National Lasagna Day

Layers of savory delectability await today, for it is National Lasagna Day! July 29th marks a day full of preheated ovens, boiled noodles, simmering sauces, and sizzling meats and veggies! Grab your aprons and ready your forks, for this holiday is sure to make your stomach rumble!

Join us as we dive into the history of this dish and meet a notable character that may just love lasagna more than me! From big orange cats to Greek etymology, there’s a lot to learn about National Lasagna Day!

A Certain Cartoon Cat’s Favorite Day

There’s no one I imagine rejoices more on such a delicious day than Garfield, the cartoon cat created by Jim Davis in the late 70s. This lovable loaf loves nothing more than lazing about, hating Mondays, and munching on a big pan of cheesy lasagna!

However, did you know that the inspiration for this feline’s favorite food stems from Davis’s own love for the dish? He said as much in an interview noted here, stating that “Yeah, I love lasagna. I thought it would be funny to have a cat who likes lasagna but as it turns out, I hear from people all the time that their cats love lasagna.”

Wait a minute. Cats eat lasagna in real life? Well, that may be, but it’s certainly not good for them! While the noodles won’t necessarily hurt their tiny tummies, onions and garlic can make them seriously ill. Furthermore, cats are generally lactose intolerant, so cheese isn’t such a good idea either. While our favorite cartoon cat may chow down on today’s celebrated dish, please refrain from supplying the same meal to your cat!

Learn about Lasagna!

As a human, we can definitely enjoy an Italian pasta dish or two while our cats lay about, so let’s learn about this tasty meal! For instance, did you know that the word ‘lasagna’ comes from the Greek word for the first pasta? The lasagna we know today, however, originated in Naples, Italy in the late 1800s when tomato sauce was introduced to the recipe. Learn more about the layered pasta below in a fun, saucy infographic!

How to Celebrate National Lasagna Day

Are your bellies and brains full yet? If not, why not celebrate National Lasagna Day with us? Tonight, my husband and I are chowing down on an, admittedly, store-bought lasagna and cuddling up to watch the Garfield movie. If that’s not your cup of tea, here’s some more ideas for your lasagna-filled celebration!

• Try out some new recipes like this traditional lasagna, or for my veggie lovers, this hearty vegetable lasagna!
• Visit a new Italian restaurant!
• Read some Garfield comics!
• Take the National Lasagna Day quiz over at National Today!

Thanks for joining us on this cheesy, pasta-filled National Lasagna Day! Before you sit down for a bite, feel free to share your favorite lasagna recipes and stories below! Maybe we can try them out and share pictures with you guys! Lastly, please consider donating to the blog if you’d like to see more content like this (and to help us buy some yummy lasagna!). All joking aside, thank you for reading, and we’ll see you in the next article!