Why do doughnuts have two National Doughnut Days?

For many of us—including those of us who prefer our blood sugar to stay balanced—doughnuts are a rare indulgence. Are they lacking in nutritional value? Absolutely. But the combination of fried dough and every flavor imaginable, from chocolate to bacon, is undeniably tasty. You might even choose to treat yourself only on National Doughnut Day, celebrated every year on the first Friday of June.

Interestingly, a second National Doughnut Day appears just five months later, on November 5. We don’t have two Thanksgivings, two Halloweens, or even two National Hot Dog Days, so why are doughnuts granted two days of celebration?

To understand the origins of the June date, it's helpful to know the history: During World War I, volunteers eager to support the troops were given the task of preparing food to send to soldiers on the front lines in France. The Salvation Army sent more than 250 women, who discovered that battle-tested helmets were perfect for frying up to seven doughnuts at a time.

In 1938, the Salvation Army chose to honor the so-called "doughnut lassies" by creating an annual holiday dedicated to pastries, one that could also raise funds and awareness for their charitable work. Thus, National Doughnut Day came into existence.

The November counterpart’s origins are a bit more elusive. Food holiday historian John Bryan Hopkins, who began documenting obscure holidays on his site Foodimentary in 2006, found references to November Doughnut Day as early as the 1930s in issues of Ladies' Home Journal. Hopkins theorized that the November 5 date, which falls near Veterans Day on November 11, was likely introduced by a retailer to honor veterans' service.

While not every doughnut shop (or enthusiast) celebrates both dates, brands such as Dunkin' and Krispy Kreme are known to give away doughnuts on both days. However, with June's date having a well-established—and respectable—history, many regard it as the more official of the two celebrations.