National Healthy Fats Day – March 21

Each year on March 21, the Healthy Fats Coalition celebrates National Healthy Fats Day, an observance dedicated to the traditional animal fats that have shaped cooking for generations.

First established in 2018, National Healthy Fats Day highlights the resurgence of minimally processed fats such as lard, beef tallow, duck fat, and goose fat, ingredients once central to kitchens across America and now increasingly embraced again by chefs, restaurants, and home cooks.

Timed to coincide with the arrival of spring, the day invites people everywhere to rediscover the rich culinary traditions behind these time-honored ingredients and to celebrate the flavor, versatility, and heritage of traditional fats.

The Enduring Role of Healthy Fats

For generations, traditional fats such as butter, lard, beef tallow, duck fat, and goose fat have played a central role in cooking and food culture around the world. Long before modern vegetable oils became common, these fats were staples in kitchens, valued for their flavor, versatility, and dependable performance in everything from frying and roasting to baking and sautéing. Today, chefs and home cooks alike are rediscovering these time-tested ingredients as part of a renewed appreciation for traditional cooking methods and minimally processed foods.

Healthy fats also play an important role in nutrition. Fats provide energy, help the body absorb essential fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, and K, and contribute richness and satiety to meals. Traditional fats like butter, lard, and beef tallow have been part of balanced diets for generations and continue to be valued in many culinary traditions.

Finally, using traditional animal fats reflects a philosophy of resourcefulness and responsible food use. Because fats are a natural part of livestock production, utilizing them in cooking helps ensure that more of the animal is used productively rather than discarded. This nose-to-tail approach respects the farmers, animals, and resources that contribute to our food supply while helping reduce unnecessary waste and supporting a more thoughtful food system.

#HealthyFatsDay

National Healthy Fats Day, observed each year on March 21, was created by the Healthy Fats Coalition to spark a broader conversation about the role of traditional animal fats—such as beef tallow, lard, duck fat, and goose fat—in cooking, nutrition, and culinary heritage.

For generations, these minimally processed fats were staples in kitchens around the world, yet many people today are unfamiliar with their history, uses, and benefits. National Healthy Fats Day was established to help reintroduce these traditional ingredients and encourage a more informed dialogue about the fats we cook with.

Through this observance, the Healthy Fats Coalition invites home cooks, chefs, restaurants, farmers, and producers to celebrate the culinary traditions that rely on these time-honored ingredients and to help educate others about their value in the kitchen. The day is also an opportunity for the broader community to rediscover traditional cooking practices, explore recipes that feature natural animal fats, and support food businesses that continue to use them.

Join the celebration by sharing your favorite dishes, recipes, or cooking traditions featuring traditional fats. Help spread the word on social media using #HealthyFatsDay and tagging the Healthy Fats Coalition @HealthyFatsOrg.

How to Celebrate National Healthy Fats Day

Cook with traditional fats - Try cooking or baking with traditional animal fats such as beef tallow, lard, butter, duck fat, or goose fat and experience the flavor and performance these ingredients bring to the kitchen.

Share a favorite recipe - Post a recipe that uses traditional fats—from crispy fried potatoes to flaky pie crust—and celebrate the culinary traditions behind these time-honored ingredients.

Support restaurants that use traditional fats - Many chefs and restaurants are rediscovering the benefits of cooking with traditional fats. Visit or highlight a restaurant that uses and prioritizes these ingredients.

Join the conversation online - Share how you’re celebrating and help spread the word by posting on social media using the hashtag #HealthyFatsDay and tagging the Healthy Fats Coalition @healthyfatsorg.

Ways HFC Supporters Can Participate

Share on social media - Post about National Healthy Fats Day on your social platforms using #HealthyFatsDay and tag the @HealthyFatsOrg to help amplify the conversation.

Highlight traditional fats in your cooking - Chefs, restaurants, and home cooks can celebrate by featuring dishes prepared with beef tallow, lard, duck fat, goose fat, or butter and sharing the story behind these traditional ingredients.

Share a recipe or cooking tip - Post a favorite recipe, kitchen tip, or cooking technique that uses traditional fats and explain why these ingredients are important in your kitchen.

Educate your audience - Use the day as an opportunity to share facts or insights about traditional animal fats and their role in culinary traditions and food culture.

Celebrate with your community - Encourage your customers, followers, and colleagues to learn more about traditional fats and how they can incorporate them into everyday cooking.

How Restaurants & Food Brands Can Participate

Restaurants, chefs, and food brands play an important role in helping people rediscover traditional fats. National Healthy Fats Day offers a great opportunity to highlight these ingredients and share your culinary story.

Feature a Healthy Fats Day menu callout - Highlight dishes prepared with beef tallow, lard, duck fat, goose fat, or butter and note it on your menu, chalkboard, or table cards.

Create a limited-time dish or special - Celebrate the day with a featured item such as tallow-fried potatoes, duck fat roasted vegetables, or a classic lard-based pastry.

Add a point-of-sale sign or table tent - Display signage explaining that your kitchen cooks with traditional fats and invite customers to learn more about National Healthy Fats Day.

Share behind-the-scenes kitchen content - Post short videos or photos of your chefs cooking with traditional fats and explain why your kitchen uses them.

Highlight your ingredients and suppliers - Food brands and restaurants can spotlight the producers and farmers who supply traditional fats and the role these ingredients play in quality cooking.

Encourage customers to join the celebration - Invite diners and followers to share their own dishes and recipes using #HealthyFatsDay and tag the @HealthyFatsOrg.

For more information, or to join as an official supporter, please email info@healthyfats.org.