50 Most Popular Foods In America

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It’s tough to think which foods are the 50 most popular foods in America. But it’s tougher not to get hungry when making the list.

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Cheese Quesadilla

Some people still argue over the traditional style of a quesadilla, but as it is with many things, it doesn’t matter that much if people enjoy it. This is a simple dish to make and one that’s easier to enjoy.

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Sesame Chicken

It’s still kind of amusing to think that several dishes found in Asian cuisine originated in America. But all the same, the fact this is one of the most popular foods is kind of interesting considering that General Tso’s chicken was unbeatable for so long.

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Seaweed Salad

It does feel that when talking about popular foods this one is kind of niche and wouldn’t be selected by a lot of people. But it’s tough to argue with the statistics.

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Chili

From coast to coast and town to town, you’ll find a lot of people fighting, in a friendly manner, about who has the best chili. The best part about any chili is the fact that it’s a versatile food and can be enjoyed in a variety of ways.

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Pizza Margherita 

It’s simple, it’s iconic, and yet its origin is just as murky as any other pizza. In a lot of ways it doesn’t matter, this type of pizza is still one of the favorites of many.

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Hummus

Hummus has existed for a long time, but the Western desire for it has grown steadily for many years now. It’s an acquired taste for certain, but many people enjoy it with many different foods.

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Sweet Potato Fries

It’s not just a Southern thing, since a lot of people from one corner of the nation to the next love this treat. Just don’t confuse them with yams, that’s an argument you don’t need.

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Chicken Tenders

Chicken is an extremely versatile dish, which is one reason why it shows up on so many food lists. It’s said that chicken tenders were created in New Hampshire, and most people don’t feel like arguing about it.

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Wonton Soup

Given that this dish dates back to the Qing Dynasty, it’s fair to say that it’s one of those dishes that would require one to forget about it entirely to go away. Thankfully, that’s not going to happen since a lot of people still enjoy it so much.

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Salmon Avocado Roll

For a healthier meal, sushi is tough to beat in terms of taste and overall freshness. Protein, healthy fat, and just enough carbs make for a pretty good dinner.

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Garlic Knots

It’s kind of interesting to see how many dishes attributed to other countries were created in the USA. But then again, with the onset of immigrants into the country it’s easy to be thankful for such contributions.

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Bean Burrito

Seriously, it’s not hard to think of why this is one of the more popular foods in the USA. But at the same time, the simplicity of it is enough to make a person wonder why it’s worth mentioning. Oh well.

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Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes

Out of all the things on this list, thinking that a Taco Bell dish would emerge as a favorite is kind of surprising. But the fans have spoken, so here it is.

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Thai Iced tea

True, it’s not really a meal or even a substantial part of a meal. But it counts as food and the fact that it has various recipes is enough to make it one of the most popular foods.

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Milkshake

Milkshakes have existed as one of the favorite foods in the USA for decades now. It’s not a difficult thing to make, but it’s one of the best comfort foods that people still love today.

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Hamburger 

By itself, it’s kind of plain, but thankfully a hamburger can be dressed in numerous ways with enough toppings to satisfy everyone. As a base food that was created a little over a century ago, a hamburger is a great go-to when you’re hungry.

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Hash Browns

Sliding into a diner to get a hearty breakfast with a heap of hash browns is a favorite pastime of many people. Not only that but mixing them in with the rest of your breakfast? Oh yeah.

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Chips and Queso

Parties, social events, or just those moments when you’re hungry and need something filling are good reasons to stock up on chips and queso. The spicy cheese dip is satisfying in ways that are hard to explain apart from ‘yum’.

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Traditional Chicken Wings

Just imagine how many wings are consumed during one sporting event, especially a big one. On average, chicken wings are still a tasty snack, even if a lot of people are extremely particular about them.

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Doughnuts

It’s a guilty pleasure for some since they’re not all that healthy, but doughnuts are by far one of the favorite foods of many people. The fact that these fried treats are often dressed in numerous ways is even better.

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White Rice

Some foods appear to exist as a base for numerous meals. White rice is one of those foods that goes with a large number of different entrees and can be used in so many ways they’re hard to count.

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Nachos

This dish feels like something that was tossed together at one point, right? If one traces its history back they’ll find that this is kind of what happened.

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Tacos

You can argue about traditional and non-traditional tacos all day long, but if you’re wise you’ll just enjoy them and not worry about semantics. The point is that enjoying a taco is far more enjoyable than discussing the tenets of a traditional taco.

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Chips and Guacamole 

Guacamole is by far one of the most favorite dips out there, and with chips, it’s a no-brainer during a social gathering or a game. It’s not tough to make really, and no, I’m not talking about the seasoning packets. Homemade all the way, mmm.

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Shrimp Tempura Roll

The batter for these rolls is easy to make, and even better is that it’s an inherited recipe that many people enjoy. But in sushi? Yes, please.

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Apple Pie

Now this is staying power since apple pie has stood as an American favorite for a long, long time. It’s tough to make a perfect apple pie, but it’s still a dish that many strive to make and love to eat.

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Cheese Fries

Ah, potatoes, is there anything you can’t do? Cheese fries have a lot of different variations, but at their core, this dish is one of the best comfort foods out there, not to mention a great food when you want something simple and greasy.

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Greek Salad

When talking about health food it’s fair to say that a lot of what’s out there is kind of niche in a way. But as one of the more popular foods, a Greek salad is among the favorites for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that it’s so refreshing.

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Gyoza

Eating one of these neatly wrapped little meat packages is tough. Can you imagine that someone actually ate nearly 400 of these in 10 minutes? That’s a well-earned bellyache.

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Spicy Tuna Roll

Let’s keep it honest, not everyone likes sushi. The look of it is easy to guess why since a lot of people eat with their eyes first. But getting past the appearance, sushi is by far one of the best dishes out there.

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Chicken Sandwich

Trying to pin down the best chicken sandwich in America is beyond tough since so many people pull in so many different directions. But the fact that most people think fast-food restaurants reign supreme is kind of cringe-worthy.

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Burrito Bowl

When you don’t want a tortilla between your taste buds and your food, a burrito bowl is the best way to go. Sure, it’s a little messier, but it’s just as good.

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Boneless Chicken Wings

Some people still won’t call these chicken wings since traditionally folks like to eat chicken on the bone. But all the same, they’ve gained in popularity.

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Onion Rings

Much like French fries, it’s fair to state that people have preferences when it comes to onion rings. Burgerville’s Walla Walla onion rings are one type that people flock toward when they have them.

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Caesar Salad

Strangely enough, the Caesar salad was invented in Mexico back in the 1920s. It’s another one of those recipes that was created by tossing things together. Don’t forget the anchovies though.

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Chicken Tikka Masala

Some people love this type of food and others can’t stay far enough away from it. To each their own though, right?

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Crab Rangoon

The downfall of this dish is that too many people make them with fake crab these days. But hey, to each their own, since real crab is sometimes expensive and tough to procure.

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Waffle Fries

They take a little more of an effort to make, but they’re worth it since with the right seasoning, waffle fries are a great addition to many meals. In some fast food restaurants, they’re one of the most requested types of fries.

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Macaroni and Cheese

When you think about how common this meal is it’s not hard to imagine that it’s one of America’s most popular foods. It’s simple to make and can accept a lot of different ingredients that make it even better.

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Chicken Quesadilla 

A regular cheese quesadilla is good enough, but some people like a little more ‘oomph’ in their meal. Thankfully, chicken is filling and can carry enough spices and flavor to make this simple dish even better.

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Chicken Nuggets

If you’ve seen these being made then you might not be one of those who thinks of it as a favored dish. All the same though, they’re still a favorite since they’re easy to consume and don’t require a lot of thought.

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Miso Soup

When ordering Japanese this is kind of like a must since it’s a great way to warm up and it’s a fairly common order. If you take too long to stop and think about the reason it has such a good flavor you might think twice, or not.

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Edamame

Soybeans have turned into a rather popular crop that is used in a lot of ways. Just don’t eat the shell.

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Garlic Naan

Grilled dough is something that makes a lot of people think about carnivals and food trucks, and that’s okay. Naan has become a popular food over the years and with garlic it’s even more popular than usual.

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Mozzarella Sticks

Fried cheese is nothing new, which means that it’s been one of the more popular foods for a long time. But as they stand now, mozzarella sticks have existed in their current form for a matter of decades.

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Pad Thai

Who can seriously look at something like this and not think of filling their stomach? It’s a matter of personal taste, but it’s still worth trying.

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California Roll

Sushi has hit a few spots on this list so far and there’s no question as to why. It’s a healthier option and there are a lot of different types to satisfy a lot of people.

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French Fries

Trying to pin down the best fries in the USA is tough since it’s the best guess type of thing. But when thinking about how many fries the average person downs in a year some people are certainly doing their best to find out.

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Cheese Pizza

Think about all the toppings that go on the average pizza and then think about how easy it is to make a cheese pizza. Dough, sauce, cheese. Yeah, it’s that easy.

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Cheeseburger

It’s the natural step up from a hamburger, and it’s all good. A person can still adorn a cheeseburger with whatever they want, but a good old-fashioned cheeseburger is a mouthful of yum.