America’s most popular foods: 50 favorite foods of Americans

How many people can you guess what are the most popular foods in America? You will probably hear similar answers. It’s no wonder that pizza, burgers, and fries are top sellers at fast food restaurants. But have you ever thought about jiaozi or hummus? You might be interested to know that America’s 50 most popular foods go far beyond what you might find in the typical high school cafeteria.

There are many ways to choose America’s most popular foods, but Reader’s Digest turned to GrabHub’s 2022 data to see what foods Americans crave the most. This food delivery platform cooperates with 320 thousand restaurants in more than 4 thousand cities. The platform analyzed data from hundreds of thousands of users to find out exactly which foods they order over and over again. You’re sure to find some of your favorites on this list, but some options may surprise you.

So this is you and this list of America’s most popular foods:

50. Sesame Chicken

This sesame chicken, found in Chinese restaurants, was actually invented in the United States. Chicken pieces are rolled in a sweet and salty sauce of honey, ketchup, soy sauce, garlic and sesame oil. Four years ago, this dish was edged out by General Tso’s Chicken in GrabHub’s poll, but this year it won the top spot for Chinese food. Have you heard of foods that taste like chicken?

49. Nachos

It doesn’t hurt to know a little history of the food: This popular snack was created in 1943, when chef Ignacio Anaya Garcia mixed tortilla chips, cheese and jalapeño peppers to satisfy the rush of customers. In 1977, nachos became a popular stadium food. We owe this success to Frank Liberto, who introduced nachos to Arlington Stadium, home of the Texas Rangers.

48. Seaweed Salad

The classic combination topped with soy sauce, mirin, sesame, and yuzu juice is a common appetizer in Japanese cuisine (you’ve probably seen it served alongside miso soup on restaurant menus here). If you’re curious about where that stunning green color comes from, here’s a quick science lesson: chlorophyll has a high melting point, and when we boil the algae, the other pigments are destroyed, leaving behind the bright green of chlorophyll.

47. Chili

People are very picky about chili, so much so that the “World Chili Cooking Contest” is considered one of the biggest food competitions in the world. Whether Americans order Cincinnati style chili, coon carne chili, or Texas red chili, it’s pretty clear that they can’t get enough of this. feed

46. Pizza Margherita

Made with basil, mozzarella and tomatoes, this simple but iconic pizza is a staple at many Italian restaurants in America. However, its main origin is said to be Naples. The history of pizza is a bit vague, but according to a popular legend, Pizza Margherita was created by Raffaele Esposito in 1889, to commemorate the unification of Italy and in honor of Queen Margherita of Savoy. Today, pizza-loving tourists can get this experience in Naples at Pizzeria Brandi – which has a historical plaque as the birthplace of Margherita pizza.

45. Hummus

The global Homs market is currently valued at around $2.95 billion and is expected to reach $6.6 billion by 2028. So, while Homs is in a relatively low position (45th) this year, a bright future is predicted for this Middle Eastern dip.

44. Sweet Potato Fries

If the waiter always asks, “Do you want regular potatoes or sweet potatoes?” Sparks in your eyes, you are not alone. Agricultural scientist George Washington Carver discovered more than 100 new uses for the sweet potato (not to be confused with the yam). Recipes such as sweet potato pie or sweet potato wedges probably paved the way for the popularity of this potato in “fry” (hollow) form.

43. Cheese Quesadilla

In the original recipes of Kisdia or Quesadia, tortilla dough made with corn (masa) and Oaxaca cheese was used. Today, there are many variations of this Mexican food; Many restaurants use flour tortillas, Monterey Jack cheese and salsa and fresh avocado.

42. Fillet Strips (Chicken Tenders)

Americans consume eight billion (yes, billion) pieces of chicken a year, so it’s no wonder chicken appears on this list so many times. Fried chicken was invented by the Scots, but Chicken Thunder (not to be confused with nuggets) is said to have been first invented in a restaurant in New Hampshire.

41. wonton soup(Wonton Soup)

It’s no surprise that this popular Chinese dish is also popular among takeout orders: small dumplings filled with minced pork, floating in a salty chicken broth; What could be more lovely than this? The origin of this dish goes back to the Qing Dynasty (between 1644 and 1911 AD), so it can be said that it has proven its durability until today.

40. Salmon and Avocado Roll

Many people turn to sushi and sashimi for healthy options, and these rolls certainly fit the bill: A salmon and avocado roll (including six to eight pieces) has about 300 calories and provides both protein and healthy fat. .

39. A bite of garlic bread (Garlic Knots)

Garlic Nuts This popular Italian appetizer or bread was actually invented in the United States. Food historians consider New York to be its place of origin; Either in Brooklyn or Queens (not sure yet). The reason for the popularity of these breads was that it was considered a great way to use extra pizza dough.

38. Bean Burrito

The bean burrito topped the list in 2018, but in recent years its popularity has declined slightly. This dish is an Americanized version of Mexican food and you won’t find it in its common form in Mexico.

37. Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes

Yes, this is the famous Tacobel restaurant chain. Russet potato wedges lightly breaded and fried, then topped with nacho cheese and low-fat sour cream. The popular potato dish was removed from Tacobel’s menu for six months in 2020, but returned to the menu in March 2021 after much fan outcry.

36. Thai Iced Tea

While it doesn’t count as a meal, it’s a wonderful addition to many dishes (and, according to statistics, it’s ordered more than a dozen other dishes). The recipe for Thai tea is different, but usually from Turkish

35. Milkshake

Milkshakes in their current form became very popular in the 1940s and 1950s, and owe part of this popularity to the invention of drink mixers. You may think that you will never get enough of milkshakes, but the largest milkshake recorded in the world was prepared in New York with a volume of nearly 6,000 gallons; Definitely seems like once is enough!

34. Hamburger

Few foods are as iconic as the hamburger, and Connecticut should be thanked for inventing this quintessentially American dish. In “Louis’ Lunch,” Louis Lassen made steak sandwiches for the workers, but because he didn’t like to waste the extra meat, he ground it, grilled it, and sandwiched it between two slices of bread; And voilà! The hamburger was born. This restaurant is still in business in New Haven and is still owned by the same family, if you’d like to visit.

33. Chips and Queso

According to Statista, in 2020, each American consumes an average of 40 pounds (about 18 kilograms) of cheese per year. It’s no wonder that queso dip is one of the most popular foods. Homemade versions are often made with Velveeta cheese, but in its original form, it can include a wide variety of ingredients (so much so that there’s a book devoted to the different types of queso). The most minimal form of queso is melted cheese mixed with green chilies, milk, and tomatoes, and it’s also delicious.

32. chicken wings

traditional

(Traditional Chicken Wings)

According to estimates by the National Chicken Council, in 2021, Americans will have consumed about 1.42 billion chicken wings in just one Super Bowl night. If we want to give a clear picture: if you assemble these wings, they will circle the earth three times! The good news is, you don’t have to wait until Super Bowl Day to enjoy chicken wings. You can try one of these great chicken wing recipes anytime.

31. Donuts

National Donut Day is the first Friday in June, but it seems the fried confection is worth celebrating all year round. And with the 31st place on this list, others agree with you. There are more than 8,500 Dunkin’ stores in the United States. Interestingly, Dunkin started working in 1948 under the name “Open Kettle”. In 1950, its name was changed to “Dunkin’ Donuts” and in 2018, it removed the word “Donuts” and settled on the same “Dunkin”.

30. White Rice

In the United States, the average person consumes about 26 pounds of rice per year. That may sound like a big number, but it’s far less than the 221 pounds of rice that each person eats in China. Among all 50 US states, Hawaii consumes the most, with an average person eating 100 pounds of rice per year.

29. Tacos

This classic Mexican dish has been heavily “Americanized” in the United States; A look at the “Tacobel” restaurant chain is proof of this. Maybe the popular version you eat in America doesn’t bear much resemblance to traditional Mexican tacos (for example, they don’t use crunchy cornbread in Mexico). However, it’s so delicious that it’s a weekly Taco Tuesday event. Interestingly, the term “Taco Tuesdays” is actually a registered trademark! In the 1980s, Taco John’s restaurant in Wyoming coined the term to advertise two crispy tacos for a dollar.

28. Chips and Guacamole

Americans put guacamole on almost anything. This popular dip was even sent to the moon once! The Apollo 11 astronauts took some guacamole with them into space in 1969, but because Buzz Aldrin had eaten all the chips before takeoff, they couldn’t eat it there.

27. Crab Rangoon

This Polynesian-inspired appetizer has its roots in the 1940s and the famous Trader Vic’s restaurant in Los Angeles. Original version on Trader Vics with real crab meat as well as A.1. The steak was served with sauce (in addition to cream cheese), whereas Chinese-American restaurants generally use artificial crabmeat or simpler combinations.

26. Shrimp Tempura Roll

Tempura batter is made from only three ingredients: flour, ice water and egg yolk. The Portuguese introduced the idea of ​​tempura-style frying to the Japanese in the 16th century (at that time they had a dish called Peixinhos da Horta, which was a type of fried green beans). Now tempura has become a part of Japanese cooking; And when you wrap tempura shrimp with avocado and cucumber in a sushi roll, the result is quite tempting.

25. Apple Pie

The term “Americanness of apple pie” has not become popular for no reason. Apple pie has been America’s favorite dessert for centuries and is still popular today. Two things are essential to have a perfect apple pie: a crispy and buttery crust, and more importantly, fragrant apples! If you’re craving something sweeter, you can check out the best desserts in every state.

24. Cheese Fries

One of the reasons why cheese fries are so popular is their wide variety. From New Jersey disco fries served with gravy to Canadian poutine with gravy and cheese curds, and even versions like Chili cheese fries. In the 1950s, the introduction of Cheez Whiz processed cheese made it easier than ever to prepare this spicy and delicious treat.

23. Greek salad

Among the many high-calorie and delicious American foods, it is interesting that this salad reached the 23rd place. Of course, contrary to its name, this salad actually became popular in Greek-American restaurants. The feta cheese sprinkled on top of this salad adds a wonderful flavor to the lettuce and vegetables.

22. Gyoza

These Japanese dumplings (often filled with pork and cabbage) really tempt you to eat more than one! It is interesting to know that “Joey Chesnutt” (Champion of Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Competition) also holds the record for eating jiaozi. In 2014, he was able to swallow 384 jiaozi in 10 minutes, and even in 2020, he could not surpass his own record (only reached 314).

21. Spicy Tuna Roll

In 2016, GrabHub reported that Bostonians order spicy rolls eight times more often than the national average. More interestingly, the record for the order of “Krispy Spicy Roll Tun” is also held by the city of Denver; They order this sushi 15 times more than the average American!

20. Chicken Sandwich

The race for “America’s Best Fast Food Chicken Sandwich” is hot, and you can find great options at Papa’s, KFC, McDonald’s, and several other brands. However, according to the 2020 report, Chick-fil-A’s chicken sandwich is on top with 45% of the market share.

19. Boneless Chicken Wings

In 2022, boneless wings surpassed traditional chicken wings in popularity, perhaps because they offer the same flavor with less hassle. Actually, “boneless wings” are pieces of chicken breast that are cut into wings and fried or fried. Since it has no skin, it is rolled in flour and spices to simulate the golden color seen on traditional wing skin. If you need a cool drink to go with these wings, you can look for the best craft beer in your state!

18. Onion Rings

When it comes to onion rings, people tend to have very different tastes; From the type of onion to the ratio of onion to dough. For example, Burger King’s onion rings are very crispy and contain less onion, while the old recipes include large chunks of onion. In order for the dough to stick well to the onion, they usually keep the ingredients cold until the last moment; It doesn’t matter whether it’s tempura or a combination of flour, eggs or beer batter.

17. Caesar Salad

If you thought that the name of this salad was taken from “Julius Caesar”, you are very wrong! In the 1920s in Tijuana, Mexico, Chef Cesar Cardini invented this salad to serve American tourists (who came to Tijuana due to the prohibition of alcohol) with a few available ingredients. Its main ingredients are romaine lettuce, croutons, eggs, parmesan cheese, olive oil and anchovies; An authentic caesar salad must have anchovies.

16. Chicken Tikka Masala

This Indian-British dish is served with a thick, orange-red sauce that gets its unique flavor and color from tomatoes, gram masala, butter, paprika, garlic, and fenugreek. Before cooking, the chicken pieces are seasoned in yogurt. The final result is a combination of soft meat and a fragrant and thick sauce.

15. Waffle Fries

Contrary to its name, you do not need a waffle maker to make this potato model. Just use the grooved blade of the grater or mandolin and after each cut, turn the potato a little to make a grid. At Chick-fil-A, this is the most popular type of fries.

14. Macaroni and Cheese

These days, restaurants and even fast food restaurants serve multi-cheese or cream cheese mac and cheese, but originally, macaroni and cheese was a very simple and affordable food that became very popular in the 20th century due to the cheapness and simplicity of preparation with processed cheeses. It is said that “Thomas Jefferson” – or rather, his professional chef “James Hemings” – also played a role in making this dish popular in America.

13. Chicken Quesadilla

Simple Kesadia (only cheese) is in the 43rd place, but its popular version with chicken is 30 places higher and in the 13th place. According to a YouGov poll, chicken quesadilla is the third most popular Mexican food in America (behind nachos and burritos).

12. California Roll

Although there are many types of sushi on this list, the California roll ranks high among the “Americanized” models. This roll was invented in the 1960s in Los Angeles and a restaurant called Tokyo Kaikan; His chef used avocado and crab meat instead of tuna and hid nori (algae) inside the rice instead of outside to appeal to the taste of American customers.

11. Chicken Nuggets

Although there have been reports of a decline in sales of chicken nuggets in the US, the dish still has many fans. The reason for this slight decrease is the desire of a part of the people for chicken tenders (which are sometimes less processed). Saying “chicken nuggets” definitely reminds you of the classic McDonald’s version. It’s good to know that McDonald’s redesigned its nuggets in 2016, but it still retains the same famous four shapes.

10. miso soup

This simple and popular Japanese dish is a great choice to warm up on cold days. However, many of its two-fired fans may not know that its main ingredient is miso paste—composed of fermented soybeans. In addition to miso soup, this paste is also used in salad dressings and marinades for all types of meat, and creates a wonderful “umami” taste.

9. Green soybeans or edamame

Yes, soy again! Miso soup is made from fermented soybean paste, while edamame are basically unripe, green soybeans harvested before they are fully ripe, then boiled in salted water and served as an appetizer or side dish. Just take it out of the pod and eat it.

8. Garlic Naan

The bread dough puffs up in an Indian oven or pan, and then it is greased with butter (or ghee) and it tastes good. But the point is that “garlic bread” (unlike regular bread) is mixed with chopped garlic before baking, and at the end you can apply a little extra garlic butter on top. It is the combination of the aroma of garlic and butter that made the version of garlic bread more popular with the American people.

7. Mozzarella Rolls (Mozzarella Sticks)

People have been frying cheese since the Middle Ages, but the “mozzarella steak” snack as we know it probably originated in Wisconsin in the 1970s. Wisconsin is known for its cheese production; There are about 600 types of cheese, numerous cows and even a special cheese festival in this state. If you get hungry, you can go to the best self-service or buffet restaurants in each state.

6. Pad Thai

Image: Pad Thai with shrimp and vegetables in a bowl
Photographer: Nataly Hanin/Getty Images

In the 1930s and 1940s, the Thai government took steps to modernize the country: from changing the name of “Siam” to “Thailand” to introducing a new national dish called “Pad Thai”. This noodle dish soon gained world fame and became one of the most popular Asian dishes in America.

5. French Fries

The average American eats 48 pounds of French fries a year, but Belgians hold the record with 165 pounds a year. French fries are more than 200 years old, but it wasn’t until the mid-1940s that they found their usual partner, ketchup.

4. Cheese pizza (Cheese Pizza)

While Americans love variety on pizza — from pepperoni and sausage to pineapple and anchovies — nothing beats a simple cheese pizza. After all, the classics are always popular. After eating pizza, what’s better than ice cream dessert? If you’re looking for the best ice cream shop in your state, there are tons of great options!

3. hash brown (Hash Browns)

Both hash browns and home fries are popular in diners across America, but this one is so popular that it’s ranked third. Hash brown is the same grated potato that is fried until it is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Home fries are also made in a pan, but they are mixed with onions and paprika and have larger pieces.

2. cheeseburger (Cheeseburger)

Perhaps nothing is more American than a hamburger; Of course, why, cheeseburger! According to a study conducted by National Today, American cheese is the most popular cheese on burgers, followed by cheddar, pepperjack, Swiss and provolone. Meanwhile, if you are looking for the best fast food burger in America, various researches have been conducted in this field that some restaurants are considered to be the best.

1. Burrito Bowl

Chipotle enthusiasts always debate whether a burrito or a burrito is better; Some people say that Buritobol offers more bulk. This year, burritobol seems to have won the field. This dish was ranked second in Grabhub’s 2020 poll and climbed again this year. Interestingly, although famous now, burritobol actually became widely popular in the 2000s.

Source: Reader’s Digest