10 snacks every American has eaten at some point (and it explains a lot)
America: the land of a thousand-and-one possibilities. The country where they call spaghetti with butter a dish and turn breakfast cereal and marshmallows into a ‘granola bar.’ Every American has eaten these snacks at some point in their life. And suddenly you understand why obesity is such a thing over there…
Cheerios
Cheerios are the ultimate breakfast cereal in the USA. Our version of granola, so to speak. They are incredibly popular. It may surprise you, but they are one of the healthier breakfast cereals in American supermarkets. The original version contains ‘only’ 2 grams of added sugar per serving and has quite a lot of fiber. They are eaten in a bowl of milk or yogurt.
Corn dogs
You have undoubtedly seen corn dogs in American movies. They are deep-fried hot dogs in a cornmeal batter. They were first made in Texas almost 100 years ago (in 1929). To this day, you can find stalls all over America selling corn dogs. Healthy? No—but you probably already figured that out from the words ‘deep-fried hot dog.’
Hot pockets
Hot Pockets are a bit like the ham-and-cheese pastries from our supermarkets. Or the filled pizza rolls from the freezer aisle. Essentially, they are puff pastry with a filling, baked in the oven. By now, countless flavors have appeared. Ham and cheese, of course, but also pepperoni pizza, meatballs and mozzarella, Philly Steak and cheese… Something for every greasy craving.
PB&J sandwich
No idea what PB&J means? It will probably ring a bell when I write out the meaning: peanut butter & jelly. In other words, a slice of bread with peanut butter and jam. A golden combination that has also crossed the Atlantic from America to us. The sweet-and-savory peanut butter combines wonderfully with the sweet, fruity jam. Simple to make, but incredibly tasty. That’s why it has been a hit for so long—since 1900.
Ants on a log
Ants on a log, in other words, ants on a stick. One of my favorites on this list. Not unhealthy at all: they are traditionally made with a piece of celery, a smear of peanut butter and a few raisins. Creative and tasty. No wonder they are often handed out as a treat over there.
Lunchables
When I was in an English supermarket a while ago, I saw Lunchables in real life for the first time. I couldn’t believe my eyes. A plastic box with three compartments containing crackers, pieces of cheese and slices of meat. Do people really eat this for lunch? Is it tasty? And why is that cheese such an unnatural yellow and the meat such a disgusting pink?! It must just be me, because in America (and apparently in England too), they fly off the shelves.
Buttered noodles
I have a feeling the recipe for buttered noodles was once invented for a picky eater. A mother who had completely lost her mind over her vegetable-hating children and thought: whatever, I’ll just add butter to the spaghetti. At least they’ll eat that. These days, many variations on the recipe have appeared in America. It is quite common to sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley on top. But the diehard picky-eater clan will undoubtedly want nothing to do with that.
Rice Krispies treats
Quite a few American mothers have worked tirelessly in their kitchens to make Rice Krispies treats. What are they? A kind of bar made from Rice Krispies: puffed rice grains that you normally eat with milk or yogurt. Now you’re probably wondering: how do you turn those into bars? Surely those loose grains never just stick together on their own? Correct—that’s what melted butter and marshmallows are for. A creative (and ridiculously unhealthy) solution.
Pop-Tarts
Pop-Tarts are heaven for anyone with a sweet tooth. They are a kind of rectangular pastry with a sweet filling, finished with a layer of icing on top. You warm them up in a toaster. They are available in all kinds of flavors, from strawberry to Oreo. Kellog’s came up with them in the 1960s, and they have been enormously popular year after year ever since. No fewer than 2 billion are sold each year. Wow! They were available at Jamin for a while. Who knows, maybe the Jamin near you still has them on the shelf.
Bologna sandwich
A slice of white bread topped with thick slices of meat (we know them as luncheon meat), generous dollops of mayonnaise, mustard and ketchup. That’s what a Bologna sandwich is. If you still want to get some more vegetables in, you can also add pickles and tomatoes. But most Americans are more of the stick to the stuff you know. variety.
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