National Junk Food Day 2017 Where To Find Free Treats And Special Offers

July 21st marks National Junk Food Day, a celebration of the foods that many love despite knowing they're not the healthiest choices. While there may not have been specific freebies designated exclusively for National Junk Food Day 2017, numerous food establishments offered special promotions and free treats around this time. This article explores what constitutes junk food according to health organizations, popular junk food choices, and the various free food deals available to consumers in 2017.

What Constitutes "Junk Food"

The term "junk food" is commonly used in everyday language, but surprisingly lacks a formal definition from most U.S. government or healthcare agencies. Instead, various organizations use functional descriptions to identify foods that are high in certain unhealthy components and low in nutritional value.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) does not officially define "junk food" but cautions against "discretionary calories" or "empty calories." These are foods and beverages high in solid fats and added sugars with minimal essential nutrients, such as candy, soda, fried snacks, and pastries.

Similarly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has no formal "junk food" definition but uses terms like "unhealthy foods," "low-nutrient foods," or "foods high in sodium, added sugar, and unhealthy fats." The CDC warns that consumption of these foods contributes to obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic illnesses.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn't label foods as "junk," but it regulates the Nutrition Facts labels and definitions for terms like "healthy" and "low fat." It also sets limits for daily values of sugar, sodium, fat, and calories, which help guide what is considered excessive.

The World Health Organization (WHO) often refers to "energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods" and highlights the risk of non-communicable diseases from high intake of candy and confectionery, fast food, processed snacks, and sugar-sweetened beverages.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) defines "junk food" as "foods high in sugar, salt, and fat that provide little nutritional benefit."

Popular Junk Foods According to Surveys

According to a 2025 Hims Survey, here are the Top 10 Most Popular "Junk Foods" in America:

• Chips
• Chocolate candy
• Soda
• Fried chicken
• Hamburgers
• Ice cream
• Pizza
• Candy bars
• French fries
• Doughnuts

It's worth noting that the methodology of this survey is unclear, as some items on the list provide legitimate protein (fried chicken, hamburgers). However, it seems to have accurately identified the main culprits of junk food consumption: chips, chocolate candy, and soda.

Free Junk Food Offers Around National Junk Food Day 2017

While specific freebies for National Junk Food Day itself weren't widely documented, several food establishments offered special promotions and free treats around July 2017. These offers provided consumers with opportunities to enjoy their favorite junk foods at no cost or reduced prices.

National Cookie Day Freebies

National Cookie Day, celebrated on December 4th, saw numerous businesses offering special deals in 2017. While not directly coinciding with National Junk Food Day, cookies are typically classified as junk food, making these offers relevant to junk food enthusiasts.

• Insomnia Cookies: Customers who made a purchase in any of their stores received a free traditional cookie, which included options like chocolate chunk, double chocolate chunk, peanut butter, M&M, snickerdoodle, sugar, oatmeal raisin, double chocolate mint, and white chocolate macadamia nut.

• Cinnabon: The chain debuted a new treat called the Cookie BonBite, which featured a bite of Cinnabon inside a chocolate chip cookie. Customers who purchased this new product received a free side of milk.

• Whole Foods: The supermarket offered customers 50 percent off the cookie bar, providing an opportunity to enjoy multiple cookie varieties at a reduced price.

• Mrs. Fields: The first 400 customers to arrive at each location received a free, regular-sized chocolate chip cookie, allowing early birds to enjoy a complimentary treat.

• Great American Cookies: The chain gave away one chocolate chip cookie per person, making it easy for cookie lovers to indulge without cost.

National Macaroni and Cheese Day Offer

On July 14, 2017, just one week before National Junk Food Day, Dickey's Barbecue Pit celebrated National Macaroni and Cheese Day by offering guests a free small side of its signature home-style macaroni and cheese with the purchase of any Classic or Westerner sandwich and Big Yellow Cup.

This comfort food, often classified as junk food due to its high calorie and fat content, has been a fan favorite since it was added to Dickey's menu in 2006. The chain reported selling over 4 million pounds of macaroni and cheese in the previous year, highlighting its popularity among customers.

To take advantage of this special deal, customers needed to present a coupon found on the promo page of Dickeys.com. The offer was available exclusively on July 14, 2017, at participating locations.

Other Food Holiday Freebies

Throughout 2017, various food holidays brought special offers on junk food favorites:

• National Donut Day (June 3): Both Krispy Kreme and Dunkin' Donuts participated by giving away free donuts. Krispy Kreme offered any variety of donut completely gratis, while Dunkin' Donuts required customers to purchase a beverage first.

• Taco Bell: On Halloween (October 31, 2009, though not 2017), the chain offered a free Black Jack taco from 6pm until midnight. While this wasn't a 2017 promotion, it demonstrates Taco Bell's history of offering free junk food promotions.

• T.G.I. Friday's: The restaurant chain occasionally offered six free buffalo wings to customers sitting at the bar, particularly around NFL season kickoffs. While not specific to 2017, these promotions provided opportunities for free junk food.

Tax Day Food Deals

Tax Day, April 18, 2017, brought numerous food deals across the United States, providing taxpayers with an opportunity to enjoy free or discounted junk food after completing their tax filings:

• Arby's: Select locations offered free curly fries on Tax Day with no purchase necessary, making it an easy way to enjoy a classic junk food snack.

• Bob Evans: Customers who presented a coupon received a 30 percent discount on their bill, allowing them to enjoy comfort food favorites at reduced prices.

• Boston Market: For $10.40, customers could purchase a half-chicken individual meal with two sides, cornbread, a regular fountain soda, and a cookie, providing a complete junk food meal at a special price.

• Bruegger's Bagels: The bagel shop offered Big Bagel Bundles, which included a choice of any 13 bagels and two tubs of cream cheese, for just $10.40 at participating bakeries. This deal was available from the announcement date through Wednesday, April 19, 2017.

These Tax Day deals provided an opportunity for consumers to enjoy various junk food favorites without breaking the bank, offering both free items and special pricing on comfort foods.

Conclusion

While specific freebies for National Junk Food Day 2017 weren't widely documented, numerous food establishments offered special promotions and free treats around this time. From free cookies and macaroni and cheese to discounted meals and special combo deals, consumers had multiple opportunities to enjoy their favorite junk foods at reduced costs or no cost at all.

The definition of "junk food" may vary among health organizations, but common characteristics include high levels of sugar, fat, sodium, and calories with minimal nutritional value. Popular junk foods in America include chips, chocolate candy, soda, fried chicken, hamburgers, ice cream, pizza, candy bars, french fries, and doughnuts.

For consumers looking to enjoy junk food without paying full price, keeping an eye on food holidays and special occasions can yield significant savings. Whether it's National Cookie Day, National Macaroni and Cheese Day, Tax Day, or other food-related celebrations, restaurants and food retailers often offer promotions that make indulging in favorite treats more affordable.

As always, when taking advantage of these offers, it's important to verify participation with local locations and be aware of any restrictions or limitations that may apply. Additionally, while enjoying these occasional treats is fine, maintaining a balanced diet with plenty of nutritious foods remains important for overall health.

Sources

1. America's Favorite Junk Food for National Junk Food Day
2. National Cookie Day Freebies 2017
3. Dickey's Barbecue Pit Offers Free Side for National Mac & Cheese Day
4. Free Food and Drink Offers
5. Tax Day 2017 Free Food Deals