As we wrap up February on this “Leap Day” — February 29 — it’s time to look forward to the month of March.  Call it destiny, “meant to be,” or whatever you’d like:  March, which happens to be the month in which I, a peanut-lover, was born, is also when America celebrates National Peanut Month!

It all kicks off on March 1, which has been named National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day.  Peanut butter, which is a spread that’s made up mostly of ground-up dry roasted peanuts, is particularly popular in North America.  In my opinion, it tastes great on a variety of foods including crackers, apples, celery sticks, and of course bread (especially when paired with its best friend, jelly).

But National Peanut Month extends far beyond the first day of March.  It’s 31-day event during which we celebrate the importance of peanuts in our country.  Did you know that every person in the U.S. consumes an average of six pounds of peanuts in a year?  Those peanuts come from all over America, from Florida to Texas, adding over $4 billion to the national economy each year.  It’s no wonder that Americans love peanut butter so much!

Of course peanuts and peanut butter taste delicious, but there’s more to these tasty foods than their perfect palatableness.  According to the National Peanut Board, a peanut (which is not a nut, but actually a legume — think beans and lentils) is protein-rich, high in antioxidants, and cholesterol-free.  Therefore, peanuts are a great alternative source of protein for vegetarians and vegans who will not or cannot eat meat.

Celebrating National Peanut Month is easy; you can cook up some fancy peanut cuisine, begin growing your own peanuts, or even hand out National Peanut Month giveaways.  Peanut lovers will be thrilled to revel in glorification of the appetizing food, and those who aren’t as familiar with the scrumptious snack can learn about its health benefits.  This is a cause that I can really get behind!