National Nachos Day: Are They A Snack Or A Meal?
November 6th is National Nachos Day! On this day, we celebrate one of America’s favorite snacks. But maybe they’re more than a snack. What do you like on yours? Chicken or beef? Refried or black beans? Salsa or sour cream? Shredded cheese or that yellow stuff they pour on at the ballpark? There are plenty of ways to make nachos as long as it has the two main ingredients: tortilla chips and as much cheese as you can pile on top.
According to FoodBeast, nachos were born in 1943 along the U.S.-Mexico border. As the story goes, some wives of U.S. soldiers stationed at Ft. Duncan in Eagle Pass, Texas, crossed the Rio Grande to visit a restaurant called the Victory Club in the town of Piedras Negras.
Unfortunately for the women, the kitchen was already closed for the day. However, a manager named Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya decided to improvise with whatever he could find. “Nacho” cut some fried tortillas into triangles, added some shredded cheese and sliced jalapeño peppers, and a culinary icon was launched.
Nachos: Snack or Meal?
Here’s the key question for today: Do you consider nachos a main course or more of a snack/appetizer? It really depends what’s on them. If it’s just the aforementioned chips and Day-Glo liquid stadium cheese, then it’s a snack. If they’re are more substantial, with beans, meat, and veggies, then you might have an entire meal on your hands.
I think it also has a lot to do with your age. If you’re under 35, nachos are usually a bar snack or appetizer. After you turn 35 and your appetite starts to slow down, they can easily be enough for lunch or dinner. Maybe that’s just me. You can check out some places around Charlotte that serve up some tasty nachos below.
By the way, November 6th is also Play Basketball Day, in honor of Dr. James Naismith’s birthday. If you’re going to celebrate both holidays, you’ll definitely want to play basketball before you eat a big pile of nachos. Not the other way around.
