When many people think of a hamburger or a cheeseburger, they envision a patty made out of delicious beef. However, that’s not always the case, as the last few years have seen a rise in the popularity of the veggie burger—a burger that substitutes plant proteins for ground beef. Although veggie burgers of the past were considered unpalatable, modern improvements in manufacturing have created veggie burgers that are practically indistinguishable from beef hamburgers. And that’s probably why someone decided to create a holiday in honor of it. This holiday is National Veggie Burger Day and is observed annually on June 5th.

The History Of National Veggie Burger Day

Before we discuss the history of this holiday, we wanted to take a brief detour and talk about the history of the veggie burger first, but we ran into some roadblocks. One roadblock is that no one really knows when the veggie burger was invented. Some people suggest it was invented in London by Gregory Sams in 1982, but there are references to veggie burgers that date back to the 1940s. One reference is in the American radio drama called “Let George Do It.” A character in that radio drama referred to a veggie burger that was made from legumes and nuts.

Fortunately, the history of National Veggie Burger Day is a little clearer. It was first established in 2017 by Amy’s Kitchen as a way to encourage everyone to eat more veggie burgers. It’s a holiday that has since taken off and is now celebrated by vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike all over the U.S.

Observing National Veggie Burger Day

Make a veggie burger, use the hashtag #NationalVeggieBurgerDay on your social media accounts, and then enjoy this holiday in style. That’s all there is to enjoying National Veggie Burger Day. Bon appétit.