When is National Grilled Cheese Day?
National Grilled Cheese Day 2027 is on Monday
Monday, April 12, 2027
April 12 every year. That's in 177 days.
until National Grilled Cheese Day begins, in your time zone
National Grilled Cheese Day is an informal US food holiday for the grilled cheese sandwich: buttered bread and melted cheese cooked in a pan until golden. It celebrates one of the country's most familiar comfort foods, often paired with a bowl of tomato soup.
About National Grilled Cheese Day
Bread and melted cheese have been eaten together in many cultures for centuries, but the American grilled cheese has a fairly recent history. The Food Timeline, a reference compiled by librarian Lynne Olver, dates the modern version, made with sliced white bread and processed cheese, to the 1920s, when both became cheap and widely sold. Earlier cookbooks called similar dishes toasted cheese or cheese dreams; a 1916 recipe for cheese dreams has slices of cheese fried between buttered bread. The name grilled cheese turns up in American newspapers in the early 1930s.
The sandwich spread because it was cheap, filling and easy to cook. The Food Timeline notes that government cookbooks from World War II told Navy cooks how to make American cheese sandwiches in large batches, and that after the war school cafeterias commonly served it with tomato soup, a pairing that fit lunch nutrition rules and is still a classic.
No founder or founding year is documented for National Grilled Cheese Day, and it has no government status. It is kept mainly by restaurants, home cooks and the media. Schools, cafes and home cooks use it as an excuse to revisit a lunch many people grew up with.
Sources: The Food Timeline: Sandwiches (grilled cheese), Fox News: National Grilled Cheese Day, history of the holiday (April 12, 2023). How we check dates.
How to mark National Grilled Cheese Day
- Cook a classic grilled cheese slowly over medium-low heat so the bread browns evenly while the cheese melts all the way through.
- Try a cheese blend, such as sharp cheddar with a good melting cheese like Monterey Jack or Gruyère.
- Make tomato soup from scratch to serve alongside, using canned whole tomatoes, onion, garlic and a little cream or stock.
- Experiment with fillings like caramelized onions, sliced apple, roasted peppers or kimchi.
- Hold a family grilled cheese contest where everyone builds a sandwich from shared ingredients and votes on a favorite.
National Grilled Cheese Day dates
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Saturday, April 12, 2025 |
| 2026 | Sunday, April 12, 2026 |
| 2027 | Monday, April 12, 2027 |
| 2028 | Wednesday, April 12, 2028 |
| 2029 | Thursday, April 12, 2029 |
| 2030 | Friday, April 12, 2030 |
| 2031 | Saturday, April 12, 2031 |
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Frequently asked questions
When is National Grilled Cheese Day 2027?
National Grilled Cheese Day 2027 is on Monday, April 12, 2027. It falls on April 12 every year. In 2028, it is on Wednesday, April 12, 2028.
When was the grilled cheese sandwich invented?
No single inventor is known. The version Americans know, with sliced bread and processed cheese, dates to the 1920s, and the name grilled cheese appears in print in the 1930s.
Why is grilled cheese served with tomato soup?
The pairing became common in school cafeterias after World War II because it was cheap, easy and helped meet lunch nutrition standards. It stuck as a home comfort meal.
Is National Grilled Cheese Day a public holiday?
No. National Grilled Cheese Day is an observance, not a public holiday, so schools, banks, government offices and most businesses keep their normal hours.