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National Sardines Day

Food · November 24

A day for sardines, the small, oily fish sold in flat tins and eaten on toast, in pasta, or straight from the can with a fork.

National Sardines Day falls on Tuesday, November 24, 2026. That is 28 days away.

Sardines are small, silvery fish from the herring family, usually sold packed in a flat tin with oil, water, tomato sauce or mustard. They are cooked before canning, so the bones turn soft enough to eat, and most people never notice them.

The flavor is rich and salty, stronger than tuna and milder than anchovies. Good tins hold fish lined up neatly like passengers on a very orderly train, and peeling back the lid is part of the experience.

The simplest way to eat them is on buttered toast with a squeeze of lemon and some black pepper. They also fold easily into pasta with garlic and breadcrumbs, mash into a spread with a little mustard, or sit on crackers beside sliced onion. Where fresh sardines are sold, people often grill them whole until the skin blisters.

Shops tend to stock several styles side by side: skinless and boneless fillets, smoked fish, or whole fish with skin on. Trying two or three together is a cheap way to find a favorite, and the oil left in the tin is good for frying bread or dressing a salad.

Ways to celebrate

• Try sardines on toast with lemon, pepper and a little butter.
• Taste two different tins side by side and compare.
• Toss sardines into pasta with garlic, chili and toasted breadcrumbs.
• Use the leftover oil from the tin to fry bread.
• Share a favorite sardine recipe with a friend who has never tried them.

Dates

All national days on November 24

Also on November 24

• D.B. Cooper Day
• Celebrate Your Unique Talent Day

Categories: Food days