How To Celebrate National Donut Day 2018

June 1, 2018

You probably already know that today is National Donut Day. I wonder if you also know the history of this day, though.

Don't worry if you don't, because you will by the time you finish reading this.

National Donut Day, or National Doughnut Day, is celebrated every year in the United States on the first Friday of June. That makes this year be the 80th annual National Doughnut Day celebration.

History of the National Donut Day

It all started in 1938 as a fundraiser for Chicago's division of The Salvation Army, an organization whose goal was to help those in need during the Great Depression.

After the US sent troops to France, in World War I, The Salvation Army sent volunteers who could serve baked goods, while also providing writing supplies and clothes mending services in centers known as huts.

Because those huts were situated close to the front lines, it was hard to provide freshly baked goods. So two of the volunteers, Margaret Sheldon and Helen Purviance, came up with the genius idea of serving fried doughnuts.

There is no surprise that this idea was an instant hit. According to Sheldon's diary, she recalled making 700 doughnuts a day herself. From Purviance, we know in what conditions the doughnuts were made as well: "I was literally on my knees when those first doughnuts were fried, seven at a time, in a small frypan."

Even today, in Chicago and other cities, National Donut Day is still meant as a fundraiser for The Salvation Army.

And, of course, doughnut-themed restaurant chains are taking advantage of this day to come up with their own offers. You can even get free donuts from some big brands out there.