World Flour Day Date in the current year: March 20, 2024

Flour is a food ingredient made by grinding grains, beans, seeds, nuts, or roots into powder. It can be used to make a wide range of foods, but cereal flour, particularly wheat flour, is primarily associated with bread, which is a staple food in many cultures around the globe. Today, wheat flour comes in many types depending on its gluten content and purpose. For example, all-purpose (plain) flour has a moderate gluten content, whereas cake flour has the lowest gluten content and hard flour has the highest gluten content. In some countries, self-raising flour with added leavening agents is available.

While wheat flour is the most common type of flour in most parts of the world, it is not the only one. There are many kinds of non-wheat flour to choose from, each with its own properties and benefits: almond flour, amaranth flour, barley flour, buckwheat flour, chickpea flour, corn flour, flaxseed flour, oat flour, peanut flour, potato flour (which should not be confused with potato starch), brown and white rice flour, rye flour, soy flour, spelt flour, and more.

Each of these flours is perfect for certain types of food. For example, almond flour is used to make macaroons and other baked desserts, amaranth flour is a great thickener for gravies, sauces and soups, buckwheat flour is used to make noodles in some Asian cuisines, coarse corn flour (cornmeal) can be used to make porridge, white rice flour is a common ingredient in some Asian confections and buns, etc.

As we’ve already mentioned above, World Flour Day was created by the FlourWorld Museum. Located in the town of Wittenburg, Germany, the museum has the world’s largest collection of flour sacks, featuring over 3,600 exhibits from more than 140 countries. It was created to raise awareness of the role of flour in our lives and as a tribute to millers, bakers, and pasta makers around the world.

World Flour Day was established in 2019. The date of the holiday, March 20, was chosen deliberately because it is halfway between two solstices. World Flour Day falls in the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, marking the start of the planting season, and in the beginning of autumn in the Southern Hemisphere, during the time of harvest.

How can you observe World Flour Day? Of course, the best way to celebrate the holiday is to visit the FlourWorld Museum, but most people won’t be able take a trip to Wittenburg. Luckily, there are many other ways to honor flour on March 20. You can go out to your favorite bakery or sandwich shop, bake something or even host a bake-off for your friends and family, learn about different varieties of flour (including gluten-free ones) and bake something with a variety you’ve never tried before, or use flour to thicken sauce or to make breaded chicken breasts. And don’t forget to post about the holiday on social media with the hashtags #WorldFlourDay and #FlourDay to spread the word!