Tradition has it that on April 1, back in 1700, English mischief-makers began propagating an annual tradition that became known as April Fools’ Day by playing tricks on each other.
April 1 has also been referred to as All Fools’ Day, and although it has been observed for several centuries by many different cultures, no one is really sure how it originated. Some historians think that April Fools’ Day started in 1582, when France swapped the Julian calendar for the Gregorian calendar. It’s said that not all the population was aware of the switch. Some people were slow to get the news and didn’t realize that the New Year had moved to January 1 and continued to observe it the last week of March through April 1. These people became the victims of pranks and jokes. Still other historians point to April Fools’ Day being associated with ancient festivals like Hilaria, which Rome observed at the end of March and included people wearing costumes and disguises.
Wherever the tradition evolved from, everyone enjoys a reason to smile and laugh. A good April Fool’s prank should always make both the “victim” and the prankster should both laugh when the prank is revealed.
April Fool’s Day Sushi and Other Mischief
This week’s Eat Smart post invites you to play a prank with food. Tell your kiddos they are going to “eat healthy” on April Fool’s Day and serve them a plate of April Fool’s Sushi – an adorable (but NOT healthy) recipe which is really a sugary concoction of Rice Krispies Treats for sushi rice, chocolate syrup for soy sauce and …. You get the idea. You’ll find this recipe over at The Food Network.
Another idea for an April Fool’s Day recipe (and a much healthier option) would be to make “fake” spaghetti using spaghetti squash and a delicious combination of black olives, feta cheese and tomatoes. You can check out the recipe for April Fool’s Day Spaghetti Squash here.
If you like the idea of making “mock food” for April Fool’s Day be sure to check out the photos below. Click on a photo if you see something you’d like to try. It will take you to the website where the recipe is found and you may just find yourself mesmerized by all the different creations people come up with for April Fool’s Day “cuisine.”
Have a Happy April Fool’s Day! Be safe, be smart, be silly and have FUN!