Lasagna (food)

Overview

Download (2) — Garfield eating lasagna after smashing into a lasagna truck

D39BFCF2-394A-4771-B287-BB26C7777359 — Lasagna

Lasagna is an Italian dish and Garfield's favorite food. It was first shown on the July 15th of 1978 comic strip, where Garfield described lasagna as "nature's most perfect food."

Historically, especially in the early days of the Garfield strip, lasagna has been Garfield's food of choice. This holds true in his television shows, Garfield and Friends and The Garfield Show, where the food has numerous references and appearances as Garfield's favorite food. However, as time went on, Garfield's lasagna consumption in the strip has gone down a fair bit (at least in comparison to the first few years). In more recent years, it can be argued that pizza has usurped lasagna as Garfield's favorite, considering how often he eats pizza compared to lasagna, though he still enjoys the latter.

Appearance[]

Lasagna appears occasionally throughout the comic strip. It appears regularly in Garfield and Friends; it is available at locations such as the Short Branch Cafe and Momma's Pizzeria.

In Garfield: The Movie, Garfield eats all four boxes of Jon Arbuckle's lasagna. He later eats some after falling into a truck of it. In Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties, when Jon is giving the veterinarian Garfield's things, he requests that she feed him a plate of lasagna every day. After the switch, Jon, Liz Wilson, and the Prince go to a restaurant, where Prince discovers his love for lasagna. At the palace, Garfield helps the animals prepare a platter of lasagna, where everyone enjoys it.

In Here Comes Garfield, Garfield eats a pan of lasagna in the kitchen before heading to the City Pound. In Garfield on the Town, Garfield is seen eating lasagna during a flashback in a former Italian restaurant, and Jon serves him lasagna after finding him.

In the Garfield handheld game, the lasagna are used to fill Garfield's Super Jump bar; when 3 of them are collected, he can perform a Super Jump.

Comics[]

1978 - 1989[]

7/15/1978 Garfield claims to be a normal cat. He proves it by longing for lasagna, which he calls "nature's most perfect food."
7/20/1978 Garfield longs for lasagna, since Thursdays are lasagna days. When Jon feeds him cat food, he throws it back at him.
8/26/1978 Garfield dives headfirst into a pan of lasagna. Jon lets him have it.
8/31/1978 Garfield knocks a table over and kicks Odie, claiming that he gets mean without lasagna in his bloodstream.
9/13/1978 Garfield purrs, and then purrs louder. This convinces Jon to hand over the lasagna.
11/14/1978 Jon is about to eat some lasagna, but Garfield scarfs it down first. Jon laments his decision of adopting a cat.
11/25/1978 Garfield asks for some lasagna, and Jon allows him one bite. Garfield dumps the whole pan in his cheeks.
12/20/1978 Lyman sees Garfield and Odie playing together and calls Jon over. Jon tells him that he sprayed Odie with essence of lasagna.
12/24/1978 On Christmas Eve, Santa arrives and brings gifts for Jon, Lyman, Odie, and Garfield. The fat cat asked for 20 pounds of lasagna.
12/30/1978 Garfield resolves to be nicer to dogs ahead of New Year's Eve. When he sees Odie hop by, he considers reducing his lasagna intake instead.
2/19/1979 Garfield asks Pooky if he wants him to eat a burger, a chicken, and a pan of lasagna. As he polishes the food off, Garfield sings Pooky's praise.
3/18/1979 Garfield notices Jon's drawing board, paper, and ink and writes what he thinks would make the world a nicer place to live. Among these thoughts is if everyone gave their cats lasagna.
3/21/1979 Jon tells Garfield to roll over. Garfield refuses, but when offered a double helping of lasagna, Garfield spins in midair.
5/9/1979 Garfield scarfs a lasagna, and claims to have "never met a lasagna [he] didn't like."
5/16/1979 After Garfield's belly became bigger than his legs, he asks Jon to roll him over to a pan of lasagna.
6/10/1979 Garfield has a dream where all the fun is sucked out of his life. In that dream, Jon serves him pans and pans of lasagna.
6/11/1979 Jon tries taking Garfield camping, and uses lasagna to convince him to join.
8/31/1979 Garfield introduces his pet ant, Lyle. He smashes him, claiming that Lyle was eying his lasagna.
11/21/1979 Jon tries convincing Garfield to eat vitamins. The cat refuses, until learning that they are hidden in lasagna.
11/30/1979 Jon calls Garfield for dinner, which includes lasagna among other things. Garfield eats it all.
2/22/1980 Jon tells Garfield that they're having lasagna. Garfield pops some into his mouth, only to spit it out immediately. Jon offers to bake it first, and Garfield agrees.
5/14/1980 Garfield dives into a pan of lasagna and covers himself with it. He loves this, as now, he does not have to share. Jon, Odie, and Lyman are all disgusted.
5/22/1980 Garfield claws himself toward Jon, begging for lasagna. Jon wants to talk to him about his lasagna dependency, but Garfield demands a piece first.
5/23/1980 Jon takes the last piece of lasagna in front of Garfield, allowing the cat to do whatever with the pan. He uses it to smack Jon in the back of the head, causing him to faceplant into his lasagna.
8/3/1980 Lyman tells Jon that he solved the mouse problem by baiting the traps with lasagna. Jon is horrified, and after some snapping, Garfield emerges covered with mousetraps.
9/27/1980 Garfield eyes Jon's lasagna, which Jon refuses to share. Garfield beats him up, which earns him dinner.
11/13/1980 During a visit from Garfield's grandfather, Garfield asks him about the fat cat's youth. His grandfather tells him that he was born in an Italian restaurant and ate all the lasagna in sight. Garfield beams with pride.
12/22/1980 Jon asks Garfield what happened to the lasagna he made. Garfield distracts him by whistling, which seems to work.
1/11/1981 Jon demands to know what happened to the lasagna he made. Garfield claims he ate it, resulting in a small fight and reconciliation.
1/12/1981 Garfield pushes Jon aside and eats the lasagna in front of him. Jon explains the deal the two of them have: he "provide[s] food, shelter, and affection and Garfield provides the abuse."
2/21/1981 Garfield sees a picture of lasagna in a magazine and eats it. He somewhat likes it, aside from the staples, which he spits out.
3/28/1981 Garfield eats a pan of lasagna still warm from the oven. He is surprised by Jon and tries grinning innocently, still covered in stretchy, melty cheese.
5/5/1981 Garfield gives Jon cute eyes, which persuades him to hand over his lasagna. Garfield quips, "A fool and his lasagna are soon parted."
5/18/1981 Jon asks Garfield to go camping. Garfield adamantly refuses, but Jon tells him that they will have lasagna, which convinces him.
6/26/1981 Jon ties Garfield to a fire hydrant while he goes shopping. Garfield rips the hydrant out and reminds him to get frozen lasagna.
7/25/1981 Garfield greets the food in the refrigerator, including the lasagna, before being called out by Jon because the former is dieting.
8/2/1981 Jon calls Garfield for some lasagna. Garfield races over to it, but slips off the table because Jon waxed the table. Garfield vows revenge.
8/9/1981 Jon serves up some lasagna for friends and family, but Garfield dives into it first, repulsing everyone at the table.
9/6/1981 Jon orders a meal for himself at a restaurant and an order of lasagna for Garfield. After getting beaten up several times, Jon ups it to a whole pan. Garfield asks for wings with it.
1/7/1982 Jon attempts to quietly assemble lasagna, but Garfield hears him. Jon is annoyed by this.
4/10/1982 Garfield plans to eat lasagna after finishing with a diet, which causes him to gain two pounds.
5/21/1982 Jon cuts a lasagna in half and gives Garfield the option. Garfield takes extreme measures to ensure he gets the bigger piece, which annoys Jon.
6/13/1982 Garfield spots a pan of lasagna and begins talking to it as if he was on a date with it. He then devours it, since he "despise[s] long engagements."
8/18/1982 Garfield equates supermarkets to "A United Nations of Food." He points out various food from different parts of the world, but the lasagna is from Heaven.
8/19/1982 Jon grabs a frozen lasagna, two frozen pizzas, and one frozen Garfield.
11/4/1982 A baby chick asks Garfield about his lasagna. Garfield offers him a piece, which repulses the chick, making Garfield horrified.
12/18/1982 Garfield takes himself off his diet by eating a pan of lasagna.
1/25/1983 Jon tells Garfield that there is a lasagna under the bed. Garfield goes to get it, only to learn that it was a ploy meant to get Garfield to dust under the bed.
3/26/1983 Jon calls Garfield for dinner. The cat divebombs into a pan of lasagna, so Jon eats the cat food.
4/28/1983 Garfield is excited since Thursday is lasagna day. When he is fed regular cat food, he throws it back in Jon's face.
5/24/1983 Arlene suggests to Garfield that they go mousing. Garfield asks, "What's wrong with lasagna?" Arlene replies there is no pursuit, but Garfield disagrees, bringing up his own example of stealing it during Sunday dinner.
1/7/1984 Jon calls Garfield for lasagna, but warns him that it is hot. Garfield already ate it, and it burns the inside of his mouth.
2/8/1984 Jon uses lasagna as bait to catch him for a vet trip. Garfield, however, slurps up the lasagna with his long lips.
1/13/1985 Garfield stumbles upon a pan of lasagna and eats it. He is surprised to see it regenerate and eats it once more. He wakes up, realizes that it was a dream, and becomes furious.
1/21/1986 During Garfield's "Believe it or Don't!" week, Garfield is claimed to be able to eat 10 times his body weight. He is tasked with eating 270 pounds of lasagna, but is only able to eat 219 pounds of it. Garfield notes how well it went when he rehearsed it.
4/11/1986 Jon asks Garfield if he is tucked in. Garfield confirms, but when Jon sees Garfield's bed empty, he finds out that Garfield is hiding in Jon's lasagna.
5/9/1986 Jon spots a cat hair in his lasagna. He pulls it out and reveals Garfield hiding in it.
7/13/1986 Jon asks Garfield if he wants to help make a lasagna. Garfield eagerly agrees, sampling every ingredient in the process. After the baking is finished, Jon pulls out a nearly empty pan. Garfield notes that sampling was not taken into account.
2/10/1987 Garfield is offered a pan of lasagna after the cat got a concussion and lost his memory. Garfield refuses and asks for a mouse instead, noting that he could not get the cheese out of his whiskers.
2/25/1987 Garfield looks at a lonely donut and tosses it into his mouth to join the lasagna in his belly.
5/14/1987 Garfield tasks Odie to track a lasagna for him, using a picture as an illustration. Odie attacks the picture, frustrating Garfield.
5/18/1987 Garfield wishes for a 50-pound pan of lasagna. His wish comes true and it crushes him because he made that wish on a Monday.
6/25/1987 Jon catches Garfield slucking the cheese of his lasagna and asks what he is doing. Garfield answers, and Jon points out the same thing.
9/8/1988 Garfield uses his thumb to paint squirrel tracks leading from a lasagna pan to cover his own tracks.
10/11/1989 Garfield zips up to Jon, pours a pan of lasagna into his mouth and slams the pan down on the table, putting Pooky in it. He races to Jon's other side and blames Pooky.
11/4/1989 Garfield claims to have another favorite food besides lasagna. He downs a bowl of cat food and claims his quest in never-ending.

1990 - 1999[]

2/9/1990 Jon asks Garfield where a missing pan of lasagna is. The lasagna is "resting comfortably" in Garfield's stomach, but the pan, which is in the same place, is "resting not so comfortably."
8/1/1990 Jon asks Garfield if he is enjoying dinner. Garfield confirms, since he loves lasagna. He then asks Jon how he's enjoying tuna and liver.
9/3/1990 Garfield is nearly at the end of a dreary Monday, but upon learning lasagna causes warts, he desires to be shot.
3/13/1992 Garfield lunges at Jon, who holds a pan of lasagna, but misses and crashes on the floor. Jon asks if Garfield is off, and the cat notes the taste of linoleum.
12/1/1993 Jon asks Garfield who ate the lasagna. After a pause, Garfield expresses his concern for his owner. Jon tells him that it was rhetorical.
1/21/1995 While out in nature, Jon asks Garfield what comes to his mind while looking at the beautiful landscape. Garfield answers, "Lasagna."
7/6/1995 Jon offers Garfield lasagna, which Garfield happily takes and eats, but after learning it is one-third the fat, Garfield insultingly demands two more.
7/7/1996 Jon asks Garfield what he wants for dinner, and Garfield excitedly asks for lasagna. When Jon considers other options, Garfield storms away and returns, throwing lasagna ingredients in Jon's face. Jon gets the message.
5/11/1997 While Garfield is sleeping, an alarm clock tells him to dream about being trapped in a pasta factory and smelling lasagna. When the clock gets him right where it wants him, it wakes him up.
5/21/1997 Garfield finds a box of lasagna-flavored cat treats and shouts euphorically.
9/2/1999 Jon feeds Garfield a double-helping of lasagna and steak. Garfield, in return, gives him back his car keys.

2000 - 2009[]

2/20/2000 Garfield has to come up with a password for a website. Jon sees him and guesses, "lasagna," prompting Garfield to tie the mouse around his face.
3/5/2000 Garfield is served soup, much to his frustration, but then learns it's cream of lasagna, making him smile.
4/7/2002 Jon tells Garfield that the lasagna will be late, so Garfield goes to investigate himself. He returns and agrees, but Jon finds out that Garfield ate it already.
4/24/2004 Jon tells Garfield that he has taken up woodworking. Garfield demands he make lasagna.
5/11/2004 Jon tells Garfield that most of the world's surface is covered with water. Garfield wants to know how much of it is covered by lasagna.
9/15/2004 Garfield, while browsing TV channels, finds the all-lasagna channel.
11/26/2004 Garfield comes across a pan of lasagna and eats it. He describes his love of it as, "only a fling,"
5/30/2005 Jon tells Garfield that he would give anything to know what's inside Garfield's head. Garfield demands 500 pounds of lasagna while drooling.
8/8/2005 Jon scares Garfield by saying, "Lasagna famine." Garfield cannot breathe.
9/3/2005 Garfield asks Jon if he would make a lasagna in his belly by eating the ingredients. Jon wants to know what they'll have to eat.
4/7/2007 Garfield claims that life is full of joy, but upon learning he will be having tofu instead of lasagna, he becomes horrified.
5/19/2007 Jon yells at Garfield for eating the lasagna he was planning on eating. Garfield suggests he smell his breath.
10/15/2007 Garfield gets a call offering him a lifetime of free lasagna. However, seeing Jon ripped and suave lets him know it's a dream.
5/15/2008 Arlene asks Garfield how domestic life is treating him. Garfield complains that Jon used too much oregano in the lasagna.
11/23/2008 Jon tells Garfield that the lasagna is in the oven and will be ready in 45 minutes... very slowly.
3/19/2009 Jon yells at Garfield for putting lasagna in between pizza slices. But when Jon tries it himself, he enjoys it.
6/19/2009 Garfield, for his 31st birthday, got a lasagna-shaped cake made by Liz.
8/17/2009 Jon comes across Garfield, who has set up a tent in front of the TV. He claims it is "Lasagna week" on the cooking channel.

2010 -[]

10/2/2010 Jon is writing a love letter to Liz, and is trying to find something to liken Liz to. Garfield recommends, "Lasagna!"
10/2/2011 Jon tells Garfield that Liz is bringing lasagna for dinner. When she arrives, Garfield ties up Jon in his shirt and eagerly demands the lasagna.
10/31/2011 Jon demands to know where the tomato sauce is in his lasagna. Garfield, who is dressed in a vampire outfit for Halloween, is annoyed at getting blamed.
9/1/2012 Jon is thinking of Liz, but Garfield infiltrates, having Liz tell Jon that his cat needs lasagna, surprising him.
11/21/2012 Jon tries to get Garfield to drool, and is able to by saying, "A cheeseburger lasagna donut sundae!"
2/10/2013 Jon gets a text from Liz, asking to go out for dinner. Jon is excited, and Liz recommends an Italian place with lasagna. It turns out that it was Garfield the whole time, and Liz forgot her phone.
7/10/2013 Garfield hears a voice from the fridge, claiming it's the lasagna. Upon further inspection, it's just the meatloaf.
12/27/2013 Garfield is watching a cooking show and then opens his mouth wide. He sees a 60-inch, high def lasagna and asks Jon for a towel.
5/21/2014 Arlene waits for Garfield. When he arrives, he explains that he was eating lasagna. She asks if he left some for her, and Garfield extends his paw, greeting himself since apparently, they haven't met.
9/12/2014 Jon asks Garfield where they should go for a vacation, with the stipulation that they cannot go to a lasagna factory. This gives Garfield pause.
4/26/2015 Jon plays air guitar, and Garfield retaliates by eating and burping up an air lasagna.
9/8/2015 Garfield suddenly wakes up after a sound sleep after getting an idea of canary lasagna.
1/8/2016 Jon likens life to a pan of lasagna that Garfield ate. He then explains to Liz that they have to eat out.
3/6/2017 Garfield tries ignoring the world... minus the lasagna.
3/17/2018 Garfield gives his home improvement advice. For a squeaky hinge, feed your cat lasagna.
5/27/2018 Jon reads Garfield a bedtime story which is a cookbook's instructions on how to make lasagna.
9/18/2018 Garfield tells three mice that he loves lasagna. They aren't impressed, until he adds that lasagna has cheese.
5/10/2019 Garfield tells Arlene his idea for dinner: pizza, donuts, lasagna, garlic bread, along with Arlene's dinner.
1/24/2020 Garfield tells Arlene about his dream about a day when lasagna becomes a pizza topping.

Trivia[]

Garfield has "loved lasagna" since the day he was born in the kitchen of an Italian restaurant (Mamma Leoni's). It has usually been his "favorite food" ever since.
- Jim Davis has stated "I sometimes wish I made pizza Garfield's favorite food. It's easier to draw than lasagna".
In the August 18, 1982 comic, Garfield remarks that supermarkets have lasagna from heaven.
In the November 4, 1982 comic, Garfield tells a baby chicken that no son of his would refuse lasagna.
Garfield does not like being tricked into believing there is lasagna when there is not, such as in the January 25, 1983 comic.
Out of all the female cats from Garfield and Friends who owned or lived in restaurants, Mona is the only one not seen serving lasagna to Garfield.
In the May 11, 2004 comic, Garfield wants to know how much of the Earth's surface is covered by lasagna.
In the May 27, 2018 comic, Jon reads a lasagna recipe from a cookbook to Garfield and Pooky.
In the January 24, 2020 comic, Garfield tells Arlene that he dreams of a day with lasagna as a pizza topping.
In the March 5, 2000 comic, Jon served Garfield a bowl of soup. Garfield rejected the soup at first, but after Jon told him it was cream of lasagna soup, he immediately had a change of heart.
In the March 19, 2009 comic, Garfield put a piece of lasagna in between two slices of pizza. Jon initially rejected the idea, but after taking a bite, he immediately had a change of heart.
In Here Comes Garfield, Garfield says that he cannot resist the lasagna, the garlic, and the meat sauce.
In Garfield: The Movie, Garfield lists the ingredients that he likes best: "the cheese and the meat and the sauce".
The music video for "Holla" by Baha Men features lasagna as a running gag.