National Muffin Day

Today we celebrate the goodness of the muffin on #NationalMuffinDay. The most common, English muffin, originated in Europe and Wales and was first sighted in literature over 1000 years ago. The word muffin is thought to have come from the Greek bread "maphula" which is said to refer to a cake baked on a hearth or griddle. Also, the word "mouffin" which means soft bread in old French. American style muffins, on the other hand, have been around since the 18th century.

Portuguese muffins are the 3rd standard muffin although you don't see them much in America. They are known as Bolos Levados in some places and Portuguese Pancakes in others. They are a little sweeter than English muffins. Outside of those standard ones, there are other variations such as cruffins, duffins, muffin tops, and more.

They come in many flavors. No matter your style, there is probably a muffin for you. Blueberry, chocolate chip, strawberry, cranberry, chocolate, banana nut, and the list goes on and on. They are also good with butter and jam. I prefer a warm blueberry muffin with butter on it with a cup of tea.

Muffins are mostly eaten for breakfast, but can also be a great snack and are delicious when paired with a cup of tea or coffee. The English muffin looks a lot different than the standard dessert muffin. They are flat and are usually eaten as toast or with other breakfast items in between them like eggs and bacon. McDonalds is known for serving English muffins. They are great when you're on the run and are often used as gifts. They can be a healthier alternative when nuts and fruit are added to them....although they are high in calories.

There are also many ways to eat a muffin. Some people prefer to eat the stump first, some like to cut them in half and spread something butter or jam on them, some people prefer to start at the top of the muffin. Either way, you can't deny the joy you feel when you eat a soft warm muffin.

Hopefully today on National Muffin Day, you can enjoy a muffin yourself. Check out these special deals going on.

WALMART NATIONAL MUFFIN DAY DEALS 

• Bulk tray of Bimbo Mini Mantecadas Mini Muffins (8 packs with two mini muffins per pack) for $14.16 
• Get a box of 20 chocolate Chip Muffins from Entenmann's for $12.99
• Buy a box of 20 Blueberry Mini-Muffins from Hostess for $11.95

TARGET NATIONAL MUFFIN DAY DEALS

• Triple Chocolate Chunk Muffin Mix from Duncan Hines (18.2 oz box) for $3.19
• Blueberry Lemon Protein-Packed Muffin Mix by Kodiak Cakes (14 oz pack) for $4.99
• Gluten-Free Honey Cornbread Muffin Mix for $3.99

BED BATH AND BEYOND NATIONAL MUFFIN DAY DEALS

• 12-cup or 24-cup nonstick mini-muffin pan from Calphalon for $29.99
• Advance Select Premium nonstick 24-cup mini-muffin pan from Wilton for $13.99 ($11.99 member price)

FOOD LION NATIONAL MUFFIN DAY DEALS

• 20 Little Debbie Mini Blueberry Muffins buy one get one free