- Categories:
- Food & Beverage
- Tags:
- AwarenessBakingEducational
- Where:
- United States
- Date change rule:
- Week starting with the 3rd Saturday of February
- Holiday emoji:
- 🍞
Real Bread Week champions the craft of additive-free bread, running annually from the third Saturday of February. This week-long observance encourages everyone to bake their own, support local independent bakeries, and learn about the benefits of ‘real’ bread. Join the movement by sharing your baking journey, visiting a local bakery, or donating to the Real Bread Campaign.
Want to sponsor Real Bread Week? Learn how
Expected Real Bread Week Deals
As a ‘Cause’ holiday, Real Bread Week focuses on advocacy and education rather than commercial deals. The Real Bread Campaign, spearheaded by the Sustain Alliance, encourages donations to support its mission of fostering a future where everyone has access to good, preservative-free bread. Many independent bakeries, such as Tartine Bakery or Zingerman’s Bakehouse, often host workshops, special tasting events, or offer discounts on their artisanal loaves to highlight the week. Look for local initiatives from community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs and farmers’ markets that partner with local bakers. We will update this page with confirmed live events and fundraising drives as February 21 approaches.
Platform Guide for Real Bread Week
Tag @nationaltoday_ and use #RealBreadWeek. Share photos and videos of your homemade loaves, favorite local bakeries, or baking process.
Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #RealBreadWeek. Join discussions about artisan bread, share recipes, and highlight local bakers.
X/Twitter
Mention @NatlToday and use #RealBreadWeek. Tweet about the importance of real bread, advocate for better food policies, and share news from the campaign.
Real Bread Week Hero
Andrew Whitley
History of Real Bread Week
The Real Bread Campaign was co-launched by Andrew Whitley of Bread Matters and the Sustain Alliance on November 26, 2008. The Sustain Alliance runs the campaign as an annual international event. Real Bread Week also celebrates individuals and businesses that make organic and ‘real’ bread.
What started as a community event went on to fund many projects under its name. The campaign started with the now-defunct initiatives Together We Rise — targeted at individuals living with mental health problems to cope through baking, Lessons in Loaf, and Bake Your Lawn, where more than 10,000 children from about 150 schools learned to make real bread.
After the initial runs, the campaign collaborated with Balcony Shirts to produce a limited run of exclusive t-shirts, aprons, and mugs, to sell during Real Bread Week. The proceeds went to the campaign and the Sustain Alliance. Community groups, care homes, mills, baking schools, bakeries, and youth groups have been involved with the campaign since the beginning, baking and promoting ‘real’ bread, and hosting various events and activities.
Real Bread Week timeline
The bake, resembling a flatbread, is made of buckwheat and barley mixed with pulverized roots of plants with water and then baked.
The first yeast bread is made in Egypt from the yeast used to brew beer.
The first-ever sandwich is invented by John Montagu, the fourth Earl of Sandwich, when he asks his valet to bring him meat between two pieces of bread so that he can play cards easily without pausing to eat with a fork or getting his cards greasy.
The Sustain Alliance organizes the first-ever Real Bread Week.
How Businesses Can Celebrate Real Bread Week
Local independent bakeries are at the heart of Real Bread Week. They can host special tasting events, offer discounts on their signature loaves, or conduct baking demonstrations to educate customers on the benefits of additive-free bread. Restaurants and cafes can feature ‘real bread’ on their menus, highlighting the local bakeries they source from. Grocery stores can create special displays for artisan breads, flours, and baking supplies, partnering with local producers to promote the movement.
Real Bread Week FAQs
When is Real Bread Week?
In 2027, Real Bread Week is observed from Saturday, February 20 through Sunday, February 28. This annual event encourages everyone to discover the joy of baking and supporting local artisan bakers.
What is 'real bread'?
Real bread distinguishes itself by its minimal and natural ingredient list, free from the artificial additives and processing aids often found in mass-produced loaves. It emphasizes traditional baking methods and a longer fermentation process for enhanced taste and digestibility.
How many people bake their own bread?
The trend of home bread baking, particularly sourdough, has maintained strong momentum since its peak in recent years. Millions of households worldwide now regularly bake their own bread, driven by a desire for healthier options and the satisfaction of a handmade product.
Who started Real Bread Week?
The Sustain Alliance, a charity focused on food and farming policies, founded the Real Bread Campaign. This campaign, in turn, established Real Bread Week as an annual international celebration to raise awareness about the benefits of ‘real’ bread.
How to Observe Real Bread Week
Bake bread
You can celebrate Real Bread Week by baking preservative-free bread. There are many recipes available online to make bread without any additives or preservatives. Go on, have some fun and learn a new skill!
Buy real bread
If you’re not a baker, you can head to a nearby bakery and buy some organic bread. But make sure the bread is additive-free! Once you have your bread, you can start the celebration by making some yummy sandwiches and posting your creations online.
Support local bakeries
You can celebrate Real Bread Week by pledging your support for local bakeries that bake ‘real’ bread. You can buy bread from these independent bakeries, and post pictures and a nice review on your social media. You can also tag the bakery along with your review so that bread-lovers can find them.
5 Fun Facts About Bread
Bread was used as an absorbent plate
In medieval times, bread was used as an absorbent plate called a trencher, which could be eaten, given to the poor, or fed to the dogs after eating.
The staple food of the Neolithic period
Bread was the staple food during the Neolithic period around 10,000 years ago.
Erase that
Before rubber erasers were invented, people used rolled-up white bread!
Prohibition of freshly baked bread
During World War II, the sale of freshly baked bread was prohibited to encourage people to eat it immoderately.
Only real bakeries in France
France has a law that any bakery must make all the bread it sells from scratch to be called a bakery.
Why Real Bread Week is Important
We learn to bake additive-free bread
As part of the Real Bread Week celebrations, people post photos and recipes for different types of bread made completely free from preservatives. If you are a true bread-lover, you can find simple to really rare and customized recipes to try at home. The fun of making fresh bread from scratch without any additives is just the bonus.
We meet like-minded people and exchange recipes
Real Bread Week is an international celebration, so you’ll find yourself surrounded by like-minded people who have perfected or are working on various bread recipes. You can exchange your recipes with them and learn new and unique ways to bake bread.
We participate in contests and win rewards
Various schools, bakeries, community centers, and companies hold contests and baking challenges as part of Real Bread Week. You can participate in these to win fabulous prizes and recognition. They also help you improve your baking skills.
Real Bread Week dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | February 21–March 1 | Saturday–Sunday |
| 2027 | February 20–28 | Saturday–Sunday |
| 2028 | February 19–27 | Saturday–Sunday |
| 2029 | February 17–25 | Saturday–Sunday |
| 2030 | February 16–24 | Saturday–Sunday |
Social Media Tips for Real Bread Week
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