With bathing suit weather on the horizon, April is the perfect month to overeat one last time before dedicating yourself to the gym. If you need some inspiration for packing on your final winter pounds, the month offers up a slew of holidays to make the choice easy.
10) April 16 - National Eggs Benedict Day When scrambled eggs aren't classy enough for you, take a step outside the box and engage in the breakfast delicacy known as eggs Benedict. Composed of eggs, ham or bacon and hollandaise sauce on top of an English muffin, this morning treat is good enough for any time of day.
9) April 22 - National Jelly Bean Day No matter what flavor you're in the mood for, jelly beans are the snack for you. With the success of films like Harry Potter and their use of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, jelly beans constantly push the flavor threshold, now selling not only favorites, but unique tastes like buttered popcorn, jalapeño and margarita. These chewy delicacies aren't just for Easter anymore.
8) April 24 - National Pigs in a Blanket Day Any social event where people will be meandering around a room requires pigs in a blanket to be a success. We're sharing this little-known secret as a salute to the day that celebrates them. Everything about these little snacks is wonderful - their name is cute, and they're made with mini hotdogs wrapped in crescents rolls. Whether you love your mini-dogs more piggy or more blanket-y, there's a lot to love in the little things.
7) April 19 - Garlic Day Nothing ruins a good date like garlic, but is it really worth it to give it up? An ingredient in all of our favorite foods, garlic is King Midas' touch for any recipe. A sprinkle here and a sprinkle there will bring any dinner to life, so long as you keep it all in moderation. And it keeps your heart healthy, just in time for it to get broken by your rancid breath.
6) April 25 - National Zucchini Bread Day What's better than sticking vegetables and grain in one neat package? Well - a lot of things, but zucchini bread may be the exception, especially when it's mom's own recipe. Maybe more than the vegetables, what makes this food delicious is the loads of brown sugar and butter thrown in.
5) April 26 - Pretzel Day Whether hard or soft, this day honors the Bavarian treat that's been occupying our pantries since we were old enough to gum them. As Michael Scott or Stanley Hudson well know, the astounding breadth of flavors creates a veritable smorgasbord of endless choices of types and toppings. Whether you buy them from the surly street-side vendor or your local apathetic mall-rat teenager, make sure to celebrate with gusto.
4) April 29 - National Shrimp Scampi Day Even though Lent may be over by the time this extravaganza rolls around, April's still a great month for seafood. Although neighboring Maryland may be known best for its crabs, they definitely send some quality shrimp our way, too. A nice mound of linguini piled high with shrimp in a bowl of butter-garlic sauce is a classy way to end a hot spring day. And even though it might take a lot of effort to get the damn tails off, the dish commands celebration for the fusion of sea, butter, garlic and pasta.
3) April 14 - National Pecan Day This may be the only nut left without an upcoming lawsuit from the FDA. Our only true friend left among the legumes, the pecan lends its sweet, filling flavor to both ice cream and pies, making it a versatile ingredient as well as a simple summer snack. This should be especially fun for you native Texans, who are lucky enough to have the pecan tree stand tall as your state tree. Davy Crockett and Sam Houston would be proud.
2) April 7 - Caramel Popcorn Day You probably gave up caramel popcorn years ago when your orthodontist put them on the forbidden-food list, on par with apples and Laffy Taffy. But today is the day to reclaim your love of caramel popcorn. It's the perfect blend of crunchy and gooey. Caramel popcorn is there for every snack existential crisis when you can't decide if you want something sweet or salty.
1) April 27 - National Prime Rib Day Today's the perfect day to take a 24-hour vacation from your vegetarianism. There's little better in this world than a good steak grilled to perfection. Get yourself some steak sauce and dig in. Your red blood cells will thank you.
