National Date Nut Bread Day
Spread a fruity, nutty bake with butter or cream cheese, host a bread eating contest or simply reap the health benefits of delicious dates.
Capitalize on December holiday baking season to promote date nut bread mixes, specialty dates, and baking supplies while highlighting the health benefits of dates as a natural sweetener.
- Share easy date nut bread recipes and nutritional facts (fiber, potassium, antioxidants) to position dates as a healthy holiday baking ingredient
- Host or sponsor a date nut bread baking or eating contest to drive engagement and brand visibility
- Create gift guides featuring premium dates, date nut bread mixes, and artisanal baking products for holiday shoppers
- Educate audiences on the history of date nut bread (1930s-1940s origins) and its winter holiday tradition
Dates are a fruit that has been around for quite some time. In fact, they seem to have been first cultivated in Egypt, sometime around 4000 BC or so. The English word used for this fruit is derived from the Greek word dáchtylo, which means “finger”, presumably due to their shape.
Published recipes for date bread seem to date back to the 1930s, but fruited breads were also known in earlier centuries and in many different parts of the world. This first recorded recipe for date bread originated in Britain in 1939 and quickly became a favorite to be made in the winter, particularly around holidays such as Christmas or the New Year.
National Date Nut Bread Day has been celebrated for many years as a nod to this delicious treat. And the fact that this day comes right in the middle of winter (at least for the northern hemisphere) means that everyone can enjoy a slice of this bread warm from the oven, paired with a hot beverage!
Join a Date Nut Bread Eating Contest
A date nut bread eating championship was held in New York City in 2006, with the winner eating 29 sandwiches (made with cream cheese) in just 8 minutes. Sponsored by Chock Full o’Nuts coffee company, this competition was won by Pat Bertolett, with second place going to John Chestnut who is one of America’s most well-known gurgitattors. Learn Nutrition Facts About DatesOne of the lesser used fruits in American kitchens, dates are actually a very healthy fruit, providing quite a bit of nutrition along with a bit of sweetness and lots of moisture. In celebration of National Date Nut Bread Day, find out what kind of nutritional benefits dates can bring to the family:Dates are high in polyphenols, which is a very important antioxidant that helps to protect the human body from oxidative damage that can cause problems such as inflammation.Chock full of fiber, dates act as a healthful aid to the digestive system as well as keeping the stomach feeling full for longer. Other nutrients found in dates include B-6 and iron.Another nutrient dates have high amounts of is potassium. This is a mineral that promotes good heart health, regulates the balance of fluids in the body, and promotes good nerve signals.Dates are high in natural sugars, which means they can add some satisfying sweetness to baked goods (such as Date Nut Bread!) without worrying about all of those empty calories.
Make Some Date Nut Bread at Home
Perhaps a less nutty way to celebrate the date is by baking some tasty loaves of bread and serving them up to friends or family members for breakfast or afternoon tea. Since it’s a quick bread, it doesn’t use yeast but instead comes out as a dense bread that is actually more like cake. Although the bread tastes slightly sweet, it goes well with a cheese filling for a different taste sensation. Those who prefer the portability factor might want to divide their bread batter into smaller portions and make individual loaves or muffins.