Although pancakes have been made and eaten by people for thousands of years, blueberry pancakes haven’t been around for quite that long. It wasn’t until around the turn of the 20th century that people started adding blueberries to pancakes. That’s partially due to the fact that blueberries are a North American wild berry that wasn’t cultivated until after 1911. However, once people discovered the deliciousness of blueberry pancakes, they’ve been loved ever since. That’s probably why January 28th has been designated as National Blueberry Pancake Day.

The History of Blueberry Pancakes

It’s believed that people have been making and eating pancakes for over 5,000 years. The ancient Greeks are known to have made a dish called tagenias, small discs that were made using wheat flour, honey, olive oil, and curdled milk. These “cakes” were then often served for breakfast. During the Middle Ages, the word “pancake” would appear in the English language in the 15th century.

If pancakes had been around so long, why hadn’t blueberries been added to them before the early 20th century? That’s because blueberries were growing wild in North America until the 1900s. Sure, Native Americans used wild blueberries for dishes such as pemmican, but it wouldn’t be until Elizabeth White and USDA Frederick Coville harvested and sold the first commercial crop of blueberries in 1916. Five years prior, they had worked together to crossbreed wild blueberry varieties to create the optimal variety. Not long after people got their hands on blueberries, they began to be used in pancakes.

Facts About Pancakes & Blueberries

As we researched National Blueberry Pancake Day, we came across some interesting facts about both pancakes and blueberries. We’d like to share some of these facts with all of you reading this right now.

• Pancakes were mentioned in quite a few William Shakespeare plays.
• The first ready-mix food sold commercially was Aunt Jemima pancake flour in 1889.
• The largest pancake in the world was over 49 feet in diameter and weighed over 6,600 pounds.
• A single blueberry bush can produce almost 6,000 blueberries every year.
• Humans have eaten wild blueberries for over 13,000 years.
• Native Americans called blueberries “star-fruits” because the blossom end of the berry has a five-pointed star shape.
• Blodplättar is a Swedish pancake made with pork blood.
• Approximately a third of all pancakes consumed in the U.S. are eaten in the Southern U.S.

Observing National Blueberry Pancake Day

The best way, and maybe one of the only ways, to enjoy this holiday is by making yourself and your family a stack of fluffy blueberry pancakes. While enjoying your blueberry pancakes (with syrup and/or whole blueberries), don’t forget to use the hashtag #NationalBlueberryPancakeDay on your social media accounts to spread the word about it.