To most people living in the United States, the 4th of July is Independence Day. However, this day doesn’t just celebrate America’s independence from Great Britain. It’s also a day that celebrates the jackfruit — at least, it will be once Jackfruit Day catches on.

For people who may not know, jackfruit is a fruit that comes from the jack tree — a species of tree in the mulberry, fig, and breadfruit family. It originated in the area between the Western Ghats of southern India and the rainforests of Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. This fruit has a strong aroma that smells like a combination of pineapple and banana.

The History of Jackfruit Day

Jackfruit has been enjoyed in tropical regions for thousands of years. It has traditionally been grown in countries such as Bangladesh and India and is now popular enough to be found all over the world.

In 2018, the Indian state of Kerala celebrated its own Jackfruit Day on the 1st of June, but as far as we can tell, that holiday isn’t related to this observance of the holiday. Unfortunately, we can’t say exactly when this particular holiday was invented, but we do believe that it was invented after 2020.

Observing Jackfruit Day

Thanks to modern shipping, people all over the world can enjoy jackfruit. Sure, in some places they may have to depend on the canned or packaged variety, but in other areas, fresh jackfruit can usually be obtained.

Once a person finds jackfruit where they live, they can then use it to make some pretty exciting dishes. Dishes such as pulled jackfruit tacos, jackfruit pulled pork sandwiches, Hawaiian jackfruit kebabs, and jackfruit carnitas. People can also spread the word about this holiday online using the hashtag #JackfruitDay while they’re enjoying all of these dishes.