Food From the 50 States

Welcome to the last day of my 10 day Hopscotching the USA series!  I’ve saved one of my favorite elements of our 50 states unit study for last: the food!

I wanted the recipes we made to be a regional dish, using a food item a state produces, or have originated in a specific state.  A few may have just been more fun than educational, but that’s okay, too. The foods helped not only make the study a lot fun but reinforced the diversity and blending of cultures in America.

These are a the resources I used to find recipes:

•  Recipes from all 50 states are listed on this site. I appreciate the work that went into finding truly unique recipes that really can be identified with something special about the state and often have the name of the state in it.

• Allrecipes.com is our family’s go-to site for recipes anyway, and if you type in a state name (or city or type of cuisine) in their search box you’re likely to find many recipes.  This would be how I found a recipe if I was familiar with a popular item (like a Philadelphia Cheesesteak sandwich). A general internet search for a well-known recipe will also turn up many results, I’m just a big fan of Allrecipes.com because of the reviews.

Just to whet your appetite, here are the foods we enjoyed that went along with our 50 states study:

Northeast

Massachusetts: Boston Creme Pie was a big hit. My son actually requested it for his birthday dessert that year.

Connecticut: We ate hamburgers in honor of Louis’ Lunch, which the Library of Congress says sold the first hamburger.  There are other locations also claiming to be the first.  It definitely appears to be a truly American meal so why not have a hamburger for each of the states?

New England: Living in New England I can tell you that maple syrup season is a special time of year.  Be sure to have some syrup for breakfast during your studies of the Northeast.

Vermont: Indulge in some Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, known for their creative flavor combinations and the names they give them.

Maine: We enjoyed our favorite recipe for blueberry muffins for breakfast (though my daughter was hoping for her favorite–boiled lobster).

New York: Luckily a local restaurant says it serves New York-style pizza.  I’m not sure if it is just like the pizza in New York, but it was delicious.

Pennsylvania: I tried my hand at Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches and for dessert we enjoyed Hershey’s Kisses

Southeast

Louisianna: I made Jambalaya and it may have been the most memorable food from the whole year.  My kids thought it was far too spicy and for some reason they remember it as the worst meal they ever ate. Even now Jambalaya is almost a scary word around here. (Which means I love to tease when they ask what’s for dinner.  “Why, it’s Jambalaya honey!”)

Mississippi: Mississippi mud pie was a yummy treat.

Georgia: If you’re feeling healthy have some peaches, or if you’re looking for a dessert try peach cobbler.

Florida: Enjoy an orange while you study Florida.

Kentucky: Eat at a Kentucky Fried Chicken (if your arteries don’t mind too much).

Alabama: I’m not from the south but this is our favorite recipe for Pulled Pork and it’s easy because it’s in the slow cooker.

Virginia: We bought a honey-glazed ham and enjoyed a lovely dinner.

Midwest

Wisconsin: Check the labels at your grocery store–I didn’t have any trouble finding cheese from Wisconsin, the largest cheese producer in the U.S.

Illinois: We enjoyed Chicago-style Deep Dish Pizza.  (Luckily there is a Pizzeria Uno nearby!)

Southwest:

Texas: Texas Sheet Cake was an indulgence.  I highly recommend Pioneer woman’s recipe, which she calls The Best Chocolate Cake ever.  She might be right.

General Southwest: I tried my hand at a healthy version of homemade tortillas, and my family would love it if I made them regularly but it is a bit tedious.  For easier versions just try some tacos or chips and salsa!

Oklahoma: We tried a frozen version of fried okra.

West

Washington: Red Delicious apples made for a healthy snack and dinner was a grilled salmon steak.

Idaho: We ate potatoes, of course!

Hawaii:  We hosted my parents for a Luau-style meal: pineapple, Kalua pig, sweet potato, and Hawaiian Wedding Cake.

Thanks so much for joining me over the last 10 posts, and hopefully you’ve found some helpful resources to embark on your own journey through the 50 states! 

Here are the topics from this series:

Day 1: Introduction to the 50 States Unit Study
Day 2: Learning About the States
Day 3: Getting to Know Your Geography
Day 4: Games to Play
Day 5: Recording Your Journey
Day 6: Famous Places in the USA
Day 7: Natural Attractions
Day 8: Nature Study
Day 9: The People of America
Day 10: Food from the 50 States

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