April 14th is National Pecan Day

If you're looking for something to do today then start munching on some nuts because it's National Pecan Day!

I'm sure you can come up with a handful of dishes to jam some pecans in!

Let's get right into celebrating National Pecan Day!

Why is this a holiday?

Today is a holiday because people love pecans, to put things simply! Pecans are one of the most commonly eaten nuts and for good reason: they taste awesome! I love pecans so I can see why people would want to set up a day where you have no excuse not to snack on a couple handfuls.

Pecan trees are actually a species of hickory that's native to North and Central American regions. The word pecan comes from an Algonquian that means "a nut requiring a stone to crack", which doesn't really narrow it down to this specific nut when you think about it, but oh well!

Pecan trees grow anywhere from 66 feet to 130 feet tall and they are pollinated by the wind. And before you call me out on it, pecans are actually drupes (NOT nuts) which means they're a fruit with a single stone or pit. But hey, I'm still going to call them nuts!

Pecans have a buttery flavor which makes them perfect for a delicious type of ice cream called Butter Pecan! They're good for your heart and mind and are packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. So don't feel bad if you go a little overboard on your celebration today ;). You could actually be helping your body out!

So how can you celebrate today?

Well, your celebration could be as easy as going to your local grocery store and picking up a bag of raw pecans. Then just munch on them all day! Don't forget to share these delicious treats with others as you go through your day. You could even feed some to some squirrels in a park if you want. It's no fun if you're celebrating alone, right?

You could also scan the shelves at the grocery store to see what pecan-infused items are waiting for you to munch on. People get really creative with these nuts because they seem to go well with most things. But I won't blame you one bit if you head straight to the butter pecan ice cream ;).  And hey, you're always welcome to switch things around and pick up some pecan butter!

You could even get creative yourself at home and start adding pecans in all your meals for the day. Sure, you could make the standard pecan pie but it never hurts to step outside the norm and see what else tastes good with pecans. Sprinkle some on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, toss some in a milk shake, add them to your salad, bake them into bread or cookies or add them to your cereal. Try out anything you can think of and let me know what's good!

I hope you enjoy your day and have fun getting nutty!