National Walnut Day (May 17)

Walnuts have been around longer than most foods we consider staples, and May 17th gives them a proper moment. This isn’t one of those food holidays with a murky origin and no real substance behind it.

National Walnut Day was federally recognized by President Eisenhower in 1958, which puts it in fairly rare company on the weird holiday calendar. If a nut can get a presidential proclamation, it’s earned some attention.

When is the Holiday?

Every year on May 17th.

Who Invented It?

The California Walnut Commission began promoting the day in the 1950s as part of a push to raise awareness of walnuts’ nutritional value and culinary range.

It worked well enough that Eisenhower made it official with a formal proclamation in 1958. Not many food holidays can say that.

The History of the Holiday

Walnuts go back a long way. Cultivation has been traced to around 7000 BC in Persia, making them one of the oldest cultivated tree foods on record. The Greeks called them karyon, meaning head, because of how much the walnut resembles a brain inside its shell.

Romans used them not just as food but for oil and medicine, and carried them across the territories they occupied, which is part of how walnut cultivation spread so widely through Europe.

In the US, California became the dominant growing region and now produces around 99 percent of the country’s walnuts. That concentration is a big part of why the California Walnut Commission had both the motivation and the resources to push for a dedicated day.

Fun Facts About Walnuts

1. Eisenhower officially recognized the day in 1958. It remains one of the few food holidays with a presidential proclamation behind it, which gives it more legitimacy than most entries on the weird holiday calendar.
2. California produces 99 percent of US walnuts. The Central Valley’s climate is particularly suited to walnut growing and the industry there is substantial enough to shape national supply and pricing.
3. Walnut trees can produce nuts for over 100 years. They’re slow to mature but long lived. A well-established walnut tree is genuinely multigenerational.
4. Ancient civilizations believed walnuts improved brain function. Partly based on the resemblance between a walnut and a brain, partly based on what we now know is a legitimate connection. Walnuts are one of the better studied nuts for cognitive health and the omega-3 content is real.
5. Walnut shells have industrial uses beyond the kitchen. They’re used in eco-friendly cosmetics, cleaning abrasives, and as a filler in some manufacturing processes. The whole nut gets used in one form or another.

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Coloring Page

Print the walnut coloring sheet for younger kids to use alongside the activities below. It works well paired with the book All From a Walnut if you want a simple themed reading and craft session.

Activities to Celebrate

Trying a new recipe is the most straightforward way to mark the day and the recipe list below gives you plenty of options across sweet, savory, and no-bake. If you want something quick, roasted walnuts with a little salt and maple syrup take about ten minutes and are genuinely hard to stop eating.

A walnut tasting is a surprisingly interesting activity if you can get hold of more than one variety. English, black, and red walnuts have noticeably different flavor profiles. Set them out raw, then try them toasted, and the difference becomes even more pronounced. It works well as a kitchen activity with older kids who are curious about food.

For a craft option, walnut shells are worth saving. They’re sturdy enough to use for small DIY projects, mini boats, ornaments, or painted figures. It’s a good low-waste activity that also gives kids a reason to be interested in the nut before they eat it.

If you’re doing this with younger children, the video on how walnuts are harvested using mechanical tree shakers is worth pulling up. It’s one of those processes most people have never seen and kids find the machinery genuinely impressive.

Related Recipes for the Holiday

Celebrate the holiday by trying one (or several) of these standout recipes featuring this nutrient-packed nut:

• Maple Walnut Fudge – microwave friendly, creamy, and rich. A good starting point if you want something sweet without much effort.
• Kale Apple Salad with Walnuts – crunchy, fresh, and filling. One of those salads that actually works as a main.
• Chocolate Walnut Pie – gooey filling, chopped walnuts for texture, a little salt to balance it. A proper dessert.
• Pomegranate Chicken with Walnuts – a Middle Eastern inspired dish with a walnut thickened sauce and tangy pomegranate. Worth making if you want something dinner-table impressive.
• Vegan Walnut Pesto – walnuts instead of pine nuts, deeper flavor, dairy free. Works on pasta, toast, or as a dip.
• Walnut Crusted Salmon – baked with a walnut parmesan crust. Easy enough for a weeknight, good enough for a guest.
• Walnut Oatmeal Energy Balls – no-bake, lunchbox friendly, and genuinely filling. A good one to make with kids.
• Baklava with Honey Walnuts – the traditional version, phyllo and all. More involved but worth the effort for a special occasion.
• Apple Walnut Cinnamon Rolls – apple chunks and walnuts in the filling add texture and flavor that the standard version is missing.

Links to Resources

• The Tree Book for Kids and Their Grown-Ups – covers how trees like the walnut grow and support ecosystems. Good for a nature walk or science unit.
• California Walnut Commission – health research, recipes, and information on sustainable farming practices. A reliable source if you want to go deeper.
• Walnut Nutrition Info Sheet (PDF) – a printable guide covering macros, omega-3 content, and serving suggestions. Useful for a classroom or home learning context.
• How Walnuts Are Harvested (Video) – shows the mechanical tree shakers used in California orchards. Worth watching with kids before or after cracking some open.
• Walnut Shell Craft Ideas – boats, ornaments, mini animals. Good for keeping younger kids busy with something hands on.
• Walnut Taste Test Chart – a simple experiment comparing raw, toasted, and candied walnuts across taste and texture. Turns snacking into a proper activity.

Related Holidays

• National Oatmeal Nut Waffle Day (March 11) – chopped walnuts and maple syrup on warm waffles is one of the better uses of this holiday.
• National Peanut Butter Day (January 24) – a different nut but a good comparison point. A peanut-walnut butter blend is worth trying if you haven’t.
• National Peanut Brittle Day (January 26) – swap peanuts for walnuts in your favorite brittle recipe for a new take on this classic treat.
• National Pie Day (January 23) – a natural pairing. Walnut pie, walnut chocolate tart, or a pecan-walnut combination all work well.

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