Does USA Have a National Dish?

The USA is a huge country, a melting pot of different cultures, histories and heritage. So it makes sense that there is no single national dish, or ‘traditional American food’ but several state foods celebrating the diversity of the 50 states. American food culture is as rich and exciting as the country itself. The national dish of USA is your favourite – Hamburger. Its a popular sandwich made of bun or sliced bread rolls stuffed with veggies, sauces and of course beef patties, and then grilled to perfection.

The United States is by far the most famous country in the world. It’s famous for its attractions, such as the Grand Canyon, tech innovation, sports, and it has a large imprint on the global culture thanks to famous movies, television shows, and music.

Winner winner, chicken dinner. But there’s not just one way to cook it…. The United States covers some 3.8 million square miles.

There are some dishes that you just know are all-American. Burgers, lobster rolls, cheesesteaks, barbecue and more may as well come branded with a big ol’ USA on them.

As well as there is no single official National Day in the UK, there is not one single national dish of Britain, mainly because the UK is made up of four separate countries, each of which have their own national dishes: Chicken Tikka Masala in England; Haggis in Scotland; Welsh Cawl in Wales; and Irish Stew in Ireland.

As this infographic shows, Cookies are the most popular snack food, with 59 percent of snackers saying they eat the sugary comfort food regularly. Potato chips came in a close second (58 percent), far ahead of their healthier vegetable cousins at just 24 percent.

Chicken is America’s favorite meat, hands down. No other meat comes close to chicken’s popularity. Don’t believe it? Check out these statistics from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

During the work week, North Americans generally eat a quick lunch that often includes some type of sandwich, soup, or leftovers from the previous night’s dinner (e.g., rice or pasta).

In fact, although 97 percent of Americans agree breakfast is the most important meal of the day, only 44 percent eat it every day. The most common reasons people skip breakfast are they weren’t hungry, didn’t feel like eating, or they were too busy.

Not surprisingly, Americans love rice-based dishes and consume more than 20 pounds of the grain each year, per Food & Wine. In total, Americans ate about 4.6 million metric tons during the 2021-22 fiscal year, reports Statista.

While the average time for dinner in the U.S. is reported to be 6:22 P.M., most people eat it anywhere between 6:00 and 8:00 P.M. That said, there is always the rare American that has either earlier or later dinners, based on their lifestyle and work schedules.

The most hated food in the US is Olives, being named the worst by 13 states. Anchovies are also unpopular, with 12 states saying it’s the worst food. There are only 10 foods collectively despised by different states: olives, anchovies, eggplant, beets, turkey bacon, bologna, sushi, well-done steak, carrots and pickles.

Featured Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash