National Peanut Butter Day

National Peanut Butter Day History

National Peanut Butter Day is dedicated to celebrating the highly popular and nutritious spread, peanut butter. The day serves as an opportunity to appreciate the culinary value and benefits of this versatile ingredient. It aims at recognizing the importance and place of peanut butter in various cuisines, all the while promoting its health benefits such as being an excellent source of protein, containing healthy fats, and providing essential vitamins and minerals.

Peanut butter has been a favourite among Canadians ever since it started being mass-produced in the 20th century. While National Peanut Butter Day has origins rooted in America, where it was first declared a national celebration, this observance captures global attention, including Canada. It is particularly relevant because Canada is among the top consumers of peanut butter per capita in the world. The country also hosts several manufacturers who produce peanut butter in various forms from creamy to chunky, from natural to flavoured, thus contributing to the economy and providing employment opportunities.

In terms of celebrating National Peanut Butter Day, Canadians typically indulge in an assortment of peanut butter-infused treats including peanut butter cookies, sandwiches, shakes, desserts and more. It’s also commonplace to have recipe exchange sessions among friends and families. Social media platforms witness extensive sharing of pictures and anecdotes appreciating the cherished spread. While National Peanut Butter Day is generally observed on January 24th each year.

Top 8 Facts for 2026 National Peanut Butter Day in Canada

• The first patent for the modern process of making peanut butter was granted in 1884 to a Canadian pharmacist named Marcellus Gilmore Edson, who developed a method of milling roasted peanuts between two heated surfaces to create a nutrient-dense paste for people who had difficulty chewing.
• Although the brand is international, the specific recipe for Kraft Peanut Butter is unique to the Canadian market and is considered a national staple, famously recognized by the iconic bears on its packaging and its distinct absence from grocery store shelves in the United States.
• Canada is among the top global consumers of the spread per capita, with current data from the Peanut Bureau of Canada indicating that approximately 93 percent of Canadian households consume peanut butter regularly.
• While most peanuts are imported from the southern United States, Canada has its own commercial peanut industry centered in Norfolk County, Ontario, where the sandy soil and moderate climate allowed farmers to transition from tobacco to high-quality peanut crops in the early 1980s.
• In a record-breaking feat of confectionery, the Northwest Fudge Factory in Levack, Ontario, once constructed a massive peanut butter cup weighing 600 pounds to celebrate Canada Day, which at the time shattered previous world records for size and weight.
• A surprising regional culinary trend that frequently gains traction across Canadian social media is the peanut butter and dill pickle sandwich, a pairing often defended by fans as a perfect balance of salty, sweet, and acidic flavors.
• It takes approximately 540 individual peanuts to produce one standard 12-ounce jar of peanut butter, a density that makes it one of the most cost-effective sources of plant-based protein available to Canadian families.
• According to market research, breakfast remains the most common time for Canadians to enjoy the spread, with nearly 63 percent of consumers integrating it into their morning meal, though it also ranks as the second most popular snack nut product in the country behind only potato chips.

In the News and Trending in Canada for National Peanut Butter Day

Top things to do in Canada for National Peanut Butter Day

• Enjoy some peanut butter today. Make a PB & J, use peanut butter in a recipe, or just take a spoon to a jar. Either way peanut butter is versatile and delicious no matter how you eat it.
• Explore recipes that involve peanut butter. There are tons of recipes for breakfast, dinner, and dessert.
• Documentaries you can watch that relate to Peanut Butter are:
  Just Eat It: A Food Waste Story - This Canadian documentary discusses the amount of food wasted in Canada and strategies to reduce it.
  The Peanut Problem - Part of the Netflix series "Rotten", it dives into the issue of food allergies, including peanut allergies.
  Sugar Coated - This film investigates the health impacts and political influence of the sugar industry, which is relevant as some peanut butter brands have excessive amounts of sugar.
• Make a dish with Peanut butter. Here are our picks:
  -Peanut butter pancakes
  -Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
  -Peanut butter cookies
  -Peanut butter smoothie
  -Peanut butter granola bars
  -Peanut butter glazed chicken wings