International Bacon Day
Crispy, savory strips that make breakfast extra awesome. It's like a delicious high-five for your taste buds!
Drive breakfast and meal-prep sales by positioning bacon as a versatile, celebratory ingredient that works across any meal occasion.
- Bacon recipe roundup: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert ideas
- Behind-the-scenes: how artisanal bacon makers craft their product
- User-generated content: followers share their wildest bacon creations
- Retail promotion: bundle bacon with complementary proteins and breakfast staples
Notable campaigns5
- Oscar Mayer (2010s): Wake Up & Smell the Bacon alarm clock campaign: Created a limited-edition bacon-scented device with an iOS app that woke users with the smell and sound of sizzling bacon. Seeded devices with reporters and influencers, used viral video, generated 307,000+ applications and 67,000+ app downloads.
- Capriotti's Sandwich Shop (2025): 'Bacon. It's Cappening!' national paid media campaign announcing bacon addition to menu. Campaign featured bold messaging, multi-platform execution across digital, in-store displays, and franchise participation to boost in-store sales and rewards program.
- Kroger, Walmart, Target (Recurring annually): Annual International Bacon Day promotional sales on bacon products, ranging from standard streaky to thick-cut and uncured varieties, timed to coincide with the first Saturday in September.
- McDonald's, Burger King (Prior years): Previous years' promotions include discounted bacon cheeseburgers and free bacon add-ons during the week of International Bacon Day.
- Whole Foods Market (Recurring annually): Heritage and artisanal bacon highlights during International Bacon Day, emphasizing premium, specialty sourcing to differentiate from mainstream retail.
Campaign ideas7
- Launch a 'Bacon Hacks' UGC campaign: Encourage customers to share creative bacon recipes, cooking methods, or unexpected food pairings using branded hashtag #YourBrandBacon on Instagram/TikTok
- Partner with local restaurants for co-branded limited-time bacon dishes: Create exclusive bacon-forward menu items (bacon-wrapped appetizers, bacon-topped desserts) driving foot traffic for both brands
- Host a 'Bacon Wars' tasting contest: In-store or virtual blind taste test comparing your bacon varieties (thick-cut, uncured, maple, etc.) with real-time polling and winner announcements
- Offer 'Buy One, Get One' bacon promotions: Time sales strategically Sept 1-6 at retail and online to capture weekend breakfast and meal-prep shoppers heading into Labor Day
- Create a bacon product bundle with complementary items: Bundle bacon with eggs, bread, condiments, or breakfast sides at discount to increase basket size and cross-sell
- Launch a 'Bacon of the Month' or sampling subscription teaser: Promote or sell limited subscription boxes featuring artisanal/regional bacon varieties with exclusive heritage breed stories
- Partner with food/lifestyle influencers for bacon recipe content: Micro-influencers create 60-second bacon dish tutorials featuring your product for TikTok/Reels, driving UGC velocity
Social angles6
- 'Bacon isn't breakfast anymore—it's a lifestyle.' Behind-the-scenes of how your bacon is cured, smoked, or sourced. #InternationalBaconDay #BaconNation
- 'If your breakfast doesn't have bacon, are you even awake?' Relatable morning humor angle targeting coffee + bacon lovers. #BaconLovers #MorningVibes
- 'Bacon: the ingredient that makes EVERYTHING better.' Challenge followers to share most creative bacon dish (salads, desserts, drinks). #BaconChallenge #BaconMania
- '100 Years of Sizzle'—celebrate brand heritage/history of bacon in American breakfast culture with timeline posts. #BaconHistory #ClassicFlavors
- 'What's your bacon personality?' Playful personality quiz (crispy vs. chewy, thick-cut vs. thin) driving engagement & user voting. #BaconPersonality #FindYourMatch
- 'Bacon without the guilt'—spotlight lower-sodium, uncured, or nitrate-free options for health-conscious customers. #HealthyChoices #BaconDoneRight
Ad copy starters6
“'Everything's better with bacon. Prove it.' [CTA: Share your bacon creation]”
“'This Saturday, we're not eating breakfast. We're celebrating it. #InternationalBaconDay'”
“'Crispy. Salty. Perfect. Your bacon awaits.'”
“'Wake up to sizzle. Limited-time bacon deals before they're gone.'”
“'From our smokehouse to your skillet. Real bacon, real flavor.'”
“'Bacon lovers know: the best meals have bacon in them. What's yours?'”
Tips4
- DO: Lean into 'bacon mania' nostalgia and playfulness—this day is about indulgence and fun, not health claims. DON'T: Make it heavy or serious; humor, meme culture, and creative food content win.
- DO: Start campaigns early (Tues Sept 1) to capture meal-prep shoppers; the day falls on a Saturday, so capture full weekend. DON'T: Wait until the actual day when attention is fragmented.
- DO: Partner with complementary brands (coffee shops, breakfast spots, local restaurants, egg producers) for co-marketing that expands reach. DON'T: Compete only on price; differentiation through story (heritage breed, sourcing, craft smoking) matters.
- DO: Encourage real UGC—bacon photos, recipe videos, creative takes—and feature customer content in your ads. DON'T: Over-produce everything; authentic, quick-turnaround content performs best for this celebration.
Bacon is a beloved meat that has taken its place at the breakfast table for many years. But, honestly, bacon can truly be eaten at any time of the day, whether for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Dating back a few thousand years to the time when folks in Ancient China would preserve their pork bellies with salt, the origins of bacon have spanned throughout many cultures. From China to Ancient Rome and Greece, and eventually making its way up to Germany, France and England, bacon has made its impact on various cultures and people groups in different ways.
International Bacon Day has a background that can be traced back a couple of decades, but the stories vary just a bit. Some accounts say that the day was founded in 2004 by a group of graduate students from Colorado University (CU) in Boulder, while others say it goes back a bit further, to the year 2000 when some residents from Bradford, Massachusetts.
But no matter who was foundational in establishing the day, the idea is that bacon is a food that is extremely delicious and certainly worth celebrating. And International Bacon Day is just the time to do it!
Enjoy Eating Some Bacon
One of the simplest, but most effective, ways to celebrate International Bacon Day would be to cook some bacon up, pile it high on a plate and enjoy eating it! Of course, those who don’t feel like spending time in the kitchen might want to head out to a restaurant and order up a full breakfast that includes some delightfully crispy bacon on the side. Not only is bacon delicious as the main part of the meal, it makes a great partner with a large number of dishes. Bacon does well when sprinkled on a salad, as part of a classic sandwich that also includes lettuce and tomato, or even as part of a meatloaf recipe. Bacon is a versatile meat that brings a whole lot of life and flavor to almost any meal!
Try Making Bacon in a Variety of Ways
Different chefs and cooks have different ideas on the best way to make bacon. Of course, the traditional American form of crispy back was originally to fry it up on the stovetop in an iron skillet, which certainly adds a whole heap of flavor. But that can also be a bit fussy, especially if cooking for a large crowd. Making bacon in the oven is a viable alternative, laying it in rows on a baking sheet and cooking it for around 15-20 minutes. And there are also those who will even cook bacon in the microwave, though this seems like a bit of a desperate move when other options are not available. But no matter the way it is made, bacon is certainly the guest of honor when celebrating International Bacon Day!
Make Candied Bacon or Glazed Bacon
If plain bacon seems a little average for such an important occasion as International Bacon Day, perhaps it would be fun to make it a bit more special on this day. Sometimes called “million dollar bacon”, some special but simple ingredients baked in with this pork meat can take bacon to a whole new level. Hop online and search out some recipes that allow for bacon that is glazed with maple and brown sugar. Or try out a sugared bacon that is made with cracked black pepper for a bit of a sweet-with-savory kind of vibe. Some people even like to add a bit of cayenne pepper to the recipe to give it a spicy little kick. It’s loads of fun to experiment on this day and find the best bacon that the family will just love! Learn Some Fun Facts About Bacon In honor of International Bacon Day, perhaps it would be fun to show some support and raise awareness for the day by learning and sharing various bits of trivia that revolve around the topic of bacon. Get started with some of these fun facts about bacon:The word “bacon” in the English language seems to have Germanic roots in the word “bak”, which refers to the back of the pig, where the bacon comes from. The first factory made for producing dry cured bacon was opened in 1770 in the county of Wiltshire, England. The name of the curing method is still called “Wiltshire Cure” to this day, offering a sweeter taste.Even though many people consider bacon to be unhealthy, the average American consumes approximately 18 pounds of bacon each year! One of the first meals on the moon included a variety of foods that were friendly for space travel – including bacon.
Host an International Bacon Day Party
Obviously, the love of bacon is an amazing reason to gather friends, family members, coworkers or others together to celebrate International Bacon Day! Even people who might have nothing in common can almost always find common ground in the enjoyment of this tasty breakfast meat. Get creative with having a bacon themed party by inviting guests to bring their favorite bacon recipe. Then, compile the recipes together and create a mini “cookbook” in an online document that can be shared with all of the guests afterwards. At the party, feel free to entertain guests by watching some movies that star Kevin Bacon, reading some poetry written by Lord Francis Bacon, or listening to music that was created by the folk band, the Bacon Brothers. International Bacon Day FAQsHow to cook bacon in the oven?Make bacon in the oven by placing strips on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and baking at 400F for approximately 10-20 minutes until crispy.Can dogs eat bacon?Bacon is high in fat and salt, so it is not recommended for dogs, even as an occasional treat. [1]Can bacon be frozen?Unopened bacon can be frozen for up to one month, if needed, but it’s better to avoid freezing bacon. [1]Is bacon healthy?Bacon is a rather fatty meat that is often very salty, so it’s not a healthy meat and might be saved for special occasions.[1]How is bacon cured?Today, most bacon is made with ingredients like salt, sugar, sodium nitrate or other chemicals made into a brine that is soaked or injected into the meat. [1]