Shredded Wheat Day

Shredded Wheat Day celebrates the whole-wheat breakfast cereal made into distinctive, pillow-shaped biscuits. The original cereal is described as having just one ingredient—whole-grain wheat—and the day offers an opportunity to enjoy it at breakfast or explore its uses beyond the bowl. Calendar Holidays describes the cereal’s simple composition and woven biscuit shape.

In the early 1890s, Henry D. Perky developed shredded wheat with help from machinist William H. Ford, who helped build a machine that shredded cooked wheat and wove it into biscuits. Perky later founded The Boston Shredded Cereal Food Company in 1893, and production moved to Niagara Falls, New York, in 1901. Holidaysmart provides this account of the cereal’s invention and early production.

The history of the holiday itself is less certain. The earliest known celebration identified by Calendar Holidays took place in Niagara Falls in 1992, marking the cereal’s centenary. That celebration may have helped inspire the July 31 observance, although the source says no official day was declared at the time.

How to Observe Shredded Wheat Day

Celebrate by enjoying a bowl of shredded wheat with toppings such as fruit, nuts, or honey. You can also try using it in a recipe beyond breakfast, share a breakfast or recipe idea with someone, or learn more about Henry D. Perky and the cereal’s early history. Holidaysmart suggests experimenting with shredded wheat in cereal, bars, and baked goods.

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