Happy Fat Thursday; let’s have a donut

We take the Thursday before Ash Wednesday in February to indulge, which falls on February 16 this year.

As the Lent season nearly approaches, food becomes essential in a lot of people’s minds, especially those treats with calorific goodness.

This holiday originated in Poland in the 1500s with a tradition of consuming donuts, which is known as “paczki”. Fat Thursday is the last celebration before the fasting period of Lent when Catholics stop eating meat or have alcohol. The idea of giving up so many indulgences is to focus more on the meaning of Easter.

In case you have doubts, why is the holiday called Fat Thursday. The “fat” part of the name represents the fried sugary goodness of different kinds of donuts that people would eat in Poland. 

The most transitional one would be a fluffy donut filled with rosehip jam and dusted with powdered sugar on the top. As time goes on, the variations of donuts become much more diverse.

Fat Thursday has two meanings for the Poles. On one hand, it is an annual holiday that is closely related to the Poles’ religion and beliefs. On the other hand, it allows people to carry a guilt-free feeling before the Lent period.

Based on the statistics, the average Pole would eat 2-3 donuts on Fat Thursday, which is also a day many people call International Poland Donut Day. The recommendation is to eat at least one because not having any donuts today would bring you bad luck.

We love to celebrate food holidays. If you have a sweet tooth, today is the best time for you to satisfy your taste buds by eating donuts. 

Donuts are not your thing? Don’t worry. There are tons of other treats for you to choose from and hit the spot.

Since this holiday begins in Poland, it’s also a great opportunity to do some research to learn about different cultures and some traditions the Poles may have on Fat Thursday.