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More Herbs, Less Salt Day

Food · August 29

A food day about seasoning with herbs like basil, thyme and parsley, and noticing how much flavor they bring when salt takes a smaller role.

More Herbs, Less Salt Day falls on Sunday, August 29, 2027. That is 306 days away.

Herbs can do much of the seasoning work that salt usually gets credit for. The idea here is simple: reach for basil, parsley, dill or thyme a little more often, use the salt shaker a little less, and taste what happens when the herbs carry the flavor.

Fresh and dried herbs behave differently. Soft herbs like basil, cilantro and parsley lose their brightness with long cooking, so cooks often add them at the end. Woody herbs like rosemary, thyme and sage hold up to heat and usually go in early, in roasts, stews and pots of beans. Dried herbs are more concentrated than fresh ones, so a smaller amount goes further.

Herbs rarely work alone. A squeeze of lemon or a splash of vinegar makes a dish taste brighter, which is part of why plain rice with lemon zest and chopped parsley feels finished. Garlic, black pepper, chili and toasted spices fill in the rest of the picture.

Many people mark the day by cooking a familiar dish and trading some of the salt for a handful of something green. Others start a pot of herbs on a sunny windowsill. Mint is the usual beginner's pick, and it grows so eagerly it can seem to have plans of its own.

A small pot of chives near the stove changes breakfast more than you might expect. Snipped over scrambled eggs or a baked potato, they add a mild onion flavor and a bit of color in about ten seconds.

Ways to celebrate

• Cook a favorite dish with less salt and a generous handful of fresh herbs.
• Plant basil, mint or chives in a pot on a sunny windowsill.
• Try finishing a soup with lemon juice and chopped parsley.
• Make a simple herb butter or herb oil to use through the week.
• Taste one fresh herb and its dried version side by side.

Dates

All national days on August 29

Also on August 29

• National Chop Suey Day
• National Lemon Juice Day

Categories: Food days