Food and beverage theme days: A categorization and conceptual discussion

New theme days—designated calendar days established by individuals or organizations to generate interest in or celebrate social phenomena, cultural practices, or traditions—are continually being created. Among these, those related to food and beverages are prominent. Focusing on this subset, the present commentary is guided by the following question: How can food and beverage theme days be characterized and explained? Based on a dataset of Swedish theme days, this study develops a set of multidimensional categories showing how these days can be divided into those that follow historical traditions and those that represent independent, innovative initiatives with a direct focus on a specific beverage, ingredient, pastry, or dish. Given that theme days have received limited attention in academic literature, this commentary seeks to encourage both researchers and practitioners to engage more deeply with their role, to propose new days, and to develop related traditions as a means of enhancing understanding of the culinary arts and their visibility in society.