National Toast Day Date in the current year: February 29, 2024

Toast is sliced bread that has been browned in a toaster, under a grill or broiler, in an oven, or in a skillet or pan. The first mentions of toast date back to the early 15th century. However, back then toasted bread was used as a flavoring for drinks and was often discarded after use. Toasting started to become a common method of making stale bread more palatable around the 17th century. Bread was originally toasted over open flames until the invention of electric toaster in the first half of the 20th century.

Since toasted bread is dry, various toppings are usually spread over it. Common toast toppings include butter or margarine, jam, marmalade, syrup, peanut butter, cream cheese, chocolate spread, and yeast spreads such as Marmite or Vegemite. Toast may be served as a breakfast food, topped with ingredients liked baked beans or fried or poached eggs to make a light meal, used for sandwiches, or accompany savory dishes like stews or soups.

French toast is a type of toast that deserves a special mention. Unlike regular toast that is more often than not made in a toaster, French toast is pan fried. It is made by soaking bread slices in a mixture of beaten eggs and milk or cream and then frying them in the pan. The dish can be sweet or savory. Sweet French toast is often flavored with vanilla or cinnamon and served with powdered sugar or various sweet toppings, whereas savory French toast is usually fried with a pinch of salt or pepper. Italian bruschetta can be considered a type of toast too; it is made of grilled bread rubbed with garlic and topped with chopped tomatoes and basil, olive oil and prosciutto, or other toppings.

National Toast Day was launched in 2014 by the Tiptree World Bread Awards, the leading celebration of the art of bread-baking in the United Kingdom. The main goal of the holiday was to celebrate the British people’s love of toast and raise money for charity. The inaugural National Toast Day, observed on February 24, 2015, helped raise funds for Kids Company, a charity providing hot meals and emotional support to children in need.

Sadly, Kids Company ceased operations half a year later despite the help, but National Toast Day lives on. Moreover, it has even crossed the pond and is celebrated in the United States as well as in the United Kingdom. The best way to celebrate this amazing holiday is, of course, to enjoy some delicious toast for breakfast, but not before you snap a photo of it and post it on social media with the hashtags #NationalToastDay and #ToastDay to spread the word.

If you want to get creative with celebrating National Toast Day, go for it! You can try new toast toppings or experiment with different kinds of bread, eat toast for each meal (for example, toast with cream cheese and fruit for breakfast, avocado toast with poached egg for lunch, and tomato soup with cheesy toast for dinner), host a toast-themed party for your friends, or buy a new toaster.