This unofficial food holiday honors a sugary bean-shaped candy with a soft shell and a thick gel interior.

Primarily made of sugar and sold in a wide variety of colors and flavors, this confection has been popular in the United States since the Civil War.

The jelly bean's development was likely inspired by Turkish delight, a chewy, sugar-coated candy. Over time, the process of coating candies with a hard sugar shell, known as "panning," led to the modern jelly bean's distinctive form.

This April 22 food holiday is recognized in calendars and by candy manufacturers, and it serves as a good excuse to indulge in jelly beans, whatever the season.