With 4th of July right around the corner, I thought that it’d be a good idea to look back on our American history… but we’re keeping this history centered on food. Just the way I like it! Here are 10 classic American foods that have withstood the test of time. These popular family-favorite recipes may have started off small, but they’ve grown to become household names. We’ll start at the beginning and work our way through the American food timeline. Get ready, we’re taking a trip across the USA.
P.S. If you want to read more about Great American Recipes by State… click here!
1700s: Blueberry Cobbler
After establishing towns in the 13 colonies, English settlers attempted to make their traditional suet pudding. Unfortunatley, due to lack of ingredients and cooking equipment, they were unable to create the popular dish. Instead, they created the current favorite American food, the blueberry cobbler.
Okay, I know that this picture to the left doesn’t show an actual Blueberry Cobbler, but this Guilt-Free Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler is still super delicious. It would be perfect to take to a 4th of July party or potluck.
1790: Apple Pie
Okay, I shouldn’t have included apple pie in this list because, technically, it doesn’t originate in America. This list, however, wouldn’t be complete without apple pie. The classic pie came over to the colonies in 1780, but you could find apple pies in England much earlier. But because I’m writing this blog, I’m going to pretend that apple pies origniated in America. There’s a reason that we say something is as “American as apple pie”.
Grandma Jean’s Apple Pie is my favorite recipe. A party isn’t the same without this classic American dish.
1871: Hot Dogs
Charles Feltman opened up the first hot dog stand on Coney Island, and it was an immediate hit! They sold over 3,500 hot dogs in just the first year! Hot dogs are still a classic American food that families around the USA love.
These Homemade Hot Dog Buns would perfectly complement your hot dogs. I suggest cooking your hot dogs over a bonfire because the smokey flavor makes them taste absolutely delicious!
1924-1926: Cheeseburgers
Did you know that cheeseburgers were actually created by accident? The story goes that a man in Pasadena, California burnt one of the burgers that he was making. In order to cover up his mistake, he topped the burger patty with cheese. Waalaa! The first delicious cheeseburger was born!
You wouldn’t find this Naked Burger at any fast food joint. This cheeseburger recipe would be perfect for a summer dinner.
1927: S’mores
Ready. Set. Go. NAME THIS MOVIE!
“Hey, Smalls, you wanna s’more?”
“Some more of what?”
“No, do you wanna s’more?”
“I haven’t had anything yet, so how can I have some more of nothing?”
“You’re killing me Smalls!”
If you guessed Sandlot, then we can officially be best friends. That movie is in my top ten favorite movies of all time. Okay, so back to American history. S’mores were created by the Girl Scouts in 1927, and I’m so glad they were because s’mores make any bonfire better.
Although these Flourless S’more Cookies aren’t the typical s’more, they still have the same great taste. Plus, they travel well!
1930: Sloppy Joe
I still remember my first sloppy Joe, and, trust me, it lived up to its name. It definitely was a bit messy, but I loved it! The first sloppy Joe began as a loose meat sandwich, and the person who made it was named Joe. I probably could have guessed that!
Grab some napkins when you make these delicious Gluten-Free Sloppy Joes. It’ll be so delicious!
1930: Philly Cheesesteak
Supposedly, Pat Olivieri, a South Philadelphia hot dog vendor, decided to put some butcher beef on his grill. A taxicab driver passing by asked for his own steak sandwich, and, the next day, cab drivers all around Philadelphia came to Olivieri demanding steak sandwiches. The cheese component came later.
These aren’t the traditional Philly Cheesesteaks, but these Manliest Philly Cheese Steak Wraps are absolutely delicious. They are great for lunch or dinner. I wholeheartedly recommend these wraps.
1938: Chocolate Chip Cookies
Freshly baked chocolate chip cookies are so addicting. It’s hard to eat just one. We all should thank Ms. Ruth Graves Wakefield for her cookie creation. Did you know that the first chocolate chip cookie was called “Toll House Chocolate Crunch Cookie”?
You definitely won’t regret making these gluten-free Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies. You’ll never try a different chocolate chip cookie recipe again!
1943: Chicago-Style Pizza
Growing up in Chicago, it was almost a sin to like any other pizza besides Chicago-Style Pizza. My whole family knows the story of how the pizza came to be (like every good Chicagoan), but I can’t assume that everyone is as crazy as my family. I’ll give you a little snippet of the story. In 1943, Uno’s Pizzeria came up with the idea that a pizza should be heartier than the basic thin-crust pizza. They wanted to make pizza a meal rather than a snack. Lucky for us, they created the Chicago-Style Pizza, and we’ve never gone back to the dark ages of ordinary pizza.
This classic American food is known around the country, and now you can create a homemade version with this Deep Dish Chicago Style Pizza. Even if you don’t live in the “Windy City,” you won’t miss out on this delicious pizza.
1964: Buffalo Wings
Last, but certainly not least, we have buffalo wings. Buffalo wings were created in Buffalo, New York (pretty obvious, right?) by Teressa Bellissimo. She tossed the wings in some cayenne pepper hot sauce and butter, and called it a day. These wings pleased everyone in New York, and the rest of the story is history.
These Buffalo Wings will be sure to satisfy everyone. Whenever I’m looking for a fun dinner recipe to make I always pull out this family-favorite American food.
Would you add any other classic American food to this list?
If you want to learn more about American food favorites, then check out these two websites: American Food: The 50 Greatest Dishes and 15 Traditional American Recipes.
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