Food Day Canada: Honouring a Canadian Tradition

Update: Campaign Report

August 2, 2025

#FoodDayCanada, celebrated every August long weekend, has become a national movement that champions Canadian-grown and -produced food. Its story began in 2003 at a time of crisis for Canadian agriculture. After a BSE (“mad cow disease”) case triggered a ban on Canadian beef exports, Anita Stewart—renowned food writer and advocate—galvanized Canadians into action. She created the “World’s Longest Barbecue,” calling on people across the nation to grill Canadian beef in a spectacular show of solidarity with farmers. That event grew beyond its origins, evolving into Food Day Canada: a grassroots celebration of Canadian food, farmers, and culinary culture.

Year after year, Food Day Canada unites Canadians around the table—in homes, restaurants, and community gatherings—celebrating those who produce and prepare our food. With federal recognition now enshrined in law, Food Day Canada proudly acknowledges every contributor to food in Canada: from primary producers to chefs, researchers, and home cooks.

Canadian Food Focus: Championing and Supporting Food Day Canada

Canadian Food Focus has proudly championed Food Day Canada by connecting Canadians with the people, stories, and flavours that define our national food landscape. Through year-round education, engaging content, and hands-on initiatives, CFF makes Canadian agriculture and food production accessible and exciting for everyone. Each summer, this commitment shines through in our support of the #FoodDayCanada campaign, with resource development and collaboration on a social media push that celebrate Canadian farmers, food professionals, and home cooks from coast to coast.

From social media campaigns that reach millions, to outreach and community engagement programs, Canadian Food Focus amplifies the Food Day Canada message: shop, cook, and dine Canadian. Their content is grounded in transparency, optimism, and trust—values championed by Anita Stewart, central to Food Day Canada’s mission and shared by Canadian Food Focus. By leveraging digital resources, strategic outreach, and collaboration, CFF continues to foster deeper food literacy and a true sense of connection to the land and people behind every Canadian meal.

Partnership for #FoodDayCanada: Practical Resources for Canadians

To elevate Food Day Canada celebrations on August 2, 2025 and support healthy, confident eating, Canadian Food Focus partnered with acclaimed dietitians Shannon Crocker and Carol Harrison of Sparks RD. Together, we curated two new resources:

• Celebration Idea Guide: A feature-rich guide for Canadians, offering tips, inspiration, and practical ideas to champion Canadian food at home. It includes easy recipes using local ingredients, how-to shopping guides, and fun ways families can celebrate Food Day Canada.
• Toolkit for Dietitians: An expertly designed kit to help dietitians across Canada educate and inspire their communities. Complete with evidence-based messaging, ready-to-use infographics and social media content, it empowers dietitians to spread the #FoodDayCanada message and spark excitement about Canadian food.

Both resources ensure everyone—whether a home cook, educator, or health professional—has engaging and actionable tools to make Food Day Canada meaningful and delicious.

Join us as we celebrate our food, our farmers, and our future—together, on Food Day Canada and every day.