National Cheese Day (June 4)

National Cheese Day somehow feels more legitimate than a lot of the other food holidays floating around online. Probably because most people are already emotionally invested in cheese before the holiday even starts.

Cheese is weirdly tribal. Mention blue cheese at a dinner table, and somebody immediately acts personally offended. Entire countries argue over how it should smell, how long it should age, and whether it should contain visible mold. Some cheeses are stored in caves. Some are washed in alcohol. One famously contains live insect larvae, which honestly feels like dairy crossed a line there.

And yet people keep coming back for more.

June 4 is basically a socially acceptable excuse to eat an expensive cheese board for dinner and pretend it’s an “experience.”

When Is The Holiday?

Every year on June 4.

Why This Holiday Exists

Nobody seems entirely sure who officially started National Cheese Day, which feels very on-brand for a holiday built around fermented milk.

Like a lot of modern food observances, it appears to have grown out of internet culture and general public agreement that cheese deserved attention. Fair enough, honestly.

The actual history of cheese is much older and stranger. Historians believe cheesemaking dates back more than 7,000 years, possibly beginning when travelers stored milk inside animal stomachs during long journeys. The natural enzymes caused the milk to separate into curds and whey, and instead of throwing it away, somebody apparently tasted it and decided this was a good direction for humanity.

The Romans became obsessed with cheese production and spread techniques throughout Europe. Medieval monks later refined aging methods in monasteries, which explains why so many cheeses sound like they belong in fantasy novels.

Fast forward to today and adults willingly spend $40 on tiny wedges served on slate boards while describing flavors using words like “earthy” and “nutty.” Cheese has had an incredible public relations journey.

The Part People Actually Remember

• The average American eats more than 40 pounds of cheese every year. Wisconsin is carrying a lot of this operation.
• The world’s oldest discovered cheese was found in an Egyptian tomb and was estimated to be over 3,000 years old. Nobody volunteered for the taste test.
• There are more than 1,800 varieties of cheese worldwide, although supermarkets still somehow dedicate half the shelf space to cheddar.
• Some cheeses are intentionally moldy, some are smoked, and some are washed in beer or wine during aging. Humans looked at milk and really committed to experimentation.
• World Cheese Awards is a real competition where experts judge cheeses with the seriousness of Olympic officials.

The Most Controversial Cheeses in the World

Some cheeses divide people instantly.

Blue cheese is probably the most common argument starter. People either describe it as rich and complex or say it tastes like a damp basement wall. There is rarely middle ground.

Then there’s Casu Marzu from Sardinia, which is famous for containing live larvae. Technically illegal in some places. Still eaten by adventurous tourists who apparently looked at regular cheese and thought, “Not enough risk.”

Durian cheese also exists, combining strong cheese with the smell of one of the world’s most divisive fruits. I admire the confidence behind creating that combination even if I personally would rather not.

And yet the cheese people love arguing about most may still be American cheese. Half the internet insists it barely counts as cheese while the other half quietly keeps putting it on burgers because it melts properly.

Ways To Actually Celebrate

Build a cheese board without turning it into a Pinterest competition. A few cheeses, decent crackers, olives, fruit, maybe hot honey if you’re feeling ambitious. Nobody actually wants a 47-step grazing table on a Tuesday night.

Try one cheese you normally avoid. Washed-rind cheeses look alarming but are often much milder than they smell. Which honestly feels like a useful life lesson.

Visit a local cheese shop if you have one nearby. Cheesemongers genuinely enjoy helping people find new cheeses, and most are thrilled when someone asks questions instead of immediately buying shredded mozzarella again.

Mac and cheese obviously counts too. Especially homemade versions where the recipe quietly turns into “add more cheese until it feels emotionally correct.”

And yes, grilled cheese for dinner is completely acceptable on June 4.

Ways To Use This At Work

• Offices can do a blind cheese tasting during lunch breaks. Watching coworkers confidently misidentify cheddar is surprisingly entertaining.
• Restaurants and bars can run cheese pairing specials or “most controversial cheese” tasting flights.
• Teachers’ lounges already unofficially run on caffeine and dairy products, so this one barely requires planning.
• Social media managers can ask followers to rank popular cheeses in the comments. People become alarmingly passionate about mozzarella within minutes.
• Remote teams can run a Slack poll for “best cheese snack combination,” which usually reveals far too much about everyone involved.

Worth Buying, Watching, Or Trying

A proper cheese slicer sounds unnecessary right up until you use one and suddenly start acting like a person who hosts wine nights.

I also genuinely like That Cheese Plate Will Change Your Life because it’s less intimidating than most entertaining books and accepts that most people just want a cheese board that doesn’t look chaotic.

Food-wise, baked brie with fig jam still deserves the hype. It feels unnecessarily fancy despite being mostly melted cheese wrapped in pastry. Hard to argue with that combination.

And if you’ve never watched people compete in professional cheese rolling competitions in the UK, today is probably the day to fix that. Completely ridiculous sport. Highly entertaining.

Related Holidays

National Cheese Day isn’t the only food-themed celebration this season. Here are some other quirky and delicious observances you might enjoy:

National Cheese Lovers Day (January 20) somehow found another spot on the calendar for cheese appreciation, which honestly feels unnecessary but understandable.

National Cheese Pizza Day (September 5) exists for people who know toppings are often just distractions from the real point of pizza.

National Cheese Steak Day (March 24) is your excuse to enjoy a Philly-style sandwich piled high with thin-sliced beef and gooey cheese.

National Cheesecake Day (July 30) leans heavily into the dessert side of dairy excess.

National Grilled Cheese Day (April 12) exists for people who believe bread is just a delivery system for melted cheese.

National Pizza Day (February 9) may not say “cheese” in the name, but let’s be honest—cheese is the star of the show on most pizzas.

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