Steamed crabs
Crab cakes
oysters

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are very American
Pumpkin pie
Reuben sandwiches
German chocolate cake (an American invention named after the Baker’s German’s Sweet Chocolate used in the cake)
Ice cream sundaes
Ice cream sandwiches
Frito pie or walking tacos
Corn bread
Cake with American buttercream frosting

Here are a few very basic dishes I think of as American (I’m not sure of their true origins):
Scrambled eggs
Pancakes
Macaroni & beef (I’ve heard this termed American Goulash)
Cobb salad
Steak and cheese sub
Sloppy Joes
Pot roast

How about a roast chicken

Hamburgers are from Hamburg, Germany. They aren't American at all.

Oh have a good one that visitors from overseas love: crabs. The whole experience of beating crabs with those little wooden mallets is special.

I mean he's got it right. It's burgers and KFC. It sounds like all he wants is to go to a restaurant that will serve some enormous plate of crap that he can post on Instagram and be like OMG Americans eat this. He's going to have to search local tags and find it himself. It doesn't sound like anything you can do can appease him because he's not looking for authentic American cuisine which isn't that great anyway.

It’s not about asking the exchange student what they want. In many countries, hosts naturally serve dishes that are typical of their culture—paella in Spain, dolmas in the Mediterranean, onion soup in France, etc. Those foods are strongly tied to national identity.

The U.S. is different. Because it’s built from many waves of immigrants, there isn’t one single “traditional” cuisine in the same way. That’s why people struggle with this question. American food is diverse, and much of it comes from other cultures and was adapted over time—like pizza, which became very different from the Italian version.

Some foods that are distinctly American today include cornbread and U.S.-style BBQ. But the key point to explain to the exchange student is that American food reflects many cultures, not just one.

Anonymous wrote:Why don’t you try asking the exchange student instead of starting an inane thread about nothing here?

Oh man great idea, thanks!!

Anonymous wrote:Meatloaf and mashed potatoes.

Yes we did this one too, already. He didn't "believe" that this was an american dish....

Anonymous wrote:Have you asked him what HE thinks American food is?

Like maybe he's expecting casseroles or hot dish? Does he want a fancy steak and potatoes dinner? Is he thinking about regional things like Philly cheese steaks? Chicago style deep dish pizza? NY style greasy pizza? Bagels? Does he want southern food like grits?

Yes I have, multiple times, and his answer is "I dunno, KFC and hamburgers..." but I think there is some influence from tiktok going on of like grotesquely enormous plates of food (like a 4 patty burger with a pile of pulled pork and onion rings and gloppy cheese on top etc. etc.), because he specifically said that everyone thinks that is how americans eat. Obviously study abroad is meant to separate the internet lore from reality, but I don't want to be a total party pooper about it. I am willing to cook more "american" food that perhaps I don't typically cook or eat often while still staying true to whether or not we'd eat it at all (Not interested in just gross, fatty piles of garbage, I don't buy frozen stuff save for waffles, I like to cook from scratch, etc.).

I have explained chicago deep dish pizza, we did order NY style pizza one night, asked him about bagels, etc. etc. and he just says "No, I dunno..." So I think it's more on me to say, this is an american family, this is an american household, this is some normal american food, the internet is lying to you.

My family did not make casseroles growing up unless you count lasagna or eggplant parm (I am italian-american), and I have no idea what a hot dish is, which is why I posted! I'm sure there's plenty of "american" food out there I have not heard of or considered. Send it my way!

Anonymous wrote:Have you asked him what HE thinks American food is?

Like maybe he's expecting casseroles or hot dish? Does he want a fancy steak and potatoes dinner? Is he thinking about regional things like Philly cheese steaks? Chicago style deep dish pizza? NY style greasy pizza? Bagels? Does he want southern food like grits?

This is what I would guess...

Meatloaf and mashed potatoes.

Have you asked him what HE thinks American food is?

Like maybe he's expecting casseroles or hot dish? Does he want a fancy steak and potatoes dinner? Is he thinking about regional things like Philly cheese steaks? Chicago style deep dish pizza? NY style greasy pizza? Bagels? Does he want southern food like grits?

I am hosting an exchange student who wants to taste "all the american cuisine" but can't really articulate what that means beyond burgers and fried chicken. My family likes to keep a very global meal rotation (tacos, thai, pasta, indian, etc.), and while I've tried explaining that this is normal for an american house, he keeps mentioning that we don't really eat "american" food.

We have already covered BBQ, mac and cheese, fried chicken, burgers, tomato soup and grilled cheese, stupid expensive hipster lattes, starbucks, chocolate chip cookies, avocado toast, banana bread, cereal and oatmeal, bacon egg and cheese sandwiches, blueberry pancakes, breakfast potatoes, and Eggo waffles. He's been here 2 weeks.

I'm not interested in overhauling my entire approach to feeding my family for this kid, but am open to adding a few new things here and there I might not typically consider for rotation. What's YOUR favorite American food, and if there's a recipe please share! Thanks!