A little reason to celebrate
National Cheese Lover's Day
Food ยท January 20
A day for people who love cheese, from the regulars at the cheese counter to anyone who builds a board, plus ideas for tasting and sharing it well.
National Cheese Lover's Day falls on Wednesday, January 20, 2027. That is 85 days away.
Every town has a few of them. The person who knows the cheese counter staff by name, who asks for a sliver before buying, who brings a wedge wrapped in paper to every potluck. This day is for them, and for anyone who quietly eats the last cube on the tray.
Loving cheese is mostly a habit of paying attention. Cheese lovers tend to taste slowly, notice how one wedge is creamy while another crumbles, and remember which loaf of bread went best with which. Many keep a mental list of favorites and a shorter list of ones they plan to try again.
A board is the classic way to share that attention. Three cheeses is plenty, chosen so they differ in texture: something soft, something firm, something crumbly. Add one sweet thing (honey, jam or sliced pears) and one salty or crunchy thing (nuts, pickles, crackers). A separate knife for each cheese keeps the flavors from smudging into each other.
Regional pride runs through American cheese loving, too. People from dairy states often have strong opinions about curds, and many cities have a local creamery or farmers market stall with a following. Asking a cheesemonger what they are excited about this week usually gets a better answer than asking what is popular.
Tasting notes help more than you might expect. Jotting down a name and a few words (nutty, tangy, buttery) makes the next shopping trip much easier, and it turns a snack into a small, private record of what you like.
Ways to celebrate
- Build a three-cheese board with one soft, one firm and one crumbly cheese.
- Ask a cheesemonger what they are most excited about this week.
- Start a tasting notebook with a few words about each cheese.
- Invite a friend over to compare two cheeses from your state.
- Pair a favorite cheese with honey, pears or jam.
Dates
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Tuesday, January 20 |
| 2027 | Wednesday, January 20 |
| 2028 | Thursday, January 20 |
| 2029 | Saturday, January 20 |
| 2030 | Sunday, January 20 |
All national days on January 20
Also on January 20
- Penguin Awareness Day
- National Coffee Break Day
- National Buttercrunch Day
- National Disc Jockey Day
- Take a Walk Outdoors Day
Categories: Food days