National Veggie Burger Day - This day celebrates the veggie burger and its positive impact on the environment.

National Veggie Burger Day 2024 – June 5, 2024

It’s a meat-free burger feast at our house this National Veggie Burger Day, held annually on June 5. This day celebrates the veggie burger and its positive impact on the environment. More and more people are gobbling up these delicious, nutrient-loaded meat alternatives, and are coming back for more! Have you tried one yet?

History of National Veggie Burger Day

The history of vegetarianism can be traced back to ancient Egypt, although later it became less common as meat-eating gained precedence in many countries globally. A vegetarian diet was typically adopted by people following a hippie culture.Gregory Sams and his brother Craig were introduced to vegetarianism when their father began eschewing meat as a New Year’s Resolution. Gregory stated in an interview that he became vegetarian at the age of 10 and never went back. He first began introducing meatless patties at his restaurant in Paddington, London, which he’d opened when he was 19 years old. Later, both Sams brothers joined forces to open a new food venture but ran into financial troubles. They came up with a plan to introduce a new kind of burger into the commercial market — a completely vegetarian burger! When the ‘VegeBurger’ was first introduced, the word ‘vege’ (what we now know as ‘veggie’) itself was a relatively new term. Although there were plenty of vegetable burgers around before then, this was the first entirely vegetarian burger to hit the market. The prelaunch of this burger was a huge success, and it soon made its way to grocery chains like Sainsbury and Safeway.In addition to veggie burgers, the meat-imitation field has exploded, too, which now includes options like Impossible Burgers and Beyond Meat’s Beyond Burger Patty. Amy’s Kitchen, a vegetarian food company, founded National Veggie Burger Day to encourage more people to try the veggie burger and celebrate its positive impact on the planet.

National Veggie Burger Day timeline

3100—30 B.C.
Evidence of Vegetarianism

Data and writings depict vegetarianism as a culture during this period.

1960s
Vegetarianism is not so Common

The mentions of people following a purely vegetarian diet are rare.

1969
Recipes for Burgers Without Meat Appear

Recipes on how to make burgers without meat appear in print.

1971
Vegetarianism Becomes Trendy

Frances Moore Lappé's bestseller “Diet for a Small Planet” makes vegetarianism trendy.

1976
‘Veggie Burgers’ Appears in Print

The term 'veggie burgers' appears in an edition of the “Camden (AR) News,” but it refers to a hamburger with vegetables on top.

1982
We Have a 'VegeBurger'!

Restaurateur Gregory Sams invents a veggie burger, which is introduced in London.

1984
The VegeBurger is Frozen

Frozen versions of the VegeBurger appear on shelves.

1985
Veggie Burgers Go Mainstream

Restaurant owner Paul Wenner establishes his vegetable food company, Gardenburger, Inc. in Portland, Oregon.

1992
Veggie Burgers Pick Up Steam

Gardenburger, Inc. commercially releases its first vegetable-based burger.

1993
A New Burger Company is Born

Boca Burger Inc. is founded — this company brings meat-like vegetarian burger patties to the market.

National Veggie Burger Day FAQs

Is it bad to eat veggie burgers every day?

Burgers, veggies, or otherwise, should be used as an occasional treat and must not replace your fresh/steamed/roasted vegetables in your daily meals. The added calories from the buns and high-calorie condiments take away from the proteins in the patty.

Are veggie burgers considered processed food?

According to “Medical Daily” reports, some off-the-shelf veggie burgers may be considered an ‘ultra-processed food’ or contain high amounts of saturated fat.

What is the healthiest veggie burger?

If you are heading to the supermarket for frozen foods, the healthiest options are veggie burgers. You can choose from Amy’s California Veggie Burger, MorningStar Farms Spicy Indian Veggie Burgers, Gardenburger The Original Veggie Burgers, Trader Joe’s Pizza Veggie Burgers, and more.

How To Celebrate National Veggie Burger Day

  1. Make some veggie burgers

    What do you do to celebrate National Veggie Burger Day? Why, make a veggie burger, of course! Look up some recipes online or use your creativity to make a fun burger dinner. Make side dishes like grilled cauliflower or broccoli, a zucchini noodle salad, roasted vegetable salad with quinoa, or roasted sweet potatoes.

  2. Invite people for a cook-off

    Flex your cooking muscles by whipping up mouthwatering veggie burger recipes in a little cook-off with friends and family. Invite your loved ones to cook up their favorite combos and hold a taste test to see who wins.

  3. Visit Amy’s Kitchen

    The website responsible for founding National Veggie Burger Day celebrates this event by gifting discount coupons on veggie burgers via their website. Grab a cool discount, check out their healthy vegetarian recipes, or buy some of their products to add a little authenticity to your celebration.

5 Fun Facts About Vegetarianism And Veggie Burgers

  1. 26 million Americans are vegetarian

    According to a 2018 study, 8% of Americans are vegetarians or vegan.

  2. Is that a meatless burger?

    Veggie burgers that have more soy and oil achieve a similar texture to the traditional meat hamburger.

  3. Veggie burgers are easier on the wallet

    A pound of beef costs approximately $4.05 while the same quantity of beans costs just $1.49, according to the 2020 statistics reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

  4. Veggie burgers save water

    If the U.S. switched to a plant-based alternative, food production would require 37% less water.

  5. The numbers show their popularity

    In 2019, 228 million veggie burgers were sold at quick-service restaurants, indicating their increasing popularity.

Why We Love National Veggie Burger Day

  1. Do our part to save the planet

    Not only are we saving cows by eating plant-based burgers but it’s good for the planet, too. Data shows that producing one pound of beef requires 1,800 gallons of water — roughly the equivalent of about 100 showers for the average American. So cutting down on our meat intake saves our planet some much-needed water.

  2. It is a (slightly) healthier option

    A Harvard study found that people who ate plant-based protein were 29% less likely to die from heart disease as compared to people who ate only meat-based proteins. Plus, there are many other health risks associated with eating more red meat, so there’s another reason to substitute with a veggie burger whenever we can.

  3. We become gourmet chefs

    Okay, not really. But the sheer amount of options out there challenge our creative skills in the kitchen. Plus, not everyone likes the same kind of veggie burger so, as the chef, you are automatically required to cater to many different tastes … and veggie burgers have a dizzying array of options, from patties made out of beans or soy, to oats, and even to sweet potatoes and other vegetables. There truly is something for everyone.

National Veggie Burger Day dates

Year Date Day
2023 June 5 Monday
2024 June 5 Wednesday
2025 June 5 Thursday
2026 June 5 Friday
2027 June 5 Saturday