}}</ref> In Polish tradition, the last day before Lent is known as "Fat Tuesday" or "Paczki Day". Throughout those parts of North America with significant Polish American or Polish Canadian populations, this day is marked by eating copious amounts of paczkis, or delicious, spongy doughnuts in the shape of a flattened ball, injected with jam or other filling. This is, for example, what a local paper from Grand Rapids, Michigan, wrote about the tradition:
[[File:Pączki z lukrem.jpg|thumb|upright|''Pączki'']]
{{Cytat
| [Local] supermarkets have assembled thousands of the delicious paczkis (pronounced poonch-key) to celebrate Fat Tuesday {{...}} Paczkis originated in Poland as a part of the feasting and celebration that ends on Paczki day, or “Fat Tuesday,” the day before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. {{...}} Paczkis are made from rich round yeast raised dough that is fried and filled with a variety of flavors before being coated with granulated sugar or a sweet glaze. Paczki means ‘little package’ in Polish. Traditional fillings are prune or apricot, but are also made with more conventional fillings as raspberry, lemon and Bavarian crème.