It’s February and that means it’s time to celebrate all of the love in your life by getting a little saucy. I’m obviously referring to pizza — what did you think I was talking about? February 9th is National Pizza Day, and we know you want to honor this occasion in the most delicious ways.
Whether you’re a thin crust fan or a deep dish enthusiast, I’m sure we can all agree on one thing — pizza is bae. After all, what’s not to love? Pizza can be totally non-discriminatory, (gluten-free, paleo, vegetarian, etc.), it’s compatible with just about any pairing (ranch, anyone?), and it’s open minded about its toppings (hello, pineapples and bacon!). There’s a topping, sauce, or style for everyone. So we should absolutely give it the praise and respect it deserves.
So, how does one go about having a successful Pizza Day celebration, anyway? While there’s no wrong way to celebrate one of the world’s most delicious inventions, we’ve partnered with Hidden Valley® to make this National Pizza Day the best one yet.
Can I get a pie-five? Oh, there’s more where that came from. You’re in for the ultimate pizza celebration and the cheesiest puns.
Throw A BYOPizza Party
Interpret this as you please — whether it’s Bring Your Own or Build Your Own, it’s all awesome sauce in any pizza party. There are plenty of great ways to throw a pizza party your guests will never forget, and one surefire solution is setting up DIY stations with a colorful selection of toppings — featuring both classic options, and others that are a little more avant-garde. If you're feeling particularly ambitious, you can even provide alternative doughs to accommodate some of your gluten-free guests.
Of course, you can always opt for the classic pot luck style and have your guests bring their favorite types of pizza to share. Because sharing is caring, folks. Especially on National Pizza Day.
Deck Yourself Out In Pizza Swag
You've played the pizza lover, now show your true appreciation and dress the part! Really give life to the saying, “You are what you eat!” with one of the many cute shirts made for pizza enthusiasts. For a more subtle showing of devotion, there are plenty of cheesey (pun intended) pizza-themed accessories perfect for your sauce-loving lifestyle.
Shake Up Your Pizza Combos
Of course, many of us enjoy our classic toppings like pepperoni, onions, and mushrooms. But how about trying something a little different? While not the most traditional pizza pairing, many people swear by the pizza-ranch combo. But what some people don’t know is that Hidden Valley® has a variety of flavor options to make every pizza experience an eclectic one.
Spice up your meat lover’s pie with Hidden Valley® Sriracha Ranch, or douse your veggie-topped dough with some Hidden Valley® Avocado Ranch. Want to completely pig out? There’s a Bacon Ranch flavor, too. You’re welcome.
Go On A Pizza Crawl
Poll a few friends on their favorite pizza joints, and combine your beloved pizzerias to create the ultimate tour for pizza lovers. Challenge yourself to try a different slice at every stop, or if you’re nervous about filling up too fast, maybe just treat yourself and splurge at your favorite pizza place. And yes, you will probably end up crawling with a tummy ache by the end of this venture. But anything for pizza, amirite?
Brush Up On Some Pizza Trivia
What better way to celebrate pizza than to dig in to a generous slice of pizza knowledge? Not only will you get to know your beloved food more, but you can rack up some useful facts to totally dominate your next trivia night.
Try these out, courtesy of Pizza.com:
- The longest pizza delivery was from Cape Town, South Africa to Sydney, Australia
- October is US National Pizza Month
- Saturday night is the most popular night to eat pizza
- Pepperoni is America's favorite topping
Indulge In Some Extra Cheesy Pizza Puns And Jokes
Pizza jokes will surely steal a pizza your heart … and these pizza jokes can't be topped! (I know there's mushroom for improvement.) Let's face it, pizza jokes will always be cheesy. But that is why we love them and should celebrate them. Slice, slice baby.
Rock Out To A Pizza Playlist
You know the songs I'm talking about. Lurking on the Internet are tons of songs about pizza, because pizza rock is apparently a thing. Seriously, who knew there were this many songs dedicated to pizza? If the pizza songs are a bit too much for you, there are also plenty of pizza lovers playlists, not necessarily about pizza, available on your favorite music streaming services. Rock on, pizza friends.
Have A Pizza Movie Night
Switch out the popcorn for a delicious pizza pie. (Or have both, I mean, live your life, you know?) Whether you're Netflix and chilling it with your pizza pal, or taking on the full cinematic experience dinner-and-movie style (Oscars are right around the corner, y'all), you can't really go wrong with pizza and movies.
Play Pizza Games
Who doesn't love games and who doesn't love pizza? (Weird-DOUGHS.) OK done with the jokes (maybe). Gather your pizza pals and snag some pizza playing cards, pizza board games, or give classic games a pizza spin (pin the pepperoni on the pizza, anyone?). If all else fails, just play your favorite games and eat pizza together.
Stock Up On Pizza Gadgets
There's no better time to spend a little on some handy pizza tools than on National Pizza Day itself. Especially if you want to up your pizza game and take a stab at the homemade-pizza-from-scratch thing. Some essentials? A pizza wheel, a bench scraper, and a pizza peel, for starters.
Eat A Pizza Bagel
As you may or may not know, National Pizza Day just so happens to coincide with National Bagel Day. So this one should be a no-brainer. Treat your taste buds to the best of both worlds with the glorious creation that is a pizza bagel. You could also switch up your bagel cream-cheese routine with some Hidden Valley® Ranch. Because February 9th is for living out your flavor-filled dreams, and you gosh darn deserve it.
This article is sponsored by Hidden Valley®.
Images: Hidden Valley®(1); Pexels (2, 5, 10, 11); Elly Ayres/Instagram (3); Hidden Valley® (4); Unsplash (6, 8, 9); Offset (7, 12)
