August 30 is National Toasted Marshmallow Day!

One of the sweet pleasures of summer is making s’mores with the kids over a campfire. While this is something that can be enjoyed any warm day or night, the activity would be especially relevant if done on August 30, which happens to be National Toasted Marshmallow Day! You might not have known that a holiday existed which commemorated the sugary goodness that is the the marshmallow, but now that you do, here are some ways to celebrate:

Make S’mores

This is a no-brainer, of course, but it might not be possible to get a good fire going on a weeknight. If you have a small fire pit or charcoal grill, that’s an easy way to get the heat you need to caramelize your confections. You can also make s’mores in the house: Lay a graham cracker square on a piece of aluminum foil, and top with a small square of chocolate. (I use two small rectangles of a big Hershey bar, to give you an idea of how much you need.) Flatten an uncooked marshmallow just a bit, and place the whole thing under the broiler set on “low.” Watch carefully, because within a minute or two, your marshmallow will turn that perfect golden brown. Take it out, slap the other half of the graham cracker on top, and press gently. The gooey chocolate and marshmallow will ooze out the sides, a sure sign that you’ve achieved s’more perfection. Let these cool for a few minutes before handing to the kids; they’re very hot!

Make Imitation S’mores

If, for whatever reason, you’re just not a fan of marshmallows and chocolate on graham, try making some substitution. Use mini-marshmallows instead, and use vanilla wafers as your base. If it’s the marshmallows you want to avoid, toast chunks of bananas; while they’re not the same consistency as a marshmallow, they do caramelize nicely, and they’re easily smooshed into place. You could use Nutella or peanut butter in place of milk chocolate, or try using chocolate cookies, marshmallows and white chocolate. Add shredded coconut, use rice krispie treats as a base, or mix chocolate and marshmallow in a saucepan, heat, and dip graham crackers. The possibilities are endless… challenge your kids to come up with creative s’mores recipes and pick the best one!

Find More Things to Do With Toasted Marshmallows

Sometimes the fun is in the toasting; if this is the case, just let the kids eat them right off of the skewers or sticks. Try to grab a few and put them over your favorite ice cream for a cold sweet treat. If you want to add some healthy foods to your celebration, dump some mini-marshmallows on top of mashed sweet potatoes and place under the broiler for a few minutes for a taste of Thanksgiving in August. Or turn up your air conditioning and enjoy toasted marshmallows on top of hot chocolate.

Part of the fun of being a mom is in creating fun traditions for your kids. While it’s unlikely that National Toasted Marshmallow Day will ever become a widespread observation, you can enjoy making memories centered around something silly. In a decade or two, your kids just might come back and remember these fun times!

Happy Toasted Marshmallow Day!