World Pasta Day

Pasta is made with flour, salt, water, and eggs. It comes in many shapes, like ribbons, cords, and tubes, and can be prepared in myriad ways, with different cooking techniques and in many recipes. It can be tossed with butter, cheese, seasonings, and sauces of tomato, seafood, and cream. Some pasta may be stuffed with meat, cheese, or spinach. Pasta is used in dishes like spaghetti, fettuccine Alfredo, macaroni and cheese, lasagna, and penne and pesto, and in soups and casseroles.

Delegations from a number of countries came together at the first World Pasta Congress in Rome, Italy, on October 25, 1995, to discuss how they could promote pasta consumption together. They agreed that knowledge of pasta should be spread around the world "by means of collective initiatives of promotional nature and institutional information campaigns." World Pasta Day was proclaimed in 1998 by the National Pasta Association in an effort to recall and strengthen the goals of the World Pasta Congress. The day was organized and coordinated by a committee consisting of representatives from the National Pasta Association, located in the United States, the UNA.F.P.A., based in Europe, and the pasta associations in Venezuela and Turkey. In more recent years, the International Pasta Organization (IPO), the Italian Trade Agency, and the Italian Association of Confectionery & Pasta Industries—now part of the Unione Italiana Food—have been behind the organization of the day.

Promotional initiatives with the intent of drawing the attention of consumers and the media to pasta are held independently in countries all over the world on World Pasta Day. The initiatives emphasize that pasta is a global food and has merits, being "appropriate for a dynamic and healthy lifestyle capable of meeting both primary food requirements and those of high-level gastronomy." Key messages of the day are pasta's economic feasibility, gastronomic versatility, and nutritional value. Since 2019, Al Dente, a festival for "pasta makers and pasta lovers, chefs and restaurateurs, influencers and food bloggers," organized by the International Pasta Organization and the Unione Italiana Food, has been part of the day. Prestigious restaurants the world over make a special place for pasta on their menus in the week leading up to World Pasta Day and make a pasta dish the main dish on the day.

How to Observe World Pasta Day

Some ways you could take part in the day include:

• Make and eat a pasta dish.
• Keep an eye out for initiatives related to the day.
• Check for deals at restaurants. Some national chains known for pasta, such as Buca di Beppo and Olive Garden, have offered deals on the day.
• Take part in Al Dente. Make a pasta dish or order one at a restaurant, take a picture of it, and share it on social media with the hashtags #haveagoodpasta and #WorldPastaDay. If you are a restaurateur, make sure to have a pasta dish on your menu so that customers can participate.
• Learn more about the National Pasta Association and International Pasta Organization.

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