# Go Wild for Animal Crackers on April 18th

# 🥚 National Animal Crackers Day 🦁 **April 18th** celebrates one of America's most nostalgic snacks: **Animal Crackers!** ## The History Behind the Holiday Animal crackers have been delighting children (and let's be honest, adults) since 1902, when the National Biscuit Company (now Nabisco) first introduced "Barnum's Animals" in those iconic circus wagon boxes with the string handle. The string wasn't just decorative—it was designed so the boxes could be hung on Christmas trees as ornaments! ## Fun Facts to Celebrate: 🎪 **The Original Gang**: The first boxes contained 17 different animals. Today, over 50 different species have appeared in boxes over the years, including bears, tigers, elephants, zebras, and even the recently freed animals (Nabisco removed the cage bars from the box design in 2018 after pressure from PETA). 🎯 **Presidential Preference**: These cookies were so beloved that they were one of the first snacks advertised on television and have been taken into space by astronauts! 🔢 **By the Numbers**: Approximately 40 million packages of animal crackers are sold each year in the United States alone. That's over **1 billion** individual cookies! ## How to Celebrate: - **Cookie Safari**: Organize an animal cracker "safari" and see how many different animals you can identify - **Build an edible zoo** using frosting as mortar - **Play the game**: Guess the animal while holding it behind your back (harder than it sounds!) - **Nostalgia snack break**: Pair them with a glass of cold milk and embrace your inner child So grab a box today and let those crispy little creatures bring some whimsy to your Saturday! 🎉2026-04-18T09:51:43.561Z This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.