# 15 things Americans eat that Foreigners hate **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 4, 2014, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307 "2014-12-04T12:38:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/221 "2014-12-06T01:20:10Z")
[Annette!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-VfjUnT29g) ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/222 "2014-12-06T01:21:17Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > They do taste different, and I like both. At least with the grits I’ve had, it’s like trying to say that (non-nixtamilized) corn and hominy are the same. This board was the first place I’ve seen the grits=polenta thing, and it never made a lick of sense to me, as they seem distinct to me. There are varieties of grits that can be bought in the South that aren’t made from hominy. That’s probably why you’re experiencing a disconnect. I’ve said it in other threads, but I have a very hard time believing that anyone could like polenta, but not like grits. Yeah, there are some subtle taste differences, but none that are particularly pronounced after adding salt, pepper, butter, milk, cheese, etc. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/223 "2014-12-06T01:47:13Z")
American food is becoming more and more popular in China, but a few things don’t translate well. My students were always horrified at the idea of eating a cold lunch (sandwiches, etc.) In China, lunch is generally the main meal of the day, and most schools and workplaces have a long lunch break so that you can go home and eat a hot meal (and take a nap.) The other thing that freaked them out was peanut butter-- they had all heard of it, but found the thought gross. Cheese was also unpopular, because who wants to eat spoiled milk? ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/224 "2014-12-06T01:51:47Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > Cheese was also unpopular, because who wants to eat spoiled milk? It may be changing [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6934709.stm](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6934709.stm) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/225 "2014-12-06T02:13:05Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > There are varieties of grits that can be bought in the South that aren’t made from hominy. That’s probably why you’re experiencing a disconnect. Yeah, I’m aware of that in theory, but the only grits I’ve had have been of the hominy type (at least as far as I know, because none of them could be confused with polenta in my estimation.) Like I said, I like both, but I could see liking one and not the other if we’re talking hominy vs corn. There’s a particular flavor to hominy, like when I thicken chili with masa harina (hominy flour) vs corn meal. Substantially different flavors to me, and I don’t think I have the most discerning sense of taste (though I love food and cooking and end up in a lot of “foodie” threads.) It took me awhile to enjoy chili thickened with masa harina because it had such a distinct flavor to it, whereas when I thickened it with corn meal, it didn’t have that particular flavor to it. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/226 "2014-12-06T02:29:24Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Does chicken pot pie count as a “meat pie”? I thought that was pretty universal all over the US? I think of it more as a casserole, as opposed to the empanada-style fried pies or the baked pasties. As to white gravy on biscuits…bleh. Library paste, no matter how much sausage you drown in it. I like a nice brown gravy on them, though–my Cajun side coming through. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/227 "2014-12-06T02:42:48Z")
How 'bout Scrapple? > **[Scrapple](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrapple)** > > Scrapple, also known by the Pennsylvania Dutch name Pannhaas ("pan tenderloin" in English), (compare: Panhas) is traditionally a mush of pork scraps and trimmings combined with cornmeal and wheat flour, often buckwheat flour, and spices. The mush is formed into a semi-solid congealed loaf, and slices of the scrapple are then pan-fried before serving. Scraps of meat left over from butchering, not used or sold elsewhere, were made into scrapple to avoid waste. Scrapple is primarily eaten in Scr... [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJfwo4h5ygM) ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/228 "2014-12-06T05:03:35Z")
> [@Balance](#): > > As to white gravy on biscuits…bleh. Library paste, no matter how much sausage you drown in it. I like a nice brown gravy on them, though–my Cajun side coming through. White gravy with sausage bits is a lot better with Tabasco Sauce. That’s what I always add the rare times I do eat them (although I prefer them over hash browns rather than biscuits). ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/229 "2014-12-06T05:45:08Z")
> [@lost4life](#): > > Yes, scrapple is very regional, mostly the PA/NJ area (although I have seen frozen scrapple available in the south). Most people I knew in that area considered it offal… Interestingly, I worked at a breakfast restaurant in MD for several years. Scrapple was pretty big there and in DE. Most of our seasonal employees from PA (mostly PA college students) had never heard of it. That said, I have often seen/heard the same thing about PA being one of the areas it’s supposed to be “big” in. I live in the Midwest now and I can find it in 1 grocery store. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/230 "2014-12-06T05:54:28Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > Those of you who are saying Frito pie sounds disgusting, are you objecting to the method of serving or just the combination of chili and corn chips? I’m not particularly repulsed by it, but to me there is simply no good reason to include corn chips. I’m not a fan of Fritos in general. I’m not a big chili eater, but I eat it without corn chips or spaghetti or whatever else it is people are always putting it on. I dislike “walking tacos” because I think they are just stupid. 1. A taco shell is not that exotic in the US in 2014. Most grocery stores carry about 6 different brands. You can get it crunchy or soft, flour or corn. They range in price from around 4-20 cents a piece. Pretty simple thing. I don’t see the point of not just using a taco shell. 2. OK, so instead of a shell, you want chips. So use tortilla chips or strips. Why the hell Fritos? This does seem like an intentional attempt to “Americanize” something in a very bad way. So, that aspect of it is annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/231 "2014-12-06T06:03:51Z")
dp. stupid internal server errors. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/232 "2014-12-06T06:06:37Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I’m a “damn Yankee” American, and I don’t like grits, never had biscuits and gravy (never care to), never had a corn dog, and have never even heard of Frito Pie. > [@neofishboy](#): > > Go back to Russia!! > [@silenus](#): > > Absolutely! > Damn commies… And as I very disturbingly seem to recall **John** , you also don’t eat macaroni and cheese. I dunno…the more I see you write about your strange, foreign ways, the more I start really thinking of the **The Manchurian Candidate** or perhaps **The Americans** :). ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/233 "2014-12-06T06:13:25Z")
[quote=“Small\_Hen, post:99, topic:706307”] I think my adoration of fake cheese may be the trashiest thing about me. I rarely have Velveeta or Easy Cheese (Cheese Whizz) in the house, not because it’s an abomination, but because I will eat all of it./QUOTE] I’ve seen this in a couple posts (I think earlier someone referred to Cheese Whiz as spray cheese), but, at least as far as what I’ve consumed and what I see commercially available, Cheese Whiz and Easy Cheese are different things. Cheese Whiz comes in a jar. It’s a liquidy dip, like a salsa con queso dip without the salsa. Easy Cheese is in the can with a spray nozzle and my kids squirt it on crackers. Velveeta basically turns into Cheese Whiz when you melt it. I was stuck with a pound of it due to being in charge of preparing a family holiday recipe that required 1 pound but I could only purchase a 2 lb block. I used it to make a modified potatoes au gratin that actually turned out OK. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/234 "2014-12-06T06:24:45Z")
> [@RobDog](#): > > Grits – I believe this to be polenta. A peasant food of which I want no part. 2nd time (early in the thread) that someone, I’m assuming non-American, has referred to grits as a “peasant food.” Maybe my interpretation of that owes to cultural differences, but as far as attitudes toward food goes, I can’t imagine anyone I know in America saying something like that as a reason for not consuming a food. Maybe you might say something like since you didn’t grow up in the South, you aren’t used to eating it. I guess a lot of food is regional, whether it’s grits, fried chicken, a bucket of crabs, ribs, whatever. Most of the people I know who eat grits have higher incomes, actually. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Burden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/958977/32.png) [@Jack\_Burden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Burden)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/235 "2014-12-06T06:37:08Z")
Without Velveeta, there is no chile con queso in the crock pot. Without chile con queso, there is no reason for tortilla chips to exist and no Super Bowl party is complete. And it’s so damn easy! Cut a block of Velveeta into chunks, throw in crock pot with a can of Rotel and a can of diced green chiles and a splash of milk, heat a couple of hours, bliss out. ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/236 "2014-12-06T07:59:24Z")
> [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](#): > > 2nd time (early in the thread) that someone, I’m assuming non-American, has referred to grits as a “peasant food.” > > Maybe my interpretation of that owes to cultural differences, but as far as attitudes toward food goes, I can’t imagine anyone I know in America saying something like that as a reason for not consuming a food. Maybe you might say something like since you didn’t grow up in the South, you aren’t used to eating it. Here’s an anecdote about similar foods cooked differently: About 13 years ago I was in a sort of vegan bakery/cafe in Vancouver. A blonde woman (Natural blonde, looked Scandinavian) wearing a Guatemalan huipil and oa was getting some potato samosas and was talking to her friend. “No, I don’t eat perogies… they are what WHITE PEOPLE eat.” Perogies: A pocket of white flour dough containing mashed potatoes /with or without cheese, or onions. Boiled, then possibly pan fried (with or without onions and bacon) Served with sour cream. Potatoes Samosas- A flour dough pocket filled with diced potatoes, with/without other vegetables, and onions, with some spices. Deep fried. Sometimes served with yogurt. Okay… ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/237 "2014-12-06T12:34:27Z")
> [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](#): > > Interestingly, I worked at a breakfast restaurant in MD for several years. Scrapple was pretty big there and in DE. Most of our seasonal employees from PA (mostly PA college students) had never heard of it. That said, I have often seen/heard the same thing about PA being one of the areas it’s supposed to be “big” in. > > I live in the Midwest now and I can find it in 1 grocery store. It probably depends on the part of PA. I live in the Philly suburbs and it’s very well known here. It may not be so well known in the western part of the state. It’s a Pennsylvania Dutch thing so I think proximity to Lancaster may be the determinant. What brand of scrapple did you serve? Haverset is the big one around here. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/238 "2014-12-06T12:50:33Z")
Speaking of peanut butter sandwiches, who here is familiar with fluffernutters? > **[Fluffernutter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluffernutter)** > > A fluffernutter (also called a "peanut butter and marshmallow sandwich", "peanut butter and marshmallow fluff sandwich", or "peanut butter and marshmallow stuff sandwich") is a sandwich made with peanut butter and marshmallow creme usually served on white bread. Variations of the sandwich include the substitution of wheat bread and the addition of various sweet, salty, and savory ingredients. The term fluffernutter can also be used to describe other food items, primarily desserts, that incorpo... > [@](#): > > A Fluffernutter is a sandwich made with peanut butter and marshmallow creme usually served on white bread. I ate them as a kid but haven’t had one in years. I didn’t eat them often. I think my parents had too much sense to allow that. It’s basically eating candy on bread. If I recall correctly, it came about as the result of a marketing campaign by a brand (Kraft?) of marshmallow fluff. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/239 "2014-12-06T13:15:03Z")
> [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](#): > > Here’s an anecdote about similar foods cooked differently: > About 13 years ago I was in a sort of vegan bakery/cafe in Vancouver. A blonde woman (Natural blonde, looked Scandinavian) wearing a Guatemalan huipil and oa was getting some potato samosas and was talking to her friend. “No, I don’t eat perogies… they are what WHITE PEOPLE eat.” > > Perogies: A pocket of white flour dough containing mashed potatoes /with or without cheese, or onions. Boiled, then possibly pan fried (with or without onions and bacon) Served with sour cream. > > Potatoes Samosas- A flour dough pocket filled with diced potatoes, with/without other vegetables, and onions, with some spices. Deep fried. Sometimes served with yogurt. > > Okay… I’d say it’s pretty obvious-one is without cheese, the other is without vegetables. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/240 "2014-12-06T13:16:55Z")
> [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](#): > > Here’s an anecdote about similar foods cooked differently: > About 13 years ago I was in a sort of vegan bakery/cafe in Vancouver. A blonde woman (Natural blonde, looked Scandinavian) wearing a Guatemalan huipil and oa was getting some potato samosas and was talking to her friend. “No, I don’t eat perogies… they are what WHITE PEOPLE eat.” > > Perogies: A pocket of white flour dough containing mashed potatoes /with or without cheese, or onions. Boiled, then possibly pan fried (with or without onions and bacon) Served with sour cream. > > Potatoes Samosas- A flour dough pocket filled with diced potatoes, with/without other vegetables, and onions, with some spices. Deep fried. Sometimes served with yogurt. > > Okay… To be fair, the spicing does make them quite different. I doubt my Polish-born mother would enjoy samosas, but we all love our pierogi. (And I love my samosas, too. But the spicing does take them from Central/Northern European fare to something completely different. I know plenty of folks who love pierogi but can’t stomach any Indian food, including samosas.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307.md?page=13)