Happy National Toasted Marshmallow Day!

Did you know August 30 is National Toasted Marshmallow Day in the U.S.? Some call it National Marshmallow Toasting Day. Whatever you want to call it, it’s a good excuse to bust out the s’mores and get gooey with your family and friends. After all, saying goodbye to summer is a bummer, but fall’s toasty nighttime fires are certainly something to look forward to. Here’s the setup for a no-fuss s’more-athon.

The goal: A delicious combination of gooey marshmallow, melted chocolate and graham crackers in your piehole. Here’s how to set up your gathering.


Fire. Whether you have a fire pit or a charcoal grill or you’re building a campfire, make sure you use fire safely and that all of the kiddos know about fire safety, skewer safety and superhot-marshmallow safety. OK, from here on out, it’s all fun.

How to make a stacked-stone fire pit


Lights. A string of outdoor lights, a few well-placed candles in hurricanes or a lantern or two will add to the ambience of the fire’s glow.


Chocolate, marshmallows and graham crackers. I don’t care what brand of marshmallows and graham crackers you use, but you must buy classic Hershey’s milk chocolate bars. No exceptions.





Seating. Adirondack chairs, big pillows, beanbags, camp chairs, blankets, logs … the seating’s up to you.


Clever decorations. Just kidding. Our marshmallow party is lower maintenance than that. This is supercute, but I am in it for the Hershey’s bars, the toasted marshmallows and the fun around the fire; how about you? If you like to go that extra mile, by all means put up signs and hang lanterns that lead the way to s’more central.


Guidance. If you’re dealing with kids (or adults) inexperienced in s’more making, be sure to help them when their marshmallows are amply toasted. I think most of us have learned the hard way just how hot that marshmallow can be when it comes off the fire, as well as how hot the metal skewer gets. Make newbies blow on the s’mores and help them assemble their s’mores the first few times.


Serving accoutrements. You can get fancy and put everything in silver if you like, but something more casual will suffice. Try china or metal, though, as plastic put too close to the fire will melt, and paper will blow around and could potentially catch on fire. Make sure to bring a stack of napkins (cloth napkins will stand up to sticky marshmallows much better than paper will). A bonus would be a pail of water for dipping extra-sticky fingers.


Drinks. S’mores make you ridiculously thirsty, so make sure you bring a lot of water to your marshmallow-toasting spot. Cold milk is good with s’mores too. As for adult beverages, I poked around online quite a bit and beer, liquor and wine aficionados have a hard time coming up with good pairings. For me it’s a nice glass of cabernet all the way. If it’s a more summery, warm night, a dry champagne or a pale ale. Perhaps a little cognac after the s’more portion of the evening is over. What do you think goes well with s’mores? Please share in the Comments section!


You’re ready for your s’more party. Relish the last moments of summer and gear up for all of the wonder that fall will bring.





More: Host a Laid-Back Girl’s Night Out in Your Own Backyard

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