Pease porridge hot, pease porridge cold, pease porridge in the pot, nine days old! What you just read is from the traditional English nursery rhyme known as “Pease Porridge Hot.” It was first recorded in “Mother Goose’s Melody” in 1765 and was a popular children’s song during the 18th and 19th centuries.

This nursery rhyme taught children basic poetry meter and was just a fun song to sing. And it’s a song we think people can bring back into popular culture by celebrating National Porridge Day — a holiday that falls on October 10th.

While people don’t have to eat “pease porridge” (Old English spelling of pea porridge), they can enjoy one of the many other types of porridge that exist today.

The History of National Porridge Day

Porridge is a dish that can be traced back to ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome and has been enjoyed for thousands of years. Although it has received somewhat of a negative connotation over the years as an unpalatable food served to the poor, the fact of the matter is that porridge has been an important way for people to obtain valuable vitamins and minerals.

Porridge is basically cooking legumes and/or grains in milk or water until they become a soft, thick, and creamy mixture. During the Middle Ages, porridge was an important food for the poor and allowed people to get nutrition from cheaper food grains such as millet, rye, or barley.

But this food wouldn’t remain as one just for the poor. During the 17th and 18th centuries, the middle and upper classes enjoyed a modified porridge that included milk and sugar — two food staples that were expensive at the time.

Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, porridge continued to be enjoyed as a breakfast food in cultures worldwide. It was especially popular among the working classes and was useful in keeping soldiers fed, especially during periods of food shortages.

This holiday was first invented during the 1990s when the Whole Grain Goodness Campaign was launched. It featured a National Porridge Day that was first held in 1995 and was celebrated in that year. Since that date, it has become an important holiday in the United Kingdom and is celebrated every year.

Observing National Porridge Day

Every year in the United Kingdom, this holiday is celebrated with porridge-themed events, porridge-eating contests, and porridge-making contests. There are also porridge tastings and usually events that raise money for charity.

People can spread the word about this holiday by telling their friends and family members or by using the hashtag #NationalPorridgeDay on social media. Now, let’s grab some of our favorite porridge and enjoy the day.