What Is National Corn Chip Day?
American food holidays are a delightful way to commemorate foods and dishes that have become an integral part of our country’s food culture. National Corn Chip Day is just such a holiday. Every year on January 29th, National Corn Chip Day provides an opportunity to look back at the events in history that led to the rise of corn chips as a popular U.S. snack. This holiday also gives people the chance to celebrate their love of corn chips through inspiring recipe ideas, both historical and brand new.
The Rise of Corn Chips in the U.S.
The leading corn chip brand Fritos got its start when traveling salesman Elmer Doolin tasted a delicious, crunchy, salty corn snack while passing through San Antonio. Sensing this could be big, he offered $100 to the Mexican man who was making these chips in exchange for the recipe. The story goes that Doolin experimented with this recipe until he perfected it and then launched the Frito Corn Chip. Initially selling them from the back of his Model T in the 1930s, they went on to become a mass-market success.