously produced at home. Most individuals kept their own pigs and slaughtered them on a regular basis. It was customary for people to keep pigs in their basements, even in urban settings. In the 1930s, this practise was discontinued. In the late 1700s, commercial pig husbandry and bacon production increased. Bacon was one of the first foods to be mass-produced, due to increased population levels and an increase in available technology. It continues to be a widespread household favourite.

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Activities for National Bacon Lovers Day

Enjoy a full English breakfast

It is Bacon Lovers Day, so we must consume bacon! Let’s not forget where it all began: back bacon, a portion of eggs, and some toast.

Use imagination with it

Bacon is among the most versatile meats available. It enhances the flavour of all food. Do you want bacon with your olive? Yes, thank you!

Donate some bacon wrapped in paper.

Bacon is a relatively inexpensive cut of meat that contains adequate amounts of protein and fat for a family in need of calories. Spread some National Bacon Lovers Day spirit by donating to those in need.

5 ways bacon influences our lives

Annually, 268,04 million Americans consume bacon.

Seventy percent of all bacon produced in the United States is consumed at breakfast.

The annual production of bacon in the United States exceeds two billion pounds.

In the 1980s, health movements attempted to alter the perception of bacon, resulting in a decline in bacon sales.

Bacon means “meat from the animal’s back.”

NATIONAL BACON LOVERS DAY DATES