Food Day Canada is on August 3rd, 2024! This is your chance to get inspired to shop, cook & dine Canadian. It’s also a celebration of our farmers and fishers, our chefs and researchers and, above all, our home cooks, all of whom contribute to a strong and sustainable Canadian food scene.
Food Day Canada was created by the late Anita Stewart. Originally known as the World’s Longest Barbecue, this was a day for supporters to gather and show support for Canada’s beef farmers and ranchers. In 2023 the federal government officially established Food Day Canada as an important day to recognize and appreciate Canadian agriculture and food communities.
Wondering how to take part in this year’s event? Good news: Anyone can participate! Keep reading for a few ways to celebrate #FoodDayCanada this year.
Shop
Visit a local farm, farmer’s market, or producer to pick up some Canadian ingredients for your next meal. This can include local breweries or wineries; honey producers; local vegetable farms or fruit orchards; and much more. Food Day Canada has created a comprehensive list of ingredients and products to inspire your next shopping trip.
Cook
After you’ve completed your shopping, put your local ingredients in the spotlight with recipes that will allow the flavours to shine. Looking for a few well-tested, much-loved, delicious recipes from across Canada to create a perfect menu? Click here to check out some of Food Day Canada’s suggestions.
Dine
Want to leave the cooking to the professionals? Show some love to your favourite farm-to-table restaurant! Food Day Canada has put together a map of restaurants that have pledged to highlight local ingredients and Canadian food stories at their establishments. Consult their list and start planning your delicious outing!
Celebrate
Want to celebrate Food Day Canada with other local food fans? Check out these upcoming events:
A Nation's Table Documentary Premiere (Ontario)
Thursday July 25th, 5-7pm, O.A.C. Centennial Arboretum Centre at the University of Guelph
A Nation's Table is a new documentary short film that explores the life's work of Anita Stewart, the "patron saint of Canadian food." Thanks to her boundless tenacity and enthusiasm, she contributed more than ever imaginable to uncovering untold stories that celebrate Canadian cuisine, ultimately leading to the nationally recognized "Food Day Canada." Through her life of activism around food and the people who bring it to us, she turned crisis into opportunity, setting the table for Canada to build its culinary traditions into an evolving food system that's the envy of the world.
The premiere includes a film screening, a panel discussion, and a post-screening reception catered by University of Guelph's Hospitality Services. This is a free event – click here for more information and tickets.
Food Day Canada Launch Event: Elora’s Longest BBQ (Ontario)
Tuesday July 30th, 4-9pm, Elora, Ontario
Food Day Canada partners with the Elora Mill and the Elora-Fergus community for Elora’s Longest BBQ, a throw-back to the very first "World's Longest BBQ" by Food Day Canada founder Anita Stewart. Weaving together acclaimed local chefs, breathtaking views, and local ingredients, this summer celebration promises to redefine the concept of a culinary gathering. The flavourful creations will highlight the brilliance of regional ingredients sourced directly from trusted Canadian farmers, chefs, and producers. This is a free event – click here to register!
For more information and timely updates, follow @fooddaycanada on Instagram.
