The Story Behind International Pancake Day

It is the eve of February 24th and why is that of so much importance, that I would write about it? It is important because tomorrow is a day I love to celebrate. The folks in New Orleans and some other places around the United States will be celebrating Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday. In Latin America, they are celebrating Carnival – sounds fun! In England, Ireland and Australia people will be celebrating Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day. No matter the term, everyone is celebrating the same day-- the day before the beginning of Lent.

When I first found out that there was a day specifically designated to eat and celebrate pancakes I rejoiced. I love pancakes and I know it started as a wee child when my mom would make all types of scrumptious pancakes for me and my siblings and even better, she’d make them into our favorite shapes. What’s not to love about a pancake shaped like Mickey Mouse?

I recently decided to do a little more research into Pancake Day because I noticed that it is not on the same day each year. I was intrigued about where it started, why it started and the customs and traditions around this fabulous day. Initially, I did not realize that it was synonymous with Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday, both terms I was familiar with.

It seems that the Pancake Day originated in the UK, where they call the day before Lent Shrove Tuesday. The word shrove is the past tense of the verb shrive, which means to obtain absolution from one’s sins through Confession and doing penance. English Christians were expected to shrive or confess all sins prior to the beginning of Lent.
In Christian beliefs, Lent commemorates Jesus' 40 days of fasting in the wilderness, and observant Christians mark this period by fasting themselves. In the UK, a tradition evolved of making and eating pancakes on Shrove Tuesday because it was a clever way to use up the “rich” ingredients that were given up for Lent - milk, butter and, particularly, eggs - which may not be eaten again until Easter.

I was impressed to discover that Pancake Day actually has a deep spiritual background, it is not simply a random holiday created by some Pancake Lover.

Join me in eating pancakes on this Pancake Day. You can look back to the archives of February 2007 to find some of my favorite pancake recipes. You may also want to do some research of your own and discover the countless varieties of delicious pancakes from all around the world. Have you ever had Blintzes, Crepes, Puff Pancakes aka. German Oven pancakes, Latkes aka. Potato Pancakes, Pioneer pancakes, or Swedish Pancakes??

Don't worry if you don't have time to make pancakes for breakfast. Pancakes are fabulous any time of day. Visit your local pancake house for lunch or whip up a batch of pancakes for dinner. Enjoy!!


To Your Best Health,

Melissa Guthrie
BSc Nutritional Science
BSc Exercise Physiology
ACE Certified Personal Trainer/Group Fitness Instructor
New Leaf Certified Metabolic Technician
Triathlete/Runner
Healthy Cooking Enthusiast