National Sunday Supper Day

History of National Sunday Supper Day

Isabel Laessig — a mother of four, entrepreneur, and blogger, founded National Sunday Supper Day and its associated movement when her oldest daughter left for college. She mentioned the thing she would miss most is cooking and enjoying family meals with her and the rest of the family.

National Sunday Supper Day has been observed annually since then on the second Sunday in January to encourage families to gather around the table to enjoy and bond over a meal. January happens to also be National Supper Month. Life can get really busy for it to be genuinely hard for us to sit down and share a meal with family. This is why National Sunday Supper Day is important. According to Laessig, she was inspired to start her blog and celebrate the first virtual Sunday Supper in 2012 together with eight bloggers who are “passionate about bringing families together to cook and eat together.” The holiday seeks to strengthen the family bond by helping us spend more time with our family even when we are constrained by our work schedule and daily activities.

Laessig’s amiable and compelling personality and passion for helping to strengthen family relations have been instrumental in her collaborating with top players in the food and wine industry to promote the day. Her strategic marketing campaigns promote family values and bonding in a fun and practical manner. National Sunday Supper Day gained momentum a mere few years after it first launched and continues to influence family culture across the country to this day.

National Sunday Supper Day timeline

1791

The Latest Supper Served

At an English ball in 1791, supper is served to 140 guests at 1:00 A.M., marking the first time supper was served that late in an official event.

1900s

Differentiating Between Supper and Dinner

The distinction between dinner (the main meal of the day) and supper (an evening meal) is made.

1920s

Food Scarcity During the World Wars

After the first World War, the scarcity of food in Europe saw many new food products imported halfway across the world for the first time.

2012

First-Ever Sunday Supper Day

According to Laessig, who founded the day, she and eight bloggers and their families celebrated the first-ever Sunday Supper Day virtually in 2012.

National Sunday Supper Day FAQs

When is National Sunday Supper Day?

In 2027, this heartwarming observance takes place on Sunday, January 10. It’s a special opportunity to pause, prepare a nourishing meal, and enjoy quality time with loved ones before the busy week begins.

What are the benefits of family meals?

Sharing meals as a family fosters stronger relationships, better communication skills, and can even contribute to healthier eating habits. The consistent ritual creates a sense of security and belonging for all family members.

How often do families share meals?

The frequency of family meals varies widely, but research consistently shows that even a few shared meals a week can have a significant positive impact. The quality of interaction during these meals often outweighs the quantity.

What is the history behind Sunday Supper?

Historically, Sunday Supper represented a time for families to gather after church or a day of rest, enjoying a hearty meal together. It served as a crucial moment for connection and reflection, a practice National Sunday Supper Day aims to rekindle for modern families.

National Sunday Supper Day Activities

Organize a family meal

Organizing a family meal is the best possible way to celebrate National Sunday Supper Day. Gather your spouse and children to prepare and eat a delicious meal — and bond while you’re at it!

Share your recipes

Help spread the love of the day! Share an interesting recipe of the food you prepared for supper with others to help them get inspired to celebrate the day.

Share the love

If you know of people such as older widows and single moms in your area, you could expand the family unit by inviting them to participate. It may even be an idea to do share the meal with a group or retirement home in the area, encouraging their family members to join in.

5 Things You Should Know About Isabel Laessig

Foodie founder

Isabel Laessig also started the Food and Wine Conference and is a known foodie.

There is pledge

National Sunday Supper Day, has a pledge called The Sunday Supper Pledge that is their mission statement for inspiring families to enjoy a meal together at least once a week.

Immigrant founder

National Sunday Supper Day founder, Isabel Laessig, was born in Portugal but immigrated to the United States when she was six years old and didn’t speak a word of English.

Blogger of note

Laessig has more than two million followers on Twitter and regularly blogs recipes.

Founder appears on shows

Isabel appears regularly on shows such as the Daytime TV Show on NBC, The Morning Blend on ABC, the Family Foodie, and the “Great Tampa Bay” on CBS.

Why National Sunday Supper Day Is Important

It helps us make time for bonding

National Sunday Supper Day reminds us to gather our spouses and children to eat together. The day was specially initiated to help remind us to take time out of our busy schedules to share supper with our family members.

It encourages our commitment

National Sunday Supper Day for sure encourages commitment! The very idea behind the day is to commit to enjoying memorable times with family.

It helps us create a good habit

Making it a point to have occasional memorable dinners with family is a good habit National Sunday Supper Day helps to foster. The day helps us kick-start this habit.

National Sunday Supper Day dates