National Açaí Bowl Day Date in the current year: April 6, 2024

Açaí berries, or simply açaí, are the fruit of the açaí palm that is native to the Amazon rainforest, especially in Brazil. They have been a staple food in the region since pre-Columbian times but the popularity of açaí outside of Brazil is relatively recent. It has been boosted by açaí being marketed as a superfood.

In Brazil, açaí berries are often consumed as a dish called açaí na tigela (“açaí in the bowl”). The traditional version of the dish originated in the Amazon region of Brazil. It is made by mixing chilled açaí wine with cassava flour or tapioca to make a puree, which is typically served as a savory dish accompanied by fried fish or beef.

From the Amazon region, açaí na tigela has spread to other parts of the country, where it is cooked a little differently and served as a dessert. In the northeast and south regions of Brazil, açaí na tigela is made by processing frozen açaí berries, bananas and guaraná syrup in a blender to make a smoothie. The smoothie is served in a glass or a bowl, often topped with granola, banana slices, and various other fruits and berries such as blueberry, goji berry, strawberry, etc.

Açaí bowls were popularized by the Gracie family, a prominent family of martial artists best known for developing their own style of jujitsu. The Gracie family recommended eating açaí bowls before and after workout and began to serve them at their gyms in the 1980s. The dessert made its way to the United States in the early 2000s, and the rest is history.

National Açaí Bowl Day was launched in 2013 by Sambazon, an American brand of açaí-based foods and beverages (frozen blends for bowls and smoothies, ready-to-eat açaí bowls, energy drinks, vegan frozen desserts, sorbet, açaí juice). The main goal of the holiday is to raise awareness of the health benefits of açaí berries and encourage people to give açaí bowls a try.

There are many ways to celebrate National Açaí Bowl Day. You can learn more about the health benefits of açaí berries and share the facts you’ve learned with anyone who is willing to listen, go out to a place that serves açaí bowls, make you own açaí bowl with your favorite fruits, and post a photo of your açaí bowl on social media with the hashtags #NationalAçaíBowlDay and #AçaíBowlDay to spread the word.

Making your own açaí bowl is pretty easy. First, you should prepare the base by blending a packet of frozen açaí berries or açaí powder with some frozen berries (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries – whatever you prefer), banana, some liquid (yogurt, any type of milk, fruit juice, or water) and a little honey into a thick and creamy smoothie. You can add some peanut butter or protein powder for additional flavor and nutritional value.

Pour the smoothie into a bowl and top it with any toppings you like! Here are just a few ideas: banana slices, berries, kiwi, mango, apples, pears, peaches, pineapple, granola, coconut, chia seeds or other seeds, chocolate chips or shavings, almond flakes or chopped nuts… Go wild! Just remember that açaí berries are tangy, so you need to balance them with something sweet.