By now, many have heard of the ongoing Taco Tuesday controversy, right? It goes back almost 50 years. And it shows no signs of stopping.
Wait, you haven’t heard it. OK, here’s what you need to know: This playful weekday nickname, honoring one of our favorite foods, with catchy alliteration, was presumably created by a restaurant chain out in Wyoming. The owner of Taco John’s says he created the term “Taco Tuesday” to bring out diners on an otherwise boring weekday night. It was so important to his restaurant chain that he trademarked it in 1989. But not so fast, Taco John’s!
Another restaurateur in New Jersey, from the famed Gregory Hotel, claimed the same thing, almost a decade earlier, in the early 1970s. Back then, Greg Gregory says he discovered tacos in Philadelphia, where people had been lining up to eat the new Mexican food. When he returned home, he added tacos to his family’s restaurant’s menu, and trademarked “Taco Tuesday” in the Garden State.
In 2023, Taco John’s had the “Taco Tuesday” trademark in every state but NJ. And this is why entrepreneurs and others received “cease and desist” letters for years from Taco John’s after using the term “Taco Tuesday.”
Create a “Taco Tuesday” Charcuterie Board
Of course, others, including Taco Bell, claimed that the term could not be copyrighted. Sites like TacoTuesday.com found proof that others invented first. Newspaper clippings published on the site prove that “Taco Tuesday” was used by many others, as far back as 1971.
But let’s set the controversy aside and talk about the delicious dish that started it all: the taco. Thanks to the Healthy Family Project’s “Come Graze With Us” e-cookbook, we have a new approach for serving up the Mexican dish. It’s a 'Taco Tuesday' Charcuterie Board.
No matter what you call it, charcuterie boards, grazing boards, or snack platters are all basically the same thing. And these boards are serving up a trendy twist to Taco Tuesday. We’ve included a family-friendly “recipe” here, but creating your own “Taco Tuesday” board means there really are no rules. You can add just about anything you want. It's a perfect meal idea for any day of the week ... but we really like Tuesdays.
Taco Tuesday Charcuterie Board
Guacamole
Salsa
Queso
Hard and soft taco shells
Ground turkey, seasoned and browned
Lettuce
Diced tomatoes
Shredded cheese
Chopped onions
Chopped peppers
Sour cream
Cilantro
Lime wedges
On a grazing board, or platter, arrange guacamole, salsa, queso, taco shells, ground turkey, lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheese, onions, peppers, sour cream, cilantro and lime wedges. Arrange on a board as you wish and serve.
