What do Americans eat?

[user1468316219]

My daughter's girlfriend is coming over to stay in a week or two and am unsure how to feed her.

Our staple diet seems so British - shepherd's pie, rhubarb crumble, stir fry - and not immediately sure how Americans would react.

Any experiences of feeding the yanks?

[BluePitchFork]

what you offer sounds fine to me.
maybe plan a couple of meals and then go supermarket shopping with her?

[MiddleClassProblem]

I think like with anyone in the world it depends on the person so just serve them what you like day one and see if they liked it. Some like new things and other don't just as everyone has things they like to eat or won't. Their diet isn't that different to ours

[e1y1]

Part of the experience of going abroad is trying different foods and dishes, she may actually like some of our fare.

Maybe best for your dd to ask her friend what she would like. Somethings will be completely alien to her - chips and egg for example.

Youtube is amazing is a really good source of information, if you just type in American recipes/foods, you will get loads of videos come up.

[AYD2MITalkTalk]

If I were going to stay with family in another country, I'd much, much rather they fed me what they eat themselves rather than a (probably) dodgy imitation of my home country's food! Having said that, if I were you I'd have some neutral foods around that are likely to be inoffensive to anyone, just in case she really can't bear some of the food, and make sure she knows you really want her to have something else and won't at all put out if she doesn't really like the meal .

[SoupDragon]

Lol - I don't think Americans are that different to us when it comes to eating!

[ineedamoreadultieradult]

Presumably your daughters girlfriend is not a child so more than capable or trying new foods and also not feeling they have to eat something they don't like. Check if she has any dietary requirements and just go from there. I would only plan the first day then play it by ear. Is she going to eat all her meals with you? Presumably they will be out and about and your daughter can surely cook sometimes as well.

[EightNoineTen]

Just serve what you usually do. Ask if there's anything she really likes or really doesn't like. When I go to another country I usually want to try their food, not have the same stuff I get at home.

[Lweji]

Our staple diet seems so British - (...) stir fry

Anyway, I agree with others. Offer her the food you normally eat (that's part of the point of going elsewhere) and ask her.
Different people also have different preferences.

[SenecaFalls]

I don't think Americans are that different to us when it comes to eating!

Generally speaking, I think this is true, but as for shepherd's pie, one thing that I will point out is that Americans eat very little lamb, and some people might find it a bit off-putting. Cottage pie is fairly common in the US, with ground beef, and is often called shepherd's pie, but the real thing with lamb would be unusual in the US.

[lovelybangers]

I have American family members- and do find that the meals we are offered when over there are different to what I would choose at home.

But basically all the same ingredients - just put together in a different way.

Bacon butties were a massive hit.

Marmite - not so much of a hit ;)

I did a proper roast pork dinner - including Yorkshire puddings and gravy - that was a massive hit - and is still mentioned now and again (by them)

As mentioned above- just find out if there is anything your visitor can't or won't eat and carry on with your regular cooking.

[SenecaFalls]

Bacon butties. Ah yes. Give her those. It is difficult to get British style back bacon in the US so most Americans will not have had it. I still remember my first taste of a bacon roll in the UK. Food of the gods.

[lovelybangers]

With brown sauce too. A whole new taste sensation ;)

I sent our visitors to the local butchers (for the experience, and to get them out of the house) to get pork pies. They were a hit too.

Also proper fish and chips served in newspaper another day. ;)

But younger people don't like the traditional foods as much I don't think.

[feralcat19]

We gave US visitors pancakes (crepes) once. They thought they were vile because they were expecting scotch pancakes I guess (stacked high drizzled with maple syrup and crispy bacon - sigh). not so different you would have thought, but there you go.

[OlennasWimple]

Ask her what she likes (broad food groups, rather than specific dishes) and stock up on things like bagels to have as a back up

[Veterinari]

Give her some pickled onion monster munch, brown sauce, vintage cheddar and henderson's relish

British food often has sharper flavours which can be a surprise for Americans. Beef there is usually corn-fed and oilier than our mostly grass-fed beef, so she may find british beef 'chewy' Lamb isn't often eaten so maybe treat her to a lovely roast with mint sauce

[SweetChickadee]

I'd be careful with lamb - check first.

They're usually not keen. I'm in Canada and a lot of people see it a bit like rabbit - eating a pet

[CordeliaNaismith]

Google tells me there are around 322 million people in America. I think trying to make generalisations about what they eat is virtually impossible. Much more sensible would be to ask your visitor directly whether there are any specific foods she likes or dislikes as it will make it easier for both of you when she arrives.

[ellie264]

Agree with PP that you should just cook what you normally would and let her tell you if she doesn't like something, but Mac n Cheese is a firm favourite amongst my American family.

[SenecaFalls]

I agree about the generalizations, but the fact that Americans don't eat much lamb is clearly borne out by statistics.

[lljkk]

The fact that you are worrying about her food is very English.

My English inlaws assume everyone is as fussy and restrictive about food as they are. They don't understand trying different food. They assume folk want to eat the same food for every meal (like they do). MIL goes to great pains to try to feed us what we she thinks we like. I find all this bizarre.

When I was a small child, my American parents ridiculed me for not being willing to try almost anything, and would consider it disgraceful for an adult to be overall fussy.

If you want to do one kind thing, I'd check if she's a big coffee fan. A lot of my American relatives can't get moving in morning without it. Instant will do for a visit (big jar, maybe). Everything else is part of her adventure.

[imwithspud]

Glad I wasn't the only one who noticed the stir fry-British correlation

In all seriousness though, you may just have to ask. I don't think it's vastly different over there. But better to check especially when it comes to lamb.

[AYD2MITalkTalk]

Perhaps a goatherd's pie would sit better

(Only half-kidding - goat has less of that tangy, lamby flavour that puts some people off, is less greasy, and has less of the fluffy-lamb aura about it.)

[Highway61]

..and perhaps try not to refer to her as Yank, eh...

[ErrolTheDragon]

Probably steer clear of what they might term 'variety meats' ie offal ... Even yummy ones like tongue or steak and kidney pie might be beyond the comfort zone of some. Good strong cheese eg Stilton or unpasteurised continentals might be pushing some - though of course others will be delighted!

[GinandJag]

My DH's family (Ohio) eats meat and two veg for every meal. They totally reject anything like Tex Mex, Oriental or Fusion.