National Pizza Week is a holiday that begins on the second Sunday in January. It’s a holiday that encourages Americans to do more of something they already do quite a lot of: eat pizza. The average American eats 40 pizzas a year, and collectively, Americans purchase over 3 billion pizzas a year, so it’s uncertain if people can eat more pizza than they currently do.

However, since there’s always room to add a pizza or two to one’s diet, we suggest that people get busy celebrating pizza in its infinite variety during this holiday week. There are several different ways pizzas are made, and we think it’s time for people to try a type of pizza that they haven’t tried before or don’t eat regularly.

The History of National Pizza Week

Pizza was created in Central and Southern Italy in ancient Rome, but the name “pizza” wasn’t coined until about the 10th century in Gaeta, Italy. For much of its history, pizza was a dish that was only enjoyed in that region of Europe, but that changed during WWII. After Allied troops stationed in Italy got their first taste of pizza, they brought that desire back to their homes.

This left Italian immigrants with the task of satisfying this new craving for pizza, which they did by establishing pizza restaurants. Now, over 5 billion pizzas are sold around the world. Of course, about 3 billion of those are sold in the U.S.

Observing National Pizza Week

The best and probably only way to celebrate this holiday is by eating some pizza during National Pizza Week. This can be pizza ordered from the local pizzeria, a frozen pizza, or a pizza that you make at home. It doesn’t really matter because pizza is good in all its forms. People should also make sure they use the hashtag #NationalPizzaWeek on their social media accounts to spread the word about this holiday.