Thirty days has September, April, June, and November; all the rest have 31, except for February — but every month has plenty of days to celebrate.
As many consumers face daily stress over their physical and mental health, finances, relationships, household maintenance, jobs, life goals, and global political and environmental issues, they are seeking small moments of joy.
Food is something everyone needs each day, so even the busiest, most overwhelmed folks can take a minute to enjoy a comforting, indulgent, or exciting snack.
While grocery shopping might be another stressor on top of someone’s never-ending to-do list, retailers can offer shoppers fun surprises to turn that task into a positive experience.
One way to do this is to frequently switch up instore displays themed to the week’s national micro-holidays.
Micro-holidays are not just about individuals finding an excuse to buy a treat they would normally skip. They bring people joy by creating a sense of community and participation. Taco Tuesday is not just fun because people like tacos, but because they know other people are eating tacos, too, and they get to be part of the trend.
Many people enjoy watching and commenting on strangers’ videos of proposals, weddings, birthday parties for pets and babies, and other life events because they like participating in the celebrations with all the other strangers in the comment sections.
Even before the internet, every generation throughout history has developed their own trends, routines, and speech patterns.
Speak their language
Millennial and Gen Z consumers have unique ways to describe their experiences, likes, and dislikes. Knowing these terms can help your brand communicate with them and cater to their preferences. Here are a few phrases that can be useful for food promotions.
Sunday Scaries: A mild feeling of anxiety for the upcoming week, combined with sadness that the weekend is almost over, experienced on Sundays. Example: “Fight the Sunday Scaries on April 13 by participating in National Make Lunch Count Day! Pick up some meal kits and prep your lunches for the week in minutes. That’s one less task on your plate and more time back in your Sunday.”
Doomscrolling: Browsing social media as an attempted distraction from stress, but not necessarily enjoying it or feeling present. Example: “Pause your doomscrolling and try making one of those recipes you saw 20 minutes ago to celebrate National Foodies Day on May 9.“
Vibe Check: Determining if something is suitable for your taste, mood, or opinions. Example: “Does pineapple pizza pass the vibe check? The results are mixed, but the National Baked Ham with Pineapple Day and National Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Day double holiday on April 20 looks promising.”
Source: Louise Garbs / Sosland Publishing Company[Insert food item] hates to see me coming: Personification of food being nervous to see you approaching because it is well known that you love to eat that food. Example: I know a shrimp hates to see me coming on National Shrimp Scampi Day.”
Partner with brands
Many brands have their own holidays, and retailers can use the brand recognition to promote a holiday display.
March 1 was the third annual National Sunkist Citrus Day, and it is a good day for both produce departments and instore bakeries to keep on the calendar. Along with promoting the actual fruit in produce, bakeries could partner with Sunkist on a limited-time citrus dessert.
Produce and instore bakeries can also cross-merchandise with National Dole Whip Day the third Thursday of July (July 17 in 2025).
Some other branded dessert opportunities for bakeries are World Nutella Day Feb. 5, National Oreo Cookie Day March 6, National Twinkie Day April 6, and I Love Reese’s Day May 18.
Retailers can also use generic holidays to merchandise specific brands associated with that food, such as Wonderful Pistachios on World Pistachio Day Feb. 26.
Highlight your strengths
Rosemont, Ill.-based US Foods suggests to “do what you already do well” for micro-holiday promotions.
For example, if your prepared foods department has a made-to-order sushi counter with a wide variety of options, treat International Sushi Day on June 18 like a major holiday with targeted promotions beginning June 1.
If you have a beautiful produce department, connect with your local community by setting up a poster or large thank-you note for shoppers to sign the week of National Love Your Produce Manager Day on April 2.
“Operators who dismiss these celebrations are likely losing out, considering that a few low-cost specials and some simple online marketing can attract droves of customers on an otherwise slow day,” US Foods said.
US Foods suggests that offering freebies with holiday promotions can lead to increased purchases of other items to pair with the free product, as well as repeat purchases of that product later on.
As an example, US Foods said Frasca Pizzeria in Chicago offered one free pizza per table with the order of any entrée on National Pizza Day Feb. 9, and the promotion generated a 49% increase in sales.
“A free pizza was a huge incentive that brought in both regulars and diners who had never visited us before,” said Josh Rutherford, the restaurant’s owner. “The overall sales easily made up for the cost of the extra pizzas.”
Create a VIP experience
US Foods also cautions against excluding high-end products from holiday promotions as deals are not the only incentive for participating in a holiday.
Many consumers are willing to pay for a premium product as a special treat or to be part of a trend.
For example, Los Angeles-based Erewhon Market was trending on social media in February and March for its Elly Amai strawberries imported from Japan.
Source: Louise Garbs / Sosland Publishing CompanyWhile the luxurious package containing a single strawberry for $19 received heavy criticism from TikTok users for being frivolous, many content creators still flocked to Erewhon to find out if it was worth the hype and to post their own reaction video trying it.
This also led to a trend of TikTokers creating parodies of these videos with conventional strawberries and pranking their partners, telling them a conventional strawberry was the $19 strawberry to see if it would make them think it tasted better than another strawberry from the same box.
Jackson, Mich.-based Dawn Foods said that customers enjoy feeling like they have been given VIP access to a specialty item and recommends utilizing limited-time offers (LTOs) to create a sense of exclusivity and luxury.
“Limited time offers play a critical role in driving sales and profitability, whether they’re special-occasion or seasonally focused,” Dawn Foods said. “For example, offering fall-flavored donuts — think apple cider and pumpkin spice — can increase sales by 14% over two months. And Halloween-themed cupcakes can drive a whopping 23% in sales during October.”
Dawn Foods also said that LTOs get consumers talking about your brand and your store because they will want to share their unique experiences with their friends, family and social media.
The brand shared the following tips to get the conversation started:
- Utilize Social Media Platforms: Social media is an essential tool for promoting and driving excitement. Feature engaging content, such as beauty-shots of your LTOs or behind-the-scenes stories, and interact with your followers to build a strong online presence.
- Implement Email Marketing Campaigns: Email marketing is a powerful way to reach a wider audience and build customer loyalty. Create a mailing list and send out regular newsletters that announce your bakery’s upcoming All-idays and LTOs to celebrate.
- Leverage Online Advertising Techniques: Online advertising for your bakery can also help drive more traffic to your bakery’s website or physical store. Consider running targeted ads on search engines and social media platforms to reach potential customers who are actively looking for bakery products.
- Training Tips for Bakery Success: Staff training is another key element for LTO bakery success. Make sure that all staff are trained and knowledgeable about upcoming All-idays, limited time offers and new items, so they can provide accurate information and recommendations. Is there a key ingredient or trending flavor? Your well-trained staff will be excited, informed and ready to help sell the overall LTO experience!
- Recipes and Flavor Inspiration: Our All-idays recipe inspiration page is the perfect resource for finding just the right festive and themed recipes that will delight your customers and add a special touch to your bakery. Did you know that August is Brownies at Brunch month? Or that Mochi Day is August 8th, Lemon Meringue Day is August 15th and Sponge Cake Day is on August 23rd? Whatever you plan to celebrate, we have plenty of All-idays recipes that will make every day more memorable!
May micro-holidays
Bakery
- National Chocolate Parfait Day May 1
- National Truffles Day May 2
- National Raspberry Popover Day May 3
- National Candied Orange Peel Day May 4
- National Chocolate Custard Day May 5
- National Coconut Cream Pie Day May 8
- National Nutty Fudge Day May 12
- National Apple Pie Day May 13
- National Buttermilk Biscuit Day May 14
- National Chocolate Chip Day May 15
- National Cherry Cobbler Day May 17
- I Love Reese’s Day May 18
- National Devil’s Food Cake Day May 19
- National Vanilla Pudding Day May 22
- National Taffy Day May 23
- National Blueberry Cheesecake Day May 26
- National Cherry Dessert Day May 26
- National Macaroon Day May 31
Deli/Prepared Foods
- School Lunch Hero Day May 2
- National Hoagie Day May 5
- National Roast Leg of Lamb Day May 7
- National Foodies Day May 9
- National Shrimp Day May 10
- National Cheese Souffle Day May 18
- National Escargot Day May 24
- National Italian Beef Day May 27
- National Brisket Day May 28
- National Hamburger Day May 28
- National Coq Au Vin Day May 29
Produce
- National Herb Day May 3
- International Hummus Day May 13
- National Fruit Cocktail Day May 13
- International Pickle Day May 16
- National Walnut Day May 17
- Pick Strawberries Day May 20
- National Strawberries and Cream Day May 21
- Eat More Fruits & Vegetables Day May 22
- Asparagus Day May 24
- National Grape Popsicle Day May 27
Source: Julee Ho Media 2025 Food Holidays: The Most Comprehensive 365-Day List
