"Average American" Foods

[talon]

Just some thoughts on foods that are considered quintessentially American - can be found in some form or other almost everywhere in America. This isn't counting local favorites that are available only in specific regions, like crab boils or lobster rolls or fried catfish or chicken fried steak.

This list is far from complete. I know there are foods that are more popular in one region than another, and there are foods that can only be found in some places, ditto for brand names, which is why I didn't list specific brand names.

As far as I know, nowhere offers all of these items all at once, but there's a good chance you can find all of these foods even in smaller towns all across America, or know where, reasonably locally, they are available.

Whether you eat them or not, these are the foods that have been sublimated into American culture and have become American foods. Since America is a melting pot of immigrants, some of these foods may also be happy in other countries, but only in America would we have all of them available.

I've traveled everywhere but the far northwestern corner of the continental US and Hawaii and have seen these foods on menus everywhere I went. It's possible that the northwestern corner of the US and Hawaii don't have all of these foods on their menus, but I'm pretty sure most people living there will recognize them anyway.

So, here's my list. Feel free to add to it, but only if you're sure the dish you're adding is widely available and not regional. Jambalaya - or some form of seasoned rice with 2 or more kinds of meat and some vegetables in it - is wide spread and may appear under other names regionally (I've seen it called risotto and paella, among other names - although real risotto is different, what was served was closer to a jambalaya than a risotto), but shrimp creole doesn't which is why jambalaya is listed but not shrimp creole.

Average American Breakfast Foods

Breads: pancakes, waffles, biscuits and gravy, muffins, French toast, toast, bagels, donuts, cornbread, coffee cake, pastries, cinnamon rolls
Meats: fried eggs, scrambled eggs, poached eggs, omelets, egg toast, bacon, sausage patties, breakfast steaks, hot links,
Vegetables: hash brown potatoes, fried potatoes, potato pancakes, corn cakes, breakfast beans
Fruit: applesauce, fruit butters, fruit jellies, fruit compotes, bananas, grapefruit, oranges, apples
Grains: cold cereals, hot oatmeal, hot cornmeal mush (aka polenta), rice pudding, tapioca pudding
Beverages: coffee, hot tea, hot chocolate, milk, fruit juices,
Condiments: butter, yogurt, sour cream

Average America Lunch/Dinner Foods:

Entrees: hot deli sandwiches, cold deli sandwiches, grilled cheese, BLTs, roast beef sandwiches, barbecue sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs, PBJ sandwiches, french dip sandwiches, burritos, tacos, chow mein, hot wings, sushi
Soups: chili, chicken noodle soup, beef stew, French onion,
Sides: French fries, potato chips, baked beans, barbecue beans, pickles, green salad, mac and cheese, crackers for soup, egg rolls,
Desserts: cookies, pudding, jello, fruit,
Beverages: soda, coffee, tea

Average American Dinner/Supper Foods:

Entrees: meatloaf, hamburgers, jambalaya, hot dish, pot roast, spaghetti, fried chicken, pizza, chicken and dumplings, beef stew, pot pies, lobster, crab, steak, baked chicken, lasagna, barbecue ribs, stir fry, hot wings, beef and broccoli (or other Chinese dishes), sushi and sashimi,
Sides: mac and cheese, corn on the cob, green beans, baked beans, pork and beans, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, carrots, mashed potatoes, coleslaw, twice baked potatoes, Brussels sprouts, potato salad, mixed greens, whole or creamed corn, mixed green salad, three bean salad,
Soups: chicken soup, beef stew, chili, soup in a bread bowl, broccoli cheddar, mushroom, French onion, pho,
Desserts: chocolate cake, cake, pie, ice cream, sundaes, fruit pies, cream pies, pastries
Beverages: soda, coffee, tea, beer, wine, cocktails

Average American Snack Foods:

Crunchy Savory: Potato chips, crispy little pretzels, corn chips, tortilla chips, popcorn, Chex Mix, trail mix, nachos, jerky, raw veggies, onion rings, French fries, spiced nuts, snack crackers,
Soft Savory: cheese (often with crackers, sometimes with fruit), salsa, dips, deviled eggs, cocktail sausages, hummus, pigs in a blanket
Crunchy Sweet: cookies, apples, pears, candy, cinnamon nuts, fruit kabobs, sno-cones,
Soft Sweet: pudding, jello, ice cream, snack cakes (Little Debbie, TastyKakes, whatever's in your region...), pie, candy, citrus fruits, strawberries, raspberries, bananas, fruit yogurts, soft pretzels, donuts, pastries,
Beverages: sodas, coffee, tea, milk, fruit juices, smoothies, shakes, beer, wine, cocktails

And that's it. I don't eat all of these foods, and there are many, many more I do eat that aren't on this list, but I've never touted myself off as the "Average American". I doubt most of the people who consistently read this are "Average Americans", either, and some days I wonder if there is or ever has been such as being as an "Average American". I think the "Average American" was created by an advertising company in order to market more goods, and through marketing has created pockets of "Average Americans" or people who want to be "Average Americans" or who wonder why they aren't "Average Americans". Thing is, we can all relate to what's marketed as "Average American" - we all know what a hamburger is, for instance, and we've all heard of "American Idol" even if we haven't all watched it. We can tell "South Park" or "Simpsons" jokes even if we've never seen the cartoons. We get the stereotype of the "Average American" even as we all share our differences, kind of like we're sort of embarrassed by the "Average American".

I suppose the embarrassment is the same as what a German feels about the "Average German" or the Italians about the "Average Italian", but I don't think there's anything to be embarrassed over. We should embrace our "Average American", and equally embrace the changes that happen to the "Average American" over the decades. Forty years ago, hot wings, sushi, and yogurt weren't on the list of "Average American Foods", now you can't escape them.