Observed annually on January 15^th, National Bagel Day is a holiday which pays homage to the dense and chewy bread product that dates back to the 16^th century.

Today, bagels are enjoyed in a variety of different ways and topped with a number of different ingredients including cream cheese, goat cheese, avocado, peanut butter and bananas, deli meat, jelly, butter, hummus, salmon, pastrami or marshmallow fluff.

So go out there, grab your favorite bagels and top them however you want for this great unofficial holiday.

The History of Bagels & National Bagel Day

The modern bagel is believed to have been a direct descendant of a ringed Polish bread product known as obwarzanek – food that was invented during the late 14th century. While it’s not known exactly when the bagel was first created, there are records going back to the 17th century when it was given out as gifts to women who had just gone through childbirth in Krakow, Poland.

It was around this time that it became a big part of the Slavic diet from the 1600s on. During the 19th century, Eastern European immigrants brought bagels with them when they emigrated to the United States. However, up until the 1960s and the 1970s, bagels weren’t a mainstream food in America. It was made and sold mainly in the niche Jewish market.

During the 1970s and 1980s, bagels began to become popular in the mainstream. This is partly due to the increased popularity of “ethnic foods” and is also when Lenders Bagels began marketing their frozen bagels using entertaining television commercials.

In 1984, Kraft bought out Lender’s Bagels and began aggressively marketing bagels in the United States. From the 1980s through the 1990s, bagels would become a multi-billion dollar industry in the U.S. Today, bagels are enjoying all-time popularity in the United States.

Unfortunately, no one really knows who invented National Bagel Day. All that’s really known is that it was started sometime during the 2000s. The only thing that’s really known is that whoever created this holiday did the world a great service.

Fun Bagel Facts

• Bagels are always round
• Bagels are also known as beigels
• Bagels are boiled before they are baked
• The most popular bagel flavor is plain
• The second most popular bagel flavor is sesame
• The name bagel comes from the German word “bougel,” a name which means bracelet

Celebrating National Bagel Day

If you’re looking for a reason to enjoy a nice bagel with your favorite topping, then this day might just be a blessing for you. Go out there and purchase your favorite bagels and have yourself a good time. If you’re on social media, be sure to use the hashtag #NationalBagelDay when posting all of your awesome bagel pics!