National Panini Month
A warm, crispy delight with melted cheese, fresh ingredients, and endless flavor combinations to satisfy cravings.
Drive August foot traffic and sandwich sales by positioning paninis as the month's must-try comfort food through recipe inspiration, limited-time menu features, and user-generated content challenges.
- Share your best panini creation—tag us for a chance to win free lunch
- August panini special: Try 3 new gourmet panini recipes this month
- DIY panini cook-off challenge: Show us your homemade masterpiece
- Panini maker giveaway—celebrate National Panini Month with the perfect kitchen tool
While the exact location origins of the panini is a bit unclear, most food historians will say that this tasty melty sandwich got its start in the 1960s, in little sandwich shops throughout large Italian cities, such as Milan. At the time, the name for these little sandwiches was “paninoteche”, but it has since been shortened for ease and convenience.
The first National Panini Month was celebrated in 2008 when it was founded by an American company called Sargento Foods. Although this event takes place all throughout the month, some people also celebrate National Panini Day specifically on August 11. But, honestly, every one of the thirty-one days of this month could be used to honor and celebrate this sandwich in a wide variety of ways!
Enjoy Eating a Panini Sandwich
One of the best ways to pay tribute to National Panini Month is, of course, to head out and order up a panini sandwich to enjoy! A number of different restaurants, delis and sandwich shops across the US now sell, or even specialize in, the making of delicious paninis. Some of the traditional paninis might include some sort of ham with provolone cheese, tomato slices and pesto. Others might change it up with roasted turkey and Swiss cheese that is topped off with a sun-dried tomato mayo. The options really are endless when it comes to enjoying these delightful grilled sandwiches for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Get Creative with Panini Sandwiches
While some people use a special panini sandwich maker, it’s also possible to make these at home with a simple grill pan and a regular stove. In celebration of National Panini Month, this is a perfect time to step outside the box of that regular ham-and-cheese combo and groove into something more unique. Hop online for some panini recipe inspiration, or get started with some of these: Brie, Apple and Bacon Grilled Panini Sandwich Tuna Melt Paninis with dill pickles Peanut Butter and Jelly Panini on seedy breadPhilly Cheesesteak Panini Sandwich
Host a Panini Cook Off
Gather those culinary-type friends together and host a little event where everyone makes their favorite panini sandwich recipe and then shares with each other to find out whose is best. It’s a great way to get into the spirit of National Panini Month and build community too. Also, every time a grilled sandwich is finished, don’t forget to take a photo and share it with friends on social media to let more people know about this delicious event!