August 20th is Bacon Lover’s Day
- Bacon is one of the oldest processed meats in history. The Chinese began salting pork bellies as early as 1500 B.C.
- More than half of all homes (53%) keep bacon on hand at all times
- Pregnant women should eat bacon. Choline, which is found in bacon, helps fetal brain development
- Each year in the US more than 1.7 billion lbs. of bacon are consumed
- Bacon is said to cure hangovers
- The word “Bacon” originally referred to the back of a pig.
- The first bacon factory opened in 1770. In the 18th century, John Harris opened the first bacon processing plant. Mr. Harris had developed a special brining solution called the “Wiltshire Cure,” which is still used today.
- “Bringing home the bacon” is a reference to making money. But in 12th century England, this phrase meant something completely different. Back then, churches would award a side of bacon (which they called a “flitch”) to any married man who swore before God that he and his wife had not argued for a year and a day. Therefore, men who “brought home the bacon” were looked upon as good husbands and citizens.
- During WWII, the U.S. government urged citizens to donate their excess bacon fat to the army. A whole committee was even created for it: The American Fat Salvage Committee. The fat was used to make glycerin which in turn was used to make bombs.
- In the 80’s, the dieting trend discouraged the consumption of saturated fats and cholesterol which hurt the mass consumption of bacon. However, by the 90’s, the fad’s hold on the American public started to wane, and in 1992, Hardee’s produced one of the first fast-food burgers served with bacon: the Frisco Burger. It was a hit. This not only rekindled America’s love for the tasty pork strips, but also convinced other fast-food companies to add bacon to their burgers.
- America Eats 5,608,654,506 Pounds Each Year. The average American consumes 18 pounds of bacon per year.
- If bacon worship is your thing, consider the United Church of Bacon. Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, the official sanctioned church has around 13,000 members. They even perform wedding ceremonies, fundraisers for charity, and have their very own “9 Bacon Commandments.”
- St. Anthony Is The Patron Saint Of Bacon.
- Bacon camp! Held every year in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Camp Bacon offers a wide range of bacon related activities which include speakers, cooking classes, and of course, bacon tasting.
- Do you find yourself uncontrollably drawn to bacon? If so, you might have a legitimate bacon addiction. Scientists have found that some fattening foods are as addictive as heroin and cocaine. Among those foods listed? You guessed it. Bacon.
- Death by bacon. In 1543, ailing widow and servant Elizabeth Browne was warming herself by the kitchen fire when she was suddenly crushed by four sides of uncooked bacon. The sides had been hanging from a hook above her when the rope holding them broke.
- Did you know that the first meal ever eaten on the moon was bacon? When astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin sat down to their first meal after their successful landing, they had bacon, peaches, sugar cookies & coffee.
- The suburban development that happened in the wake of WWII brought more supermarkets to middle class families that lived in suburban areas. Supermarkets made fresh vegetables and meats readily available year-round, and thus, the modern BLT was born.
- The first sliced and packaged bacon hit grocery store shelves in 1924, and all thanks to Oscar Meyer. Many other companies shortly followed, and it’s now basically a household staple.
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