National Chili Day is typically the fourth Thursday in February, and many people gather together to enjoy this delicious comfort food. Although both regional and personal recipes vary widely, what they all have in common is the chili peppers that give the dish its name. In addition to satisfying the taste buds, chili peppers also have several health benefits, such as boosting immunity and lowering the risk of heart disease. Get ready to grab a bowl that's good for your body and soul.

What To Make for National Chili Day in Different Regions

As you may have guessed, eating chili is the primary goal of observing this informal holiday. Of course, the first step of making chili is choosing the recipe you want to use. There are many different ways you can make chili, and your personal preference may stem from your regional roots:

Texas chili is typically spicy red sauce and ground meat. Some brave souls may try to sneak ranch-style or pinto beans into the mix during a National Chili Day cook-off, but most connoisseurs in the Lone Star State gravitate toward the all-beef options.
Oklahoma chili lovers favor red sauce, too, but they may use cubed beef or kidney beans. In some dishes, you may even detect a hint of cocoa powder.
In Ohio, chili is often served as a sauce over pasta rather than the main dish itself. If you like your chili sweet and spicy with hints of cinnamon and allspice, you may hail from Cincinnati.
Illinois chili boasts rich, deep flavors. Onions, peppers, meat, and pinto beans are the base ingredients, slow-cooked with beer and Worcestershire sauce or bacon.
Louisiana cooks bring a Cajun flair to their chili, which tends toward the all-meat version also preferred by their neighbors in Texas. Cayenne pepper and other traditional Creole seasonings are used to give it a robust flavor.

While a red sauce and beef are what many people think of when they crave chili, that's not the only way to eat it. At a Chili Day celebration, you are likely to see variations such as white chicken chili or chili verde made with tomatillo sauce. You may even find some vegetarian options! No matter which version you prefer, a warm bowl of chili can really hit the spot on a cold day.

Ways To Celebrate National Chili Day

If you love chili, you probably enjoy trying new recipes and sharing them with others. Are you looking for some healthy competition to see how your unique version stacks up against others? Maybe you prefer to focus on eating what the best cooks come up with. Whether you participate as a maker or consumer (or both!), there are many fun ways to celebrate National Chili Day.

Invite Friends Over

A meal that highlights your family's favorite chili recipe, shared with people you love, is a great way to spend a cold winter night. As the host, you may offer to make the main course and ask others to bring toppings:

Shredded cheese
Sour cream
Chives or diced onions
Crackers or tortilla chips

Alternatively, you can encourage everyone you invite to bring a small pot of their favorite chili recipe to share. Use small bowls or ramekins to serve so that guests can try all the variations. If the cooks are willing, ask them to share their recipes so that others can recreate their favorites at home.

Attend a Chili Cook-Off

One of the most popular ways to celebrate this festive day is to attend a themed community event. It shouldn't be hard to find a National Chili Day cook-off near you, especially if you live in a state that prides itself on its own special variation of the dish. Many organizations use cook-offs as fundraisers, and there are many cities throughout the nation that make it an annual event. A quick internet search will lead you to the website or social media page of an event near you.

Go on a Restaurant Tour

If there isn't a cook-off event near you or the tickets are sold out, you can still sample different types of chili made by people who really know what they're doing. Search for places you can go to get the best chili in your area and map out your day's plan to experience as many of them as possible. Many restaurants use National Chili Day as an opportunity to highlight their chefs' recipes, so you may even find discounts or specials you can take advantage of during your excursion.

Experiment With Different Flavors

Even if you don't want to be social, you can still enjoy the warm comfort of a hot bowl of chili. Use the day as a chance to tweak your own recipe and see if you can improve it. Add a new ingredient or spice to your favorite mix. Char some onions to put on top for a nice smoky flavor. The possibilities are endless, and the best part is that no matter what you decide to do, the results will probably be delicious!

Post on Social Media

Don't keep your excitement about the day to yourself. Encourage other people to celebrate, too. Post links to your favorite recipes or share more information about National Chili Day on your social media accounts. Add the hashtag #NationalChiliDay to your posts to connect to what other people are saying about it.

XLNT Foods Chili Con Carne 2-pack sold exclusively through Smart & Final Stores

The Supplies You Need for National Chili Day

We at XLNT Foods are proud of all our recipes and want to make your meal the best it can be. Our chili con carne is a surefire crowd-pleaser and a great way to whip up a batch of homemade chili in no time. No matter how you choose to celebrate National Chili Day, our version of this beloved dish gives you an easy way to share a meal with friends and family with a shorter grocery list and relatively little fuss. Go to our store to order online and have our chili con carne shipped right to your door.