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National Pizza Day (February 9)

Check out the weird holiday National Pizza Day on February 9. Learn the history of National Pizza Day, and get ideas on how to celebrate.

One weird holiday on February 9 is National Pizza Day. Check out the other weird February holidays!

History of National Pizza Day

A weird and strange holiday that celebrates pizza? Count us in! Whether you like deep dish, stuffed crust, or any other kind, pizza is one of the top American favorites.

Flatbreads with toppings have been eaten by the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians, but the idea of pizza as we kind of know it didn’t come around until the 1700s in Naples, Italy.

At the time, Naples was its own kingdom, and it was filled with poor day laborers (called lazzaroni). They needed food they could eat quickly and get back to work, and flatbread with toppings like cheese, oil, anchovies, and more fit the bill.

The first pizzeria, called Antica Pizzeria, opened in 1738 in Naples.

Italy didn’t become a united country until 1861, and then Naples itself remained unvisited by royaty until 1889. Queen Margherita fell in love with pizza mozerrella and requested it frequently while there. This is how the Margherita pizza (soft white cheese, green basil, and red tomatores) got its name.

Pizza didn’t expand outside of Naples until the 1940s and after WWII, when Italian immigrants began to share their lunches with their new coworkers in the United States.

In spite of that, the first pizzeria in the United States was actually opened in 1895 (or 1905) in New York City. It was called Lombardi’s, and it is still in business today in Little Italy in Manhattan!

In 1943, Pizzeria Uno in Chicago invented the deep dish pizza. Then in 1958, Pizza Hut was foundedin Wichita, Kansas.

The most popular pizza topping is pepperoni and is ordered on more than 1/3 of all pizza orders.

Over 3 billion pizzas are sold in the United States every year, with another billion being frozen. On average, Americans eat 23 pounds of pizza per person every year.

Ideas for National Pizza Day

Order out a pizza, or make one of these delicious recipes!

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