What is National Food Day and how can you take part?

At first glance the day may sound like an excuse to celebrate America’s favorite pastime — eating, but National Food Day, Oct. 24, is actually supposed to inspire “Americans to change their diets and our food policies,” according to the FoodDay.org website.

The 2015 Food Day theme is “Toward a Greener Diet,” but the entire day is about “eating real.” There is an emphasis on food that is “healthy, affordable, and produced with care for the environment, farm animals, and the people who grow, harvest and serve it,” as well as a diet that is not meat-heavy.

More than 8,000 events took place in 2014 across the U.S., with some of the country’s most notable food activists taking part.

Events are planned in all 50 states for this year’s Food Day, click here to find one near you.