This month marks 85 years since The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien was first published. The Hobbit is one of my husband’s favorite books and has become a favorite with my 8- and 6-year-olds as well. I read it for the first time just a few years ago, and it is now very much a part of our family culture. Our youngest was jokingly referred to as Bilbo Baggins before he was born.
Hobbit Day is celebrated on September 22 in honor of Bilbo’s and Frodo’s birthdays. To celebrate, let’s eat like a hobbit for Hobbit Day! Hobbits like to eat seven meals a day. Sounds like a typical toddler eating schedule to me. Maybe a teenager’s as well, but my kids aren’t that old yet.
Hobbit Meal Schedule
Breakfast: 7 a.m.
According to my oldest, Bilbo’s favorite thing to eat for breakfast is seed cake, so I would suggest this lemon poppy seed bread (or my favorite almond poppy seed muffins from Costco).
Second Breakfast: 9 a.m.
Second Breakfast can be a more filling, traditional breakfast. A nice plate of fruit, eggs, and bacon or sausage should hold us over until it’s time for Elevenses.
Elevenses: 11 a.m.
Since we’re already on the third meal of the day, let’s keep it simple with a plate of cheese and crackers. If you’re feeling ambitious and enjoy doing a lot of baking, biscuits with honey and jam would be a lovely choice here as well.
Luncheon: 1 p.m.
For lunch, you can’t go wrong with a classic BLT sandwich (or PB&J).
Afternoon Tea: 3 p.m.
To fight that afternoon sleepy time (or maybe as an after-nap meal), your afternoon tea should be cake and tea. Since we’re in Texas and never know what the weather will be, I think iced tea OR hot tea are appropriate. My kids like peach, orange, and peppermint teas, all of which are decaf. I shared my favorite pound cake recipe here, but any sweet treat would be appropriate.
Dinner: 6 p.m.
Are we still hungry? Dinner is typically our most filling meal of the day and Shepherd’s pie is one of my favorites once the weather starts cooling down. In true hobbit fashion, it should be served with ale or wine (for the parents who’ve been cooking and eating with their kids all day). We can offer ginger ale or root beer to the kids.
Supper: 9 p.m.
For the final meal of the day, you could keep it super simple with a nice loaf of bread and butter. But if you still have the energy, I think the hobbits would appreciate a charcuterie plate. Check out our kid-friendly board ideas and fun and simple board layouts for inspiration!
This year Hobbit Day lands on a Thursday, and keeping up with the rigorous eating schedule of hobbits might prove challenging on a school schedule. I would suggest moving it to Saturday or Sunday. We’ll call it Hobbit Day (observed) this year. Happy eating, my friends!
