Despite a reputation for the ridiculous, both in calories and portions, the United States has a deep and colorful food culture. There is an abundance of items, from snacks to ingredients that tend to not exist anywhere else.
Someone asked, “Non-Americans, what’s your favorite American food you can’t get in your country?” People shared their experiences and dishes that they simply could not recreate outside of the USA. So get comfortable, assemble some snacks, and get scrolling. Be sure to upvote your favorite posts and comment your thoughts below.
Image credits: ballroombritz
#1
Was in Houston in August 2016. Me and my girlfriend (British) went to a mexican bar/restaurant called Paparruchos.Honestly, ruined Mexican food for us. We can't ever have it in the UK again, I've tried three or four times since from various places and it just doesn't even begin to compare to the pure culinary joy we got from Paparruchos.
Image credits: Sam0n
#2
Those $1 huge cans of iced tea
Image credits: PopularStuff
#3
southern style sweet potato casserole with cinnamon and crushed walnuts
Image credits: AstronautApe
While internet culture and memes have perhaps skewed most people’s perception of American food, the reality is that many, very common ingredients all hail from North and South America. Tomatoes, potatoes, squash, and pumpkin, to name a few. Think about a handful of your favorite dishes and you will no doubt find an ingredient that came from the Americas.
Given the massive size of the nation and all the different cultural influences, it’s no surprise that certain American dishes are simply better. This is a country that takes every single meal very seriously, so it simply stands to reason that non-Americans will encounter some dish so powerful that they can’t stop thinking about it.
#4
Every time I'm down in Montana, Sonics is my go to. I barely eat fast food in Canada, but I'm drawn to those cherry lime slushies, and those delicious massive f*****g chili dogs. God damn it. I'm hungry now.
Image credits: anon
#5
A friend of mine who’s a foreign exchange student misses Wisconsin deep fried cheese curds the most.
Image credits: anon
#6
American pancakes. Doughnuts. Basically diner food! I want American diners in Norway!
Image credits: Gobagogodada
In fact, the US is so large that it becomes hard to pin down what exactly is “American cuisine,” despite the stereotypes of burgers and fries. Each region has its own variations, and every group of immigrants brought with it techniques, dishes, and concepts, which were then tailored for the host of ingredients available in the USA.
#7
Living in Korea, I miss1) Italian beef/combo and hot dogs from Portillo's before they sold out.
2) Lou Malnati's and Pequads pizza
3) Fried shrimp po' boy
4) Homemade gumbo
5) Legit al pastor tacos (Mexico is a part of America)
There is a lot more I miss, but these are the big ones.
Image credits: halbi
#8
Tie between Crab cake sandwich and Cornbread. Pure heaven
Image credits: foxesarepuppercats
#9
Can’t get biscuits and gravy in the UK. Or goldfish crackers.
Image credits: anon
At the same time, the United States might be the undisputed fast food king of the world. To the degree that for many people, Mcdonald's was the first bit of exposure to American “culture,” for better or worse. Love it or hate it, fast food is a massive, dominant industry, and the US has restaurants to satisfy every craving.
#10
Velveeta, Mountain Dew, Twinkies, giant snow crab legs from Costco and Ring Pops.
Image credits: BluMondae7
#11
Fried Oreos! I was initially horrified at hearing how they were made, but damn, after I had them, it was love at first taste!
Image credits: PintSizedandCuddly
#12
I will forever have a empty feeling knowing I may never get to eat American buffalo wings again. I've tried to make them, bought them at restaurants here in Australia but nothing will ever fill the void they left. That and gumbo. I'd F*****g kill a man just to sniff the sponge that washed the plate they were served on. But seriously if anyone has a good recipe/link to a recipe for either gumbo or wings I'll give you and upvote and a personal message of thanks cos I have no idea how reddit gold works or what it is
Image credits: ilikgunsanddogs
This blend has also led to incredible levels of fusion cuisine. While some might argue that this “waters down” original dishes from the rest of the world, there is something to be said for bold combinations, new methods, and ingredients to see what works together best.
#13
Jesus hasn't anyone still mentioned MAC AND CHEESE?Creamy, tasty, super delicious
Image credits: Toutouka19
#14
maple syrup flavoured biscuits with a layer of creme icing in the middle.
Image credits: pm-me-flaccid-penis
#15
I'm American but ran across a guy from the UK earlier this year and he couldn't get enough of gas station beef jerky. He talked about how good it was for a solid 10 minutes.
Image credits: cmoneyrockchalk
As these accounts can attest, there are some things that Americans simply do better. It might not be better for your arteries, your wallet or anything else, but when it comes to flavor, it's a class of its own.
#16
Fruit Smiles, Combos, Salsa con Queso, those steam-in-bags of veggies with cheese sauce, a whole bunch of flavours of protein bars, a bunch of flavours of Halo Top ice cream, certain types of hard Ciders and different flavours of spirits.I miss the USA
#17
I'm from the UK and went to America for the first time last Summer. I absolutely loved Cracker Barrel! You can get similar meals back home but their fried chicken and honey mustard sauce were something else.#18
Lots of things, really, but the true gut-punch is the sheer **variety** of stuff you can get in the US now, especially online. Specialty ingredients can be tough to come by, and substitutes sometimes don't do much - try making Mexican food without the fantastic range of chillies.#19
I can't find dirty rice mix anywhere where I live... Hard to find cajun food ingredients in general.#20
Dr Pepper is for the ascended Gods who have transcended the coke vs pepsi debate#21
Costco four cheese pizza, its a damn good pizza.#22
Canadian here. Drive to the states specifically for Beecher’s cheese and Tillamook cheese which are not available in Canada (that I have seen anyway). I also stock up on butter because American Costco sells butter in half cup portions which are not available at home... and the cost even with the exchange rate is still cheaper in the US. Proud to have a freezer full of American butter.
Image credits: anon
#23
Almond M&Ms.
Image credits: MazzW
#24
Big Red gum. You can get it here in the UK, but for several pounds. I wish it was readily available everywhere. I frigging love it.
Image credits: momallymo
#25
Pizza flavored Pringles. They used to be available, then, they weren't anymore. I miss them. Also, Root Beer. SOMETIMES you can find Sarsparella around the place, or some A&W, but it's just not a flavor in New Zealand.
Image credits: GeebusNZ
#26
Mozzarella Sticks with Marinara Sauce! Ugh I loved that when I went to the states. Come back to Australia, and cannot find them anywhere!!
Image credits: alannah_rose
#27
Australian here. I have dreams about eating another everything bagel. ?
Image credits: LadyEmry
#28
Chick-Fil-A has become my definition of good American (fast)food. Them spicy chicken sandwiches...
Image credits: mashedpatatas
#29
Here's a 'favorite' I haven't even tried, but as a Canadian who doesn't mind a nice burger & fries, and who has heard so many frustratingly good reports about this place, it *really* bugs me we don't have In-N-Out Burger.
Image credits: anon
#30
Wendy’s, we dont have it in the UK and I always wanted to try it so i heard they had a few restaraunts in Dubai so when my dad took me to Dubai (not just to try wendy’s btw) We spent hours trying to track one down and wow! It was worth it. Great burgers and not overly expensive considering the size.If they had Wendy’s in London i would be at a serious risk of getting fat cause I’d be in there on a regular basis. I heard there used to be one in Covent Garden in London but it got closed down i think.
Wendy’s if you’re listening, make this happen.
Image credits: jag_skills
#31
There’s a few, but the ultimate is Dippin’ Dots. Holy s**t, that ice cream was *awesome* and I miss it everyday. Also, Taco Bell (though I only had it once) and Starbucks.
Image credits: SeaBeeDecodesLife
#32
Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing/dip.My mum made the dip every Christmas. We had to wait for someone to travel to the US to get us a load. Still got a few boxes left..
Image credits: Munchomania
#33
Reeses anything
Image credits: Releaseform
#34
Sourpatch watermelons honestly arouse me I wish they did them in the UK
Image credits: bortina-badboy
#35
It’s almost sacrilegious of me to say as an Englishman but I miss breakfasts. I love my full English but breakfast is something the US does so well. I lived in Manhattan for a few months and a diner, somewhere on Essex I think, did poached eggs with fried potato and onions for about $2-3 and I must’ve eaten that dozens of times whilst there. Pancakes and bacon too, we have US style places here but it is not the same.
Image credits: reWindTheFrog
#36
When I was living in the UK, I couldn't find good Tex-Mex for the life of me. People would swear by some places, "no, this place has THE BEST burritos in all of the UK! The chef is from Tijuana, gets all the ingredients imported, it's amazing!" I show up, it's burnt and dried-up meat, a half a can of s****y beans, and some other stuff rolled into a tortilla in the shape of a softball. Terrible.To be fair, I think it's not the fault of the restaurants, but the lack of ingredients. Even my own home-made guacamole was terrible over there. The avocados just weren't the same as the standard California ones, they had no flavor at all. No matter how you try to make the Tex-Mex over there, it's just never going to be the same.
Image credits: chemistographer
#37
My partner is obsessed with Lucky Charms. Apparently you can only find them in American import/expat shops in their home country. One time when I was mad at him I went to Burger King without him and got that Lucky Charms milkshake. Regretted it immediately afterward because that was like a week's worth of sugar.#38
The Cheesecake Factory#39
Flamin hot cheetos!!!!! I can find them, but they're usually $7-8 (about $6 USD) for a pack which is a bloody rip#40
Candy corn m&ms, I'm sure if I had some now they would be no where near as good as I remember but damn they were delicious#41
Taco Bell. Had it once. Loved it. Bring it to NZ please#42
I dunno if it's still available even to Americans, but on a trip to Texas in '15, I fell in love with an alcoholic apple cider from Trader Joe's. It had nothing but fermented apple juice with a bit of fresh apple juice. Friggin DELICIOUS! And I have not found any cider in Canada that A: is real (most arr artificial flavor and concentrated alcohol), and B: tastes anywhere close to this amazing elixer, zingy and fresh but not too dry, almost like a fresh McIntosh.The name was something to do with crushing apples like Smashed Cider but I forgot. Should have written it down.
#43
I no longer live in Seoul SK but it was really difficult to find peanut butter unless you were able to get some from the US army px at Yongsan or the black market.#44
Well in grew up mostly in the UK, but would visit my maternal grandparents every year spending the whole summer.Whenever I comeback, I always miss BBQ, very few countries have a good BBQ tradition like the US, and none of them are in Europe. British BBQ is burnt bland sausages and either over cooked or undercooked burgers.
Mexican and Tex-mex , Though Pakistani and Indian food, kind of fill that void at times for me.
American Chinese food- I know it’s not authentic but damn if it’s so good.
Chicken sandwiches have improved a lot in the UK, especially thanks to British Asian community, but cheese burgers have a long way to go.
My grans fried chicken, gumbos, cornbread and fried catfish, they the best.
Beans - canned bland Heinz beans aren’t proper beans, Brits think they a nation of bean eaters but they really not.
#45
Funyuns#46
Root beer#47
Well I moved to the US, so it's not much of an issue anymore, but before recent times, the UK was so far behind on what constituted as BBQ.If I flip the question, now I miss actual Fish & Chips. It's common to see on a menu here but they come out with tiny thin fries and no malt vinegar to be found. :/
#48
KFC! For some reason, we don't have that here in Sweden :(#49
I lived in Austria in the late 80s and had to have my mother send me taco seasoning. The need for Tex-Mex is powerful.#50
My high school sweetheart (20+ years ago) was a German exchange student in the US. When I visited him there, he asked me to bring Doritos, cinnamon gum, and Dr Pepper.#51
I really want to try me some Jambalaya, but I've never been able to find any at restaurants here in Ireland or when I visit the UK.#52
Chocolate Cake Shake from Portillos in Chicago, every time I go visit my fiancé’s family I insist we get one as soon as we leave the airport#53
They don't have hardly any Taco Bell, grape juice or apple butter over in the UK ? still love it there though.#54
My friend, now an expat in Japan, says Raising Cane's and Culver's.As you might guess, she's from the Midwest.
#55
You have a lot of cereals I buy and bring back to my nieces and nephews. They're not available in Canada. Would I get arrested if I brought a box of Kinder Eggs to trade for cereal?#56
I can get everything, but damn... 2€ for 1 twinkie or 14€ for 1 Pack of cpt Crunch!?#57
It's tough to get good Gumbo where I live in Canada.#58
There's this flavoured water that Walmart sells called Clear American. I drank like a litre of that s**t a day, it's awesome.Arby's is great. I've heard from Americans who hate it, but where I got it, it was really good. That chicken place that fries in peanut oil is really good, too.
#59
Chicken wings with that spicy-sweet sauce (?)Best food to have with a cold beer
#60
No particular food jumps out at me, but I do like the SIZE of American food. Haha. It's great for when you want to feel like you've gone to another planet, and everything's too big.#61
god damn XL coke from McDonalds :(#62
A&W is the nicest fast food place I've ever been. We need that and IHOP.#63
pineapple flavour (or similar to} soft drinks, i used to be able to find it in old fashion lolly shops but recently i've been unable to find it anywhere, i usually hate american brand flavours but that flavour was heaven on earth.#64
american corn pops cereal is vastly superior to canadian.#65
I've been to America twice years ago, well more like 20+ years ago and they had a chocolate milkshake in a glass bottle with a yellow top. I can't remember the name but it was amazing.#66
Garrett’s Popcorn#67
Ranch powder which you mix with water and pour over salads. I don't know if that's how you write it, but it was delicious when our American friends brought it when I was a child.#68
Ho Ho’s, Iv tried them once and have had a want for them ever since then#69
Monterey Jack cheese and Reese's peanut butter cups!from Bored Panda https://ift.tt/tYxo9WV
via Boredpanda
