Observed on the first Monday in September, Labor Day pays tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers, according to www.history.com. In the late 1800s, at the height of the Industrial Revolution in the U.S., the average American worked 12-hour days and seven-day weeks in order to eke out a basic living. (I know many of you feel you are working that hard, but you can turn off your cell phone, so please do.) Until Labor Day became a federal holiday in 1894, laborers who chose to participate in parades had to forfeit a day's wages. Today, Labor Day, a paid holiday, is still celebrated in cities and towns with parades, picnics, barbecues, fireworks displays and other public gatherings. And for many Americans, particularly children and young adults, it represents the end of the summer and the start of the back-to-school season.
During this year's Labor Day weekend, AAA predicts 31 million people will hit the road, a nearly 10 percent increase from last year. Most of those travelers will get behind the wheel: 91 percent of travelers intend to drive, while only 5 percent will fly, reports Forbes.
It's less labor-intensive to just stay home, throw some steaks, burgers or hot dogs on the grill, and rest up. Americans ate 1 billion pounds of refrigerated hot dogs in 2010, according to Nielsen. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, Americans will consume 7 billion. And who can blame them? Hot dogs are inexpensive, versatile, portable, quick to prepare and fun.
Whatever is on your menu, happy Labor Day weekend from all of us at Food Processing.
