January Food Holiday Observances

January is a time to start fresh. We tend to be more focused on our health and wellness and are eager to start new diet routines. Sometimes it can be hard to stick with those, but with so many delicious January Food Holidays, you can find something to tempt your palate while also sticking to those resolutions. It’s the perfect month to bust out your slow cookers, Instant Pots, juicers, and blenders that you just got for Christmas.  Use this guide to help you to plan your menu at home, for creative snack ideas in the classroom, or party fun! I’ll keep adding links as I come up with them. Also be sure to check out my Pinterest boards of Recipes to Try and Montessori Food Prep Activities for even more ideas. Which ones are your favorites?

Monthly January Food Holiday Observances

January is the month that everyone decides to change their eating habits. It’s a great idea in theory, but remember it takes at least 21 days to form a new habit. One of the mistakes that most people make is trying to do a massive overhaul in one fell swoop. Start small with just one at a time and you will be more likely to make it a permanent dietary change. Luckily with so many great themes for the month, most of which are quite healthy, you should be able to find something to tempt you.

For example, it’s Fat-Free Living Month, so you can find new fat-free recipes to try. With it being Bread Machine Making Month, National Wheat Bread Month, and National Baking Month, you can find healthier ways to make your favorite baked goods. Plus anything you can make at home from scratch is usually going to be healthier for you anyway, as you know what’s really going in there and can control it.

Turn your breakfast around as you learn about new recipes for National Egg Month, National Hot Tea Month, and National Oatmeal Month. Find new lunch and dinner options with National Meat Month, National Slow Cooking Month, and National Soup Month. You can even help yourself get more regular with Prune Breakfast Month (although I can’t imagine!). And sure, let yourself indulge every once in a while with National Candy Month.

Daily January Food Holiday Observances

January 1 – National Bloody Mary Day

January 1 –  National Black Eyed Pea Day

January 1 – Apple Gifting Day

January 2 – National Buffet Day

January 2 – National Cream Puff Day

January 3-  Chocolate-Covered Cherry Day

January 4 – National Spaghetti Day – Try something new with Zucchini Pasta Sauce with Toasted Pine Nuts, or one of these 30 Spaghetti Recipes.

January 5 – National Whipped Cream Day

January 6 – National Shortbread Day

January 6 – National Bean Day

January 7 – National Tempura Day (I love tempura! Need to make sure to go to my favorite Japanese restaurant today!)

January 8 – National English Toffee Day

January 9 – National Apricot Day

January 9 – National Cassoulet Day

January 10 – National Bittersweet Chocolate Day

January 10 – National Oysters Rockefeller Day

January 11 – National Hot Toddy Day

January 11 – National Milk Day

January 12 – National Marzipan Day

January 12 – National Curried Chicken Day

January 12 – National Glazed Doughnut Day

January 13 – National Gluten-Free Day

January 13 – National Peach Melba Day

January 14 – National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day

January 15 – National Bagel Day

January 15 – National Fresh Squeezed Juice Day

January 15 – National Strawberry Ice Cream Day

January 16 – National Fig Newton Day

January 16 – International Hot and Spicy Food Day

January 17– National Hot Buttered Rum Day

January 18 – National Gourmet Coffee Day

January 18 – Peking Duck Day

January 19 – National Popcorn Day – Try some Spicy Popcorn Recipes!

January 20 – National Buttercrunch Day

January 20 – National Cheese Lovers Day

January 20 – National Coffee Break Day (Isn’t this every day?)

January 20 – National Potluck Day

January 21 – National Granola Bar Day

January 21 – National New England Clam Chowder Day

January 22 – National Blondie Brownie Day

January 22 – National Southern Food Day

January 23 – National Pie Day

January 23 – National Rhubarb Pie Day (in case you want to be more specific)

January 24 – National Peanut Butter Day (I am always all about peanut butter everything.)

January 24 – Lobster Thermidor Day

January 25 – National Irish Coffee Day (I fully support this day!)

January 26 – National Green Juice Day

January 26 – National Peanut Brittle Day

January 26 – National Pistachio Day

January 27 – National Chocolate Cake Day

January 28 – National Blueberry Pancake Day

January 29 – National Corn Chip Day

January 30 – National Croissant Day

January 31 – National Brandi Alexander Day

January 31 – National Hot Chocolate Day – OK, I know that there are differences between hot cocoa and hot chocolate, but most of us use the terms interchangeably. And I still consider this to count – White Peppermint Hot Cocoa. You can find more on this Valentine’s Day Hot Cocoa roundup.

Which January food holiday observances are you most looking forward to celebrating?

Resources:

Foodimentary

Mobile Cuisine

The Nibble

Other Monthly Food Holiday Observances:

January * February * March * April * May * June * July * August * September * October * November * December

How to make Easter Ham in your slow cooker

Ham is a traditional Easter main dish. I remember eating it pretty much every Easter of my life. People often cook it in their oven, but then you may be fighting for time and space as you’re preparing other dishes. If you’re eating later in the day, get the ham started in the morning, before church and other festivities, and use the slow cooker to make your juicy, tasty ham. It’s really easy to do! Just make sure your slow cooker is large enough. I have a suggestion for you at the end.

Tips:

In the event that your ham is a little too large for your cooker, you can always use heavy duty aluminum foil to create a tent over the slow cooker instead of the lid. Just be sure to seal it tightly around the rim to prevent the loss of too much heat and moisture.

Make cleaning up easier by spraying the inside of the crock with non-stick cooking spray prior to adding the ham. Or use one of these liners.

Ingredients for Easter Ham in the slow cooker

  • 5-7 lbs ham
  • ½ c prepared mustard of your choice
  • 1 c brown sugar
  • 1 onion
  • Salt and pepper to taste

How to make Easter Ham in the Slow Cooker

  1. Cover ham in mustard and then rub with brown sugar, salt, and pepper.
  2. Place ham in the slow cooker.
  3. Cook on low for 6 hours.

**If you wish to have a browned outside, carefully transfer the ham to a baking dish after cooking. Broil it for just a few minutes to get that crust. Keep a close eye on it, though, because it browns quickly and could easily burn.

Slice and serve with your favorite side dishes.

Looking for another way to make ham in the slow cooker? Try this Sweet Mustard Ham recipe.

Need a new slow cooker?

You want to make sure you have the right slow cooker for the job. Do you need to upgrade or add to your collection? Here’s one to check out. It is my affiliate link, so that just means I’ll earn a few pennies at no additional cost to you, should you make a purchase through it.

Pin for later:

Classic Corned Beef and Cabbage

Is it really St. Patrick’s Day without the classic corned beef and cabbage? I’m lucky that I live in an area with a lot of Irish heritage, so I have it in abundance if I want to go out either on St. Paddy’s Day or on Parade Day. I have to have my sliders every year. But then the classic dinner is also a must. And you can make it right at home!

Continue reading “Classic Corned Beef and Cabbage”

31 Days of Slow Cooker Meals: Turkey Pot Pie

Chicken pot pie is one of those classic comfort meals that fill us with warm memories. And it is perfect for those colder winter days. Using turkey instead gives you a slightly different flavor experience. And making the filling in the slow cooker will save you time during the day so that you’re not slaving in front of the stove and oven on a busy night. You can even save yourself some time by cutting up ingredients ahead of time, like the night before. Then just put it all together in the morning and let it go all day long. Continue reading “31 Days of Slow Cooker Meals: Turkey Pot Pie”

31 Days of Slow Cooker Meals: Sweet Mustard Ham

Ham is something that my family traditionally ate only at Easter. Every once in a while, Mom would make it at other times of year. I admit that I don’t eat a lot of it when it is still warm, but there’s nothing better than the leftover ham in a sandwich or as a cold meal the next day. Even better, you can easily make it in your slow cooker, including the sauce! Try it this way and see what you think. Continue reading “31 Days of Slow Cooker Meals: Sweet Mustard Ham”

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