16 Foods Non-Americans Consider To Be Purely "American"

Few food debates get people talking faster than the question of what counts as truly American. From backyard cookouts to diner staples, the United States has built a food culture that mixes regional traditions, immigrant influences, and plenty of comfort food.

That mix is exactly what made one Reddit thread so entertaining. When user 2boredtocare asked, "What do you consider to be 'American food'?" people jumped in with everything from classic desserts to dishes tied to specific parts of the country.

The answers range from obvious to unexpected, and a few of them might surprise you. Read on.

The US is a melting pot of different cultures.

Nickelodeon

So, is there pure "American" food?

Fox

1. "S'mores. I've traveled the world, and no one knows what s'mores are besides Americans. With something like burgers, everyone everywhere knows what they are."

That answer got the thread rolling fast.

2. "Chili dogs. I love them, but I often wonder how disgusting they appear to other cultures."

3. "Definitely the blooming onion. ... Hawked by a restaurant chain that pretends to be Australian, at that!"

4. "Ranch dressing/dip. I don't think anyone else eats or uses ranch like we Americans do. We eat it with everything: salads, fries, pizza, wings, burgers..."

5. "The family I stayed with in Poland was so confused by peanut butter. I had my mom send it to me in a care package when I was there for a summer. I ate it with crackers, sandwiches, and apples. It absolutely blew their minds. Hilarious."

6. "Cranberries. One of the few fruits native to North America. We may champion apples here, but cranberries have been here longer, and I think they're underused."

This reminds us of the cousin feud, where refusing to share a treasured family recipe blew up into a catering business fight.

Refusing to Share Family Recipe with Cousin Sparks Feud

7. "As a Southern man, I consider good fried chicken, collards, and cornbread to be about as American as it gets."

8. "Clam chowder and lobster rolls feel very representative of the Northeast."

9. "I'm Puerto Rican, and many of the foods we eat come from the American influence in our culture. Potato salad, turkey, and most breakfast foods are among the American foods we eat. The notion of what counts and doesn't count as 'breakfast food' is also a very American concept."

10. "I don't think anything will ever be as quintessentially American as a cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise (and perhaps onions and/or pickles, depending on taste), French fries, and a milkshake."

11. "When I think of American food, I picture anything being cooked on one of those round charcoal barbecues. And whatever is being cooked is probably REALLY big."

12. "When I think of American food, the first thing that comes to my mind is pancakes, really fluffy ones with blueberries."

13. "Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Nobody that I know who doesn't live in the United States knows what they are. And when I tell them what they are, they get very disgusted."

14. "Chocolate chip cookies. I remember my old boss told me he made them for his friends in France, and their minds were blown by those hot, fresh cookies."

15. "That bright yellow plastic processed 'cheese' made of something that's definitely not cheese."

16. "Bacon seems to be a defining add-on to everything that makes it feel American."

Some of these picks are classic, and some are just plain funny.

We have to say that we were surprised by the absence of meatloaf and mac and cheese. Well, there are some really interesting answers here.

And while we can agree or disagree with the Redditors, one thing is certain, this sure aroused our appetite. The question is: what to eat now?

Want more “share it or else” drama, read how a secret meatloaf recipe sparked a restaurant rivalry.

Family Feud: Refusing to Share Secret Meatloaf Recipe Sparks Restaurant Rivalry