National Raisin Day
Packed with natural sweetness and loads of nutrients — a great snack on-the-go, and a versatile ingredient in many sweet and savory dishes.
First discovered by accident as early as 4000 years ago, raisins are a dried fruit made from grapes. Filled with delicious flavor, raisins offer a convenient source of nutrition and energy, especially in the past when it was difficult to keep fresh fruit from going bad. Today, raisins continue to provide a healthy, no-frills way to enjoy a hearty little snack!
History of National Raisin Day
Just as the raisin has a long history, so does National Raisin Day. In fact, National Raisin Day got its start more than a century ago. In 1909, the raisin growers association of the state of California introduced the idea for a day that would promote this versatile dried fruit. Advertised on the radio, in newspapers and even through hand-delivered flyers, the first National Raisin Day on April 30,1909 was a huge success in the United States.
As marketing campaigns introduced this unique fruit to Americans, giving out free recipe ideas and coupons, the raisin became even more popular and well-known. Although they do contain a lot of sugar, a handful of raisins is a much healthier snack than something with empty calories such as a candy bar.
So get on board and get ready to enjoy National Raisin Day!
How to Celebrate National Raisin Day
Have tons of fun and celebrate this delicious little treat with some of these ideas for National Raisin Day:
Make Some Recipes with Raisins
One great way to celebrate National Raisin Day is to whip up some easy recipes that include raisins in their list of ingredients. Get started with some of these:
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. One of the most traditional ways to eat raisins is putting them in a delicious batch of warm oatmeal raisin cookies.
- Trail Mix. A simple and easy way to incorporate raisins into a simple snack is by making trail mix. Mix up some peanuts, seeds, almonds, dried cranberries, chocolate chips, M&Ms and, of course, raisins.
- Cinnamon Raisin Bread. One amazing and simple way to eat raisins is by adding them to a delicious bread recipe. Whether a sweet quick bread or a yeast bread, any cinnamon bread recipe could be made even better by including a cup of raisins before baking.
Learn Health Benefits of Raisins
Raisins offer a whole host of health benefits and, because they are a dried fruit, they have a longer shelf life and are easier to store than fresh fruits. Sweet and hearty, raisins are rich in various nutrients that are good for the body. Here are some good reasons to eat and enjoy raisins:
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High in Fiber
Just a half cup of raisins can give a person roughly 10-20% of their daily fiber, which is a great start for this important nutrient that has the power to reduce bad cholesterol.
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Antioxidants
Raisins contain phytonutrients, which may help to remove free radicals from your body.
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Iron
A good source of iron, raisins help with the development of red blood cells by assisting them with carrying oxygen to the rest of the body.
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