National Blueberry Day Date in the current year: July 8, 2024

Blueberries are a group of plants with blue or purple berries that belong to the genus Vaccinium, which also includes bilberries, cranberries, huckleberries, and Madeira blueberries. Blueberries make up the section Cyannocus within the genus Vaccinium. Wild blueberries are known as lowbush blueberries, while cultivated blueberries are referred to as highbush blueberries. This distinction is commercial and not botanical.

All commercially available species of blueberries, both lowbush and highbush, are native to North America, although they have been introduced to other parts of the world and are cultivated in Europe, South America, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. The world’s top five producers of blueberries are the United States, Peru, Canada, Mexico, and Spain. The United States is the leading producer of highbush blueberries, while Canada is the top producer of lowbush blueberries.

Blueberries contain some important vitamins and dietary minerals, including vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin E, B vitamins, manganese, iron, magnesium, calcium and zinc. They also contain polyphenols and other phytochemicals with antioxidant properties. Blueberries are available in several forms, all of which can be used in cooking: fresh, frozen, canned, freeze-dried, powdered, liquefied (concentrated blueberry juice), and puréed.

Like most berries, blueberries are typically enjoyed by themselves or used in baked goods and desserts: pies, tarts, cakes, cobblers, pancakes, parfaits, muffins, compotes, jams, French toast, puddings, cookies, frozen desserts, etc. However, you can add them to savory dishes as well such as salads and salad dressings, sauces and salsas, chutneys, and skewer appetizers. Finally, a great way to enjoy blueberries is to add them to drinks: smoothies, lemonade, iced tea, cocktails, lassi, or aguas frescas.

National Blueberry Month was founded in 1974 by the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), an organization advocating for and bringing together all stakeholders in the blueberry industry, including growers, processors, food manufacturers, fruit brokers, and others. It has been recognized by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) since 2003. July was designated as National Blueberry Month because it is in the middle of blueberry season, which lasts from April to late September. And since 2016, July 8 has been celebrated as National Blueberry Day; it is also endorsed by the NABC.

There are many ways to celebrate National Blueberry Day. You can learn all about the health benefits of blueberries, brighten up your breakfast by adding blueberries to your pancakes, oatmeal or yogurt, bake a blueberry pie, tart or cheesecake, make a blueberry smoothie, snack on blueberries between meals, or even visit a blueberry farm to pick some fresh blueberries. And don’t forget to spread the word about the holiday on social media with the hashtag #NationaBlueberryDay.