National Cheese Pizza Day – September 5, 2022, history, quotes
Hold the toppings, please! National Cheese Pizza Day is celebrated annually on September 5, and it’s time for you to celebrate in cheese-pizza style. We all love the classics, like pepperoni, pizza with pineapple, barbecued chicken pizza, or juicy meat lovers. But nothing surpasses the basics of holding a gently folded, single slice of melty deliciousness — the cheese pizza.
Each year, more than 2 billion pounds of pizza cheese is produced in the U.S. alone. So on this special day, savor a classic slice of ooey, gooey cheese pizza for yourself, and share a slice or two with some of your very best friends.
Everyone prefers some foods over others, but some adults take this tendency to an extreme. These people tend to prefer the kinds of bland food they may have enjoyed as children – such as plain or buttered pasta, macaroni and cheese, cheese pizza, French fries and grilled cheese sandwiches – and to restrict their eating to just a few dishes.” – Andrew Weil
worldtimeshindi.com
HISTORY OF NATIONAL CHEESE PIZZA DAY
You may be familiar with National Pizza Day on February 9: it’s an iconic day for everyone to celebrate their favorite pizza dish. But to give special appreciation to the well-loved cheese pizza, National Cheese Pizza Day was born to be celebrated every year on September 5.
Let’s be honest, every pizza deserves its own day for love — the Margherita, pepperoni, olive, and mushroom — which is most likely the reason for National Cheese Pizza Day being created. Although the exact creator and birth date are unknown, it’s still a day that is widely celebrated and, of course, participated.
The beginnings of pizza aren’t exactly known either, but many people date it back to Ancient Greece when people would cover their bread with oils, herbs, and cheese. That sounds like a pizza, right? However, the kind of flatbread pizza that is well-known now was first created in Naples, Italy, and it used the highest-quality of buffalo mozzarella to create the origins of the cheese pizza that is loved today. Yum!
Eventually, travel and discovery led to pizza making its way to the Western Continent. The first pizza establishment in the Western world opened in 1905 in Little Italy in New York. It wasn’t until 1939 that the D’Amore family introduced pizza to Los Angeles and the dish had officially made it across the country. The popularity of pizza in the U.S rose dramatically following World War II. Veterans returning from the Italian Campaign, who has been introduced to Italy’s native cuisine, led the increase in pizza consumption at the time.
It was during the second half of the 20th century that pizza became an iconic dish in North America. It was in 1958 that two men, Dan and Frank Carney, borrowed $600 from their mom and opened the first-ever Pizza Hut Kansas. By the 1960s they were coming up against some stiff competition and introduced the iconic red thatched roof that we still associate with them today.
An organized industry association, the Pizza Industry Council, was even set up with the purpose of addressing issues specific to pizza operators. Today the pizza industry in the U.S is worth over $40 billion per year.
Cheese Pizza has also had an impact on pop culture, with the dish famously being Kevin Mccallister’s preferred choice in the Home Alone movies. Although perhaps nobody loves pizza as much as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, who became a global phenomenon in the 1990s. Joey Tribianni, the iconic Friends character, also introduced the Joey special in the 1990sm which consisted of two pizzas.
There’s no doubting it, pizza has become a U.S and Canadian favorite, and cheese pizza is at the heart of it. It’s a popular dish at any party or friend gathering, and that’s not about to change anytime soon!
NATIONAL CHEESE PIZZA DAY TIMELINE
1889
The Margherita Pizza is created
King Umberto I and Queen Margherita visit Naples, and she requests pizza topped with cheese, red tomatoes, and basil. It’s still a popular dish in Italy!
1905
The first U.S. documented pizzeria opens
It was called G. Lombardi’s in New York.
1943
The Chicago deep dish is born
It was created by Ike Sewell in a restaurant called Pizzeria Uno in Chicago, and is forever delicious.
1957
The first frozen pizzas available to buy
They were first released in supermarkets in the U.S. — something we’re all thankful for.
NATIONAL CHEESE PIZZA DAY AROUND THE WORLD
National Cheese Pizza Day is one of many food holidays celebrated throughout the world. Here’s some other popular ones from across the globe.
National Cheese Pizza Day Around the World
Sweden
Waffle Day
A chance for the Swedish to celebrate their beloved waffles.
March 25
New Zealand
National Chocolate FIsh Day
That sacred day when New Zealanders eat a chocolate fish. Yep, it’s really a thing.
May 11
South Korea
Black Day
Black day is for single people in Korea, they celebrate by eating black noodles.
April 14
Germany
National Soup Day
As the winter begins to set in our friends in Germany get warmed up with a bowl of soup.
November 19
Australia
National Marshmallow Day
A day for our Australian friends to enjoy some toasted marshmallows and a cup of hot cocoa.
May 18
NATIONAL CHEESE PIZZA DAY BY NUMBERS
3 billion – Pizzas sold every year in the U.S.
350 – Slices of pizza sold every second
41% – American’s eating pizza every week
70,000 – Pizzerias in the U.S.
$40 billion – The size of the pizza industry in the U.S.
46 – Slices of pizza eaten each year by the average person.
6,600 – Pizzerias in California, more than any other state.
59% – Adults who prefer pizza as a dinner option
51,000 pounds – The weight of the largest pizza ever made
93% – Americans who will eat pizza at least once in the next 30 days.
NATIONAL CHEESE PIZZA DAY ACTIVITIES
Pizza party!
In this crazy world, if one thing is certain, it’s that everyone loves a slice of hot, steaming pizza. Invite some of your best pizza-lovin’ friends over to celebrate this special holiday.
Get your hands on the best cheese pizza
They all might be delicious, but one of them has to be the crème de la crème. Maybe New York has it? Chicago? Ask your friends, ask your nearby Italian restaurant owner, or ask Yelp to start your quest on obtaining the best slice of cheese pizza glory right now.
Find a pizza museum near you
Pizza so good it belongs in a museum? You heard it right. The United State Pizza Museum is located in Chicago, and another pizza museum — Pizza Brain — operates in Philadelphia. See if there’s a similar pizza palace or point of pizza interest near you!
5 FACTS ABOUT PIZZA
Americans order a lot of pizza
In fact, they order an average of 350 slices per second.
People prefer thin crust
61% of people prefer to order thin crust pizza over thick or deep-dish.
Pizzerias use a lot of cheese
They purchase more than 4 billion dollars worth of cheese every year!
A lot of boxes per day
The average pizzeria goes through roughly 55 pizza boxes per day.
It can be a breakfast food, too!
36% of people say pizza is the perfect breakfast.
WHY WE LOVE NATIONAL CHEESE PIZZA DAY
It’s not good or healthy for you
We live in a time when health-conscious food options pop up every day. That’s great — healthy food options certainly have their importance — but sometimes you just want to grab something filled with grease and cheese. Hello, cheese pizza!
Cheese is universal
Cheese is universal, cheese is magical — there are so many varieties, each one more sensual than the last. As a meal, cheese pizza epitomizes the classic everyday pizza for the everyday person. What’s not to love about cheese pizza, and National Cheese Pizza Day?
It’s a great meal on-the-go
While some people love sitting down and taking their time to enjoy a snack, some just simply have a fast-paced lifestyle. For those people always on the go, a slice of that cheese pizza is always a great idea. Plus, you can fold it into a taco-like shape for maximum pleasure.
How To Celebrate Cheese Pizza Day
Feasting Pizza Day, which is also sometimes known as National Cheese Pizza Day in the United States, is easy. Here are some ways to feast on this good holiday. Make your cheese pizza at home from scratch. Experiment with various types of cheese. Perhaps you could try replacing the mozzarella with blue cheese, brie, or some creamy goat cheese? Have cheese pizza for all your meals.
Begin with a breakfast pizza, with feta cheese, bacon, and eggs. Have a standard cheese pizza for lunch, and a gourmet cheese pizza with your preferred meat and vegetable toppings for dinner. Complete the day with a dessert pizza – pizza with cream cheese, chocolate, and berries. Visit your favorite pizza place and treat yourself to a slice or two of their cheese pizza. You can use the hashtag #Cheese Pizza Day to post on social media
