Your yearlong guide to free food and specials

Scoring bargains typically doesn’t happen haphazardly.

Since planning and preparation are needed, we’ve rounded up the biggest made-up food “holidays” of the year. Everything from National Bagel Day to one of the most popular days, September’s National Coffee Day, and beyond.

A smorgasbord of offers makes Tax Day a little more palatable, and April also offers twisted treats with National Pretzel Day.

July has nonstop made-up holidays, including National Tequila Day, National French Fry Day, National Ice Cream Day and National Hot Dog Day, along with 7-Eleven’s birthday and Chick-fil-A’s Cow Appreciation Day.

Some businesses offer freebies when the seasons change, and there are specials to mark actual holidays such as Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.

Here’s your guide to making 2019 a year filled with fun freebies and delicious deals.

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Most popular deal days

Dates can vary by year but the following are the dates for 2019. Some of the links are from last year’s deals to help you get an idea of what to expect and will be replaced with new roundups as they are written.

Feb. 9: National Pizza Day

March 14: Pi Day

April 15: Tax Day

June 7: National Doughnut Day

July 21: National Ice Cream Day

Sept. 18: National Cheeseburger Day

Sept. 29: National Coffee Day

Oct. 4: National Taco Day

Oct. 31: Halloween

Nov. 3: National Sandwich Day

January

Jan. 1: New Year’s Day and National Bloody Mary Day

Jan. 4: National Spaghetti Day

Jan. 15: National Bagel Day (Thomas’ Bagels has declared Jan. 15 as the National Bagel Day, however many bagel chains will continue to celebrate the day on Feb. 9.)

Jan. 19: Popcorn Day 

Jan. 23: National Pie Day

January 2019 specials: Your monthly guide to freebies and meal deals

February

Feb. 6: National Frozen Yogurt Day

Feb. 9: National Pizza Day and National Bagel Day

Feb. 14: Valentine’s Day

Feb. 22: National Margarita Day

February freebies: Your monthly guide to food specials, meal deals and more

March

March 12: IHOP’s Free Pancake Day 

March 14: Pi Day

March 17: St. Patrick’s Day

March 20: First day of spring

March freebies: Your monthly guide to food specials, meal deals and more

April

April 4: National Burrito Day

April 7: National Beer Day

April 9: Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day and National Unicorn Day

April 15: Tax Day

April 26: National Pretzel Day

April freebies: Your monthly guide to food specials, meal deals and more

May

May 4: Free Comic Book Day and Star Wars Day

May 5: Cinco de Mayo

May 6: National Nurses Day

May 7: National Teacher Appreciation Day

May 12: Mother’s Day

May 14: Häagen-Dazs Shops’ annual Free Cone Day

May 15: National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day and National Slider Day

May 27: Memorial Day military deals and here’s what businesses are open.

May 28: National Burger Day

May deals: Where to get free food and other discounts this month

June

June 7: National Doughnut Day

June 8: National Best Friends Day

June 10: National Iced Tea Day

June 16: Father’s Day

June 21: First day of summer and National Smoothie Day

June deals: How, where to get free food – donuts, burritos and tacos – and other discounts

July

July 4: Independence Day military deals

July 6: National Fried Chicken Day

July 9: Chick-fil-A’s Cow Appreciation Day

July 11: 7-Eleven Day aka Free Slurpee Day

July 13: National French Fry Day

July 14: National Mac & Cheese Day

July 15-16: Amazon Prime Day

July 17: National Hot Dog Day

July 21: National Ice Cream Day

July 24: National Tequila Day and National Drive-Thru Day

July 29: National Lasagna Day, National Chicken Wing Day and National Lipstick Day 

July 30: National Cheesecake Day

July 31: National Avocado Day

July deals: How and where to get free food – from chicken to ice cream – plus discounts

August

Aug. 6: National Root Beer Float Day

Aug. 8: National Frozen Custard Day

Aug. 13: International Left-Handers Day

Aug. 18: National Fajita Day

September

Sept. 5: National Cheese Pizza Day

Sept. 7: National Beer Lover’s Day

Sept. 18: National Cheeseburger Day

Sept. 19: Talk Like A Pirate Day

Sept. 20: National Pepperoni Pizza Day

Sept. 28: National Drink Beer Day

Sept. 29: National Coffee Day

October

Oct. 4: National Taco Day

Oct. 14: National Dessert Day

Oct. 17: National Pasta Day

Oct. 28: National Chocolate Day

Oct. 31: Halloween

November

Nov. 3: National Sandwich Day

Nov. 11: Veterans Day

Nov. 16: National Fast Food Day

Nov. 28: Thanksgiving

Nov. 29: National Espresso Day and Black Friday

December

Dec. 4: National Cookie Day

Dec. 15: National Cupcake Day

Dec. 31: New Year’s Eve and National Champagne Day

Follow Kelly Tyko on Twitter: @KellyTyko