Pi Day 2018

Today marks Pi Day!

Since its founding in 1988, math enthusiasts (and pie enthusiasts, for that matter) around the world celebrate pi (and pie). Why today? Because the infinite number is often shortened to 3.14, which “translates” to March 14.

Pi, or π, is the numerical constant that represents the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter – no matter the size of the circle, this ratio always equals pi.

Pi is technically an irrational number that doesn’t repeat a particular pattern. It goes on forever, which is one of the reasons why it is so worthy of a celebration. In fact, with the help of computers, mathematicians have calculated over 22 trillion digits of pi with no end in sight! For many, it has become a symbol for infinity and order in the universe.

There are plenty of ways to celebrate Pi Day – such as challenging yourself to see how many decimal places you can remember – but one of the tastiest is with homemade pie.

Here are a few tips for making some pie favorites a little more nutritious for Pi Day (or should we say Pie Day?).

Healthy Pumpkin Pie

• Swap white sugar for lower-glycemic sweeteners, like maple syrup or coconut sugar.
• Make a flour-free crust out of nuts, dates, and butter or coconut oil.
• Use Greek yogurt rather than condensed milk to cut down on sugar.
• Top with pumpkin seeds rather than the typical scoop of ice cream for some healthy fats and a pretty garnish.

Healthy Apple Pie

• Add an element of sweetness (without adding sweetener) to apples by tossing with cinnamon, vanilla, lemon juice, and a dash of salt.
• Use cranberries or blueberries for an extra dose of antioxidants and an unexpected twist on a classic.
• Rather than topping with piecrust, mix oats, cinnamon, pecans, walnuts, and a bit of maple syrup.

Healthy Chicken Potpie

• Sub white flour in the crust with whole-grain flour, like brown rice flour or whole-wheat flour.
• Add chopped spinach, kale, or chard for an extra serving of greens.
• Boost flavor and help reduce inflammation by making an Indian-inspired potpie using anti-inflammatory spices like turmeric, cardamom, cayenne, ginger, and cumin.
• Use chickpeas instead of chicken for a fun, plant-based version.

No matter what your next pie is, we wish you a happy Pi Day!

How are you celebrating Pi Day this year? What are your favorite nutritious swaps for homemade pies? We’d love to see – tag @nutritionschool with your healthy pie photos!