American Food Doesn't Hit Home For Everybody
What is American food exactly? For many visitors who travel to America to get a taste, their minds might immediately jump to burgers, milkshakes, fries, and the typical fast food fare. In reality, American cuisine can be quite expansive and unique, if you know where to go. But for those who don't, they're often left with the same disappointed impression as others; here are 10 things foreigners commonly complain about American food, and 10 examples of foods they don't like.
1. Massive Portion Sizes
If there's one thing American food is known for around the world, it's the massive portion sizes that get served. Let's just say one large here is not the same as you'd find in other countries. This belief that bigger means better has lead to many unhealthy consequences, some that are clear as day to foreigners.
2. Everything Is Deep-Fried
America seems to have a deep-rooted fascination with fried foods; while some are well-known like fried chicken, the country goes as far as deep-frying unexpected items. From Snickers to Oreos, foreigners aren't a fan of this constant need to fry foods given how unhealthy the process is.
3. Artificial Flavors
Do you ever just look at a flavor and wonder what it means? For example, how did blue raspberry ever come about? Many foreigners come to America, intrigued by the novelty of unique flavors, only to take a step back after tasting just how artificial it can be. There's a lack of focus on fresh ingredients, which might be very different from other cultures in the world.
4. Weird Combinations
Chicken and waffles? Bacon on donuts? Some of the combinations Americans pull off will leave foreigners scratching their heads. The flavors and textures simply seem incompatible in theory, making them not a fan of the wild experimentation.
amirali mirhashemian on Unsplash
5. Questionable Shelf-Lives
While certain foods like canned vegetables and soup have understandably long shelf lives, it doesn't explain why some baked goods or snacks last much longer than they should. As a result, the long expiration dates tend to freak out foreigners who are confused by how these goodies stay "fresh."
6. Too Much "Westernizing"
A lot of dishes from other cultures tend to become westernized the longer they're known in the country. Dishes like General Tso's chicken, chop suey, or even pizza have transformed into something entirely different. Not everyone is a fan of how they have been changed, absorbing western preferences that make them much more unhealthy and processed.
7. Focus On The Wrong Foods
When you think of American food, what comes to mind? We wouldn't be shocked if you started thinking of hot dogs, pizza, and burgers. However, this wrongly represents all of what the country has to offer! Foreigners are left with the wrong impression of American cuisine when they miss out on Creole food or barbecue that really showcase the country's love for cooking and careful preparation.
8. Food Feels Too Processed
Without much focus on natural and fresh ingredients, a lot of American food comes across as too processed. For visitors who come from countries less familiar with this process, they may not enjoy the taste or unhealthy consequences. Everything just seems mass-produced!
9. Health Concerns
Having brought up artificial tastes, portion sizes, deep-frying, and so on, of course a major reason why travelers don't appreciate American food is the health concern. From the cooking process to the ingredients, many of the country's most popular dishes aren't the healthiest. As a result, the country has built itself a reputation of prioritizing taste over health, something that won't always resonate with others.
10. Overly Bold Flavors
Some dishes found in the United States might be too bold or extreme for foreigners; from the massive portions to the overuse of sauces and artificial flavoring, American food can sometimes feel a bit too overwhelming. It might be hard to understand what it is that you're tasting!
1. Twinkies
From their exceptionally long shelf-life to their insanely artificial and processed taste and texture, Twinkies just give people the heebie-jeebies. While they might taste like sweet and tasty snacks, there's just something unsettling about putting something that unhealthy into your body.
Christian Cable from Canterbury, United Kingdom on Wikimedia
2. Corn Dogs
Corn dogs might be popular American snacks, but to foreigners, they're an unusual food. The texture of the breading isn't very appetizing if you're unfamiliar with the sort of grainy texture, and the hot dog inside is a mystery in of itself. It's a confusing experience that most travelers find less than satisfactory.
3. Cheez Whiz
If you're not someone who grew up with Cheez Whiz, you might be left wondering what exactly about this product is deserving of its "cheese" title. Because as far as flavor goes, it's incredibly artificial and the goopy, thick texture is enough to scare any visitor who is unfamiliar with the product.
4. Sweet Potato Casserole
If there's one aspect of American food that continues to confuse foreigners, it's the combination of sweet ingredients with savory dishes. No dish echoes this more perfectly than the holiday tradition of sweet potato casserole. Marshmallows served on top of sweet potatoes? You won't find that anywhere else in the world.
5. Biscuits And Gravy
While biscuits and gravy is a delicious Southern classic, it's also a dish that confuses visitors who travel to America. As far as breakfast foods go, this is incredibly heavy and rich, leaving foreigners to question if it's an appropriate meal for the time of day.
6. Meatloaf
Is it meat, is it bread? Meatload is a traditional home-cooked dish that brings back many memories for Americans, but for those who grew up without it, it looks more like mystery meat. And no one enjoys putting something into their body that they're unsure of.
7. Fried Butter
Why butter needs to be fried is an answer we'll never know. For many tourists, and even some Americans, this beloved carnival classic is a confusing one. With butter already such an unhealthy ingredient to eat in excess, deep-frying it takes it to a whole other level. Now loaded with even more unhealthy fats, this is one dish that's commonly avoided by foreigners.
Collin Harvey from Grand Prairie, Texas, USA on Wikimedia
8. Pecan Pie
Far too sweet and with a unique gelatinous texture not everyone is a fan of, pecan pie isn't a favorite for travelers, even if it's considered an American holiday staple. As far as desserts go, it's certainly an intense one, with the sweetness levels reaching an all-time high.
9. American Cheese
The bright yellow, the synthetic feel, and the plastic packaging all add to the weirdness of American cheese for foreigners. Everything about this cheese feels artificial, and for many who come from other places around the world, it doesn't exactly look or taste like the delicious cheeses they're used to.
Steve Spring, aka Lazarus-long at en.wikipedia on Wikimedia
10. Pop-Tarts
Tasting like stale and overly sweet dessert treats, many foreigners are shocked to learn that some eat Pop-Tarts for breakfast. Holding essentially no nutritional value, it doesn't exactly help America's reputation of unhealthy and excessive diets.
