20 Favorite Foods That Reveal Which Part of America You Grew Up In
The Favorite Food Shoved In Each State
Every region of America has foods that locals grow up eating, whether they're served at family cookouts, picked up from a neighborhood restaurant, or made according to a recipe that's been passed down for generations. Some dishes are so closely tied to certain states that people who grew up elsewhere might not even understand the appeal. If any of these foods were regular features of your childhood, there's a good chance your hometown left a lasting impression on your taste buds.
1. New England Clam Chowder
Perhaps if you're from the Northeast, you grew up eating clam chowder. Mainly in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, clam chowder can taste like a summer afternoon on the shoreline. You'll also find plenty of debate over what belongs in a proper bowl, but adding tomatoes is likely to start an argument with fans of the classic New England version.
2. Southern Fried Chicken
Maybe you grew up in the South and spent a majority of your childhood at Sunday dinners, family reunions, and church functions. Fried chicken is typically seasoned with different seasonings, then dipped in flour or some sort of coating. Recipes vary from family to family, so you might swear that your grandmother's seasoning blend is the only one worth using.
3. Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza
Did you eat pizza that had a large amount of butter and crust in it, as well as cheese and chunks of tomatoes? If you did, you probably lived in Chicago or near Chicago. Unlike a traditional thin-crust pie, this version is baked in a deep pan, giving it a substantial base that can hold plenty of toppings.
4. Texas Brisket
If family gatherings meant spending hours around a barbecue pit, there's a good chance Texas barbecue was part of your upbringing. Barbecue usually features beef but can be made with almost any meat you would like. There is normally a dark-colored coating around the beef, and the meat is smoked for hours.
5. Louisiana Gumbo
There are so many ways to make gumbo if you grew up in Louisiana. It is typically made with roux and can be served over rice. Served over rice, gumbo is a staple at many gatherings, and asking someone for their recipe might lead to a passionate explanation of why their version is the best.
6. New York Bagels With Lox
If weekend breakfasts involved a chewy bagel topped with cream cheese, smoked salmon, and perhaps capers or red onion, you might have grown up in New York City or its surrounding area. New York has an abundance of bagel places to choose from, and there are arguments over which place makes the best bagels. Everyone now wants to open bagel shops, and those who are from New York will look down on the rest of the country.
7. Pennsylvania Dutch Shoofly Pie
A childhood in Pennsylvania, particularly in areas with strong Pennsylvania Dutch traditions, may have introduced you to shoofly pie. Many families that grew up in Pennsylvania remember having this type of pie in their homes. Shoofly pie is made with molasses and has a crumble topping.
8. California Fish Tacos
Fish tacos could have been something you ate growing up if you lived in California. Typically, fish tacos consist of fish wrapped up with cabbage, salsa, and sauce in a tortilla shell. With strong Mexican culinary influences throughout the region, fish tacos became a favorite that many Californians enjoy at casual beachside spots and neighborhood taquerias.
9. Wisconsin Cheese Curds
If you enjoyed eating cheese curds when you were younger, you may have lived in Wisconsin. There are many cheese curd lovers in Wisconsin, and they like to share them with others. Fresh curds are known for their mild flavor and characteristic squeak when you bite into them, while fried versions offer a crisp coating and a gooey center.
10. Maryland Crab Cakes
Maybe summers were spent eating crabs, or maybe you just ordered them from your family's favorite restaurant. If you lived in Maryland, you may have enjoyed crab cakes as a child. Old Bay seasoning is closely associated with the area's seafood culture, and many locals have definite opinions about how much breading a proper crab cake should contain.
11. New Mexico Green Chile Cheeseburgers
When you grow up in New Mexico, you come to learn that they add green chiles to their burgers. Not everyone knows about green chiles, so when traveling to other states, you may not see them as an option. You'll find variations throughout the state, and the annual chile harvest helps keep this ingredient firmly rooted in local food culture.
amirali mirhashemian on Unsplash
12. Minnesota Tater Tot Hotdish
If your childhood dinners included a casserole topped with a neat layer of crispy tater tots, Minnesota might be your home state. If your hotdish consisted of tater tots, you probably lived in Minnesota. Many states have their own versions of tater tot casseroles, but the term hotdish is particularly associated with Minnesota.
13. Hawaii Spam Musubi
Hawaii is known for its food, but maybe one of the many foods you enjoyed while growing up was Spam musubi. Many schools had it as an option for lunch, and it can also be found in grocery stores. Its popularity reflects Hawaii's distinctive food culture, which blends influences from Native Hawaiian traditions, Japanese cuisine, and the islands' diverse immigrant communities.
14. Missouri Toasted Ravioli
Toasted ravioli is another food item you would enjoy if you lived in Missouri. It's typically found as an appetizer at Italian restaurants. The dish is closely associated with St. Louis Italian-American cuisine, and locals often treat it as an essential order when introducing visitors to the city's food scene.
15. Kentucky Hot Brown
People who grew up in Kentucky, especially around Louisville, may recognize the Hot Brown as a classic restaurant dish that occasionally appears at family celebrations. You may have seen it when going to family dinners or restaurants. It typically consists of a piece of bread topped with turkey and bacon, along with a rich Mornay sauce.
16. Florida Key Lime Pie
If your favorite dessert had a tangy filling, a crumbly graham cracker crust, and a dollop of whipped cream, Florida may have been your childhood home. The taste of a Key lime pie will take your mind back to when you were a child. Many people have recipes for this dessert and believe their recipe is the best.
17. Idaho Baked Potatoes
Potatoes are always associated with Idaho. You may remember eating a baked potato with all kinds of toppings on it. Idaho is particularly associated with russet potatoes, which are well suited to baking, and the state's potato industry has helped make this humble side dish a familiar symbol of home.
18. Cincinnati Chili
If your childhood chili was served over spaghetti and topped with a mountain of shredded cheese, you might have grown up in Cincinnati, Ohio. Maybe when you were young, you had chili with spaghetti and cheese on top of it. People have become very competitive about what goes on top of their chili.
19. Pacific Northwest Salmon
Salmon was most likely a favorite food you grew up with if you lived in Washington or Oregon. Many fish are available to eat in these states, but salmon is what many people know. Salmon is also important to many Indigenous communities in the region, and local food traditions reflect a long history of harvesting and preparing it.
PublicDomainPictures on Pixabay
20. Pennsylvania Soft Pretzels
Pretzels can be found all over, but if you grew up in Pennsylvania, you remember eating them. Whether it was at the farmers market or from the local bakery, soft pretzels may have been a familiar part of your childhood. Philadelphia and the surrounding areas have particularly strong pretzel traditions, and you might even remember buying them from street vendors on the way to school or during a day out.
KEEP ON READING
The Most Popular Signature Dishes Around the World
