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National Bacon Day

Food · December 30

A food day for bacon, the cured and smoked strips of pork that crackle in the pan and turn up at breakfast, in sandwiches and beyond.

National Bacon Day falls on Wednesday, December 30, 2026. That is 64 days away.

Bacon is pork belly that has been cured with salt, often smoked, and sliced into strips. In the United States it usually means those streaky slices with ribbons of fat and lean, the kind that curl and spit in a hot pan.

The appeal starts before the first bite. The smell reaches the next room long before the bacon is done, and people tend to have firm views on texture. Some want it shattering and crisp. Others prefer it soft enough to bend. Neither camp has ever persuaded the other.

Most people meet bacon at breakfast, next to eggs or pancakes. It also holds up a BLT, sits on burgers, gets crumbled over salads and baked potatoes, and wraps around things that would otherwise stand alone. Thick cut, peppered and maple versions all have followings, and some cooks bake strips on a sheet pan so they cook flat and evenly.

Marking the day is mostly a matter of cooking some. A slow start in a cold skillet lets the fat render gently, which helps the strips crisp without burning. The leftover fat, strained and cooled, is what many home cooks save in a jar for frying potatoes or greens.

Ways to celebrate

• Cook bacon two ways and decide whether crisp or chewy wins.
• Make a BLT with ripe tomatoes and good bread.
• Try baking bacon on a sheet pan instead of frying it.
• Crumble leftover bacon over a salad or baked potato.
• Share a favorite bacon recipe with a friend or neighbor.

Dates

All national days on December 30

Also on December 30

• National Bicarbonate of Soda Day
• Festival of Enormous Changes at the Last Minute
• Falling Needles Family Fest Day

Categories: Food days