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Original poster

What do Americans eat?

40 replies

user1468316219 · 12/07/2016 12:15

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?

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bakingaddict · 12/07/2016 19:47

I once had one of DH's relatives stay with her American boyfriend from Chicago. He had never had curry before but really enjoyed the take-away we ordered as he said you just don't get that type of food where he was from

Flannelmcpoppety · 12/07/2016 19:51

I think Americans tend to have a bit more strongly flavoured foods than Brits; maybe also more salt. So I'd give them whatever you normally eat but put salt and pepper on the table too (maybe you usually do anyway).

Also, cream tea. Definitely.

Original poster

user1468316219 · 13/07/2016 07:58

Thanks for the responses (including the sarky ones).

I realise that part of the point of going to a foreign country is to have new experiences (including culinary experiences), but I also realise that that might not be the case for everyone. (I think I was subconsciously remembering when we had a girl staying from Berlin: Germans never seem to eat vegetables. And she had no idea what to do with fish and chips - well the fish anyway.)

And I was wondering about taking her to our local curry house, given that (I think) Americans don't do curry - so thanks for the tip from bakingaddict.

Bacon sandwiches - absolutely. But not lamb...
Thanks for the tips

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lovelyupnorth · 13/07/2016 08:01

Just cover everything with sugar and honey. Ideally remove all taste. Have you ever tried hamburger helper.

After living in the states for 4 months I just wanted a plan unglazed carrot.

MysteriesOfTheOrganism · 13/07/2016 08:08

I seem to recall that they eat cow pie.

Yeh, showing my age

MiddleClassProblem · 13/07/2016 09:02

Just a point that some Americans do do curry it just depends where they are from but it is a larger culture in uk and American is a very big place with a wide expanse of ways of life.

Also would like to point out that Germans do eat vegetable...

lljkk · 13/07/2016 10:10

I agree with MCP. Curries in California are much lighter than the (mostly Bengali?, very oily) curries you get in UK. But we can handle both.

My big thing about cooked German food is it's so salty ime (in Berlin area, anyway). English or American food may taste a bit bland to many Germans. Plenty of veg... just very salty.

DoItTooJulia · 13/07/2016 10:30

Get to sainsburys, they had twinkies in the world food aisle!!

SenecaFalls · 13/07/2016 12:00

And I was wondering about taking her to our local curry house, given that (I think) Americans don't do curry

Definitely take her for curry. I developed my love of Indian food when I was a student in the UK. Lucky for me, I live in an area in the US that has some very good Indian restaurants. Thai food is also readily available here.

MiddleClassProblem · 13/07/2016 12:44

Many of the U.K. Curries are just that and nothing to do with India which is a lovely institution in itself. Definitely try to find out if there's things she doesn't/can't eat and then go from there.

My American friends came over and we did a Sunday roast with Watson mess for pud just to welcome them to British life. They loved it, as roasts where they are from are Christmas and thanksgiving (with marshmallows on yams). It is tempting to throw loads of British dishes at them but then that's not really how we live day to day lol

shostakovich · 13/07/2016 13:19

Watson mess?

user1467101855 · 13/07/2016 13:23

Americans have pet lambs??

MiddleClassProblem · 13/07/2016 13:26

Eton mess! Sorry, typo x

SenecaFalls · 13/07/2016 16:56

Not many pet lambs, user. Before World War II, Americans did eat lamb to a greater extent. Supposedly the aversion to lamb can be traced to World War II when so many American soldiers and airmen served overseas and were fed not-so-young-and-tasty mutton. When they came home, they didn't want to see another sheep product again. My dad was one of these. He said that it was all "lamb, ram, sheep, and mutton" and he never wanted to see it again. I did eventually learn to like lamb. But I am in the minority. Americans consume an average of 1 lb. lamb per person annually compared to 61 lbs of beef.

Veterinari · 13/07/2016 18:15

Lamb isn't much sold in the USA (outside of ethic minorities) because most USA meat (beef) is raised in feedlots and fed corn. The corn/maize lobby in the USA is massive and the amount of land needed to raise grass fed lamb would make cheap USA meat much pricier. That's why Beef is the USA is oily, lamb is not-existent and absolutely everything is stuffed with high fructose corn syrup - the mass allocation of land to maize production influences all aspects of American food production (and health)

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