List of American foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner that you will love (2024)

More Africans are beginning to find pleasure in American foods recently. Although celebrated for its endless culinary creativity, the country is best known for its fast foods from the restaurant and processed take-outs. For those who want to try out something new, they may consider American dishes.

Although food trends have changed in the past decades, some delicious dishes are still popular on the menu. Many of these cuisines are classical specialities that can't be overlooked easily. This is because of their uniqueness to the Americans and how they define what fits into traditional American food.

Most popular American foods

The unique blend of different ingredients that make up their dishes is part of what endears people from other countries to American food. Do you want to try something new or acquaint yourself with the country's meal plan? Here are typical dishes they consume as breakfast meals:

1. Bacon, egg and cheese sandwich

What do Americans eat? This famed breakfast meal is one of them. It consists of bacon, cheese, and eggs served with buttered or toasted bread. Some food joints mainly brand and market it using the acronym BE&C.

2. Breakfast burrito

Also referred to as breakfast wrap, this breakfast delicacy comprises several ingredients. These include potatoes, scrambled eggs, onions, and bacon-wrapped in a flour tortilla burrito.

3. Buttermilk pancakes

Americans added flavour to pancakes by adding buttermilk as one of the ingredients. This makes the pancakes thick and fluffy.

4. Chicken and waffles

This is one of the notable American staple foods that consists of fried chicken, crisps, waffles, and occasionally a topping of maple syrup.

5. Key lime pie

This pie is Florida’s official state pie. The initial use of sweetened condensed milk gives the dessert a creamy texture. The pie is made of lime juice, sweetened condensed, milk and egg yolks in a pie crust.

6. Sourdough bread

The miners or "sourdough," as they were called, never lacked to carry this bread during the gold rush era. In 1849, Boudin Bakery started baking the bread, and ever since, the loaf has become popular on the American menu.

7. S'mores

S'mores is one of the easy breakfast desserts to prepare. It only demands roasted marshmallow, sweet crackers, and chocolate rolled up in between pieces of graham crackers.

8. Twinkies

This American snack cake was initially made of banana cream filling. Also known as yellowcake, twinkies are served with cream that provides enough calories when consumed. The loaf is marketed today as a golden sponge cake with creamy filling.

9. Eggs benedict

This is a breakfast meal that is common in restaurants but that can also be made at home. It includes an English muffin, some ham or bacon, a poached egg, and hollandaise sauce.

10. Fruit smoothies

Fruit smoothies are the holy grail of breakfast meals. They are one of the healthiest meals you could have at the beginning of the day and take a short time to prepare.

11. Pancakes and maple syrup

Pancakes are by now a universal breakfast meal that has been made popular worldwide. Making pancakes is a fantastic way to start the day. Maple syrup is a great addition to the meal.

12. Biscuits and gravy

Biscuits and gravy is a common breakfast in the US that has started gaining popularity all over the world. The meal is made up of biscuits with gravy fillings.

13. Bagel toppings

Bagels are a great option for an easy breakfast since all you have to do is cut one in half and warm it. There is a wide range of toppings and what you choose depends on your preferences.

14. Cinnamon rolls

Do you enjoy sweet food ideas? Then a cinnamon roll is the perfect breakfast choice for you. You can get the rolls ready-made from the store, or you could choose to make it from scratch.

15. French toast

As one of the easiest breakfast meals to make, French toast is another common American food used for breakfast. All you have to do is dip bread in a beaten egg mixture, fry it, and voila!

16. Hash browns

Hash browns are shredded potatoes that are then pan-fried. Hash browns are commonly used as a side part of meals.

17. Sweet crepes

Crepes are quite similar to pancakes, but they tend to be much thinner and lighter. They are normally used for fillings which could be either fruit, powdered sugar, a berry sauce, or chocolate syrup.

18. Breakfast parfait

Breakfast parfaits are granola, fruit, and yoghurt mixed for a more nutritious meal. You can make them the night before and have an easy breakfast the next morning.

19. Croissants

Croissants are a renowned French food item that has slowly become a breakfast staple in the US. A croissant paired with a hot cup of coffee is one of the best ways to start your day.

20. Huevos Rancheros

Although this meal has Mexican origins, it is one of the most popular breakfast foods in USA. It uses tortillas, tomato-chilli sauce, refried beans, and rice. There are some variations of the meal that use additions like sour cream and lettuce.

Typical American lunch meals

Americans have a variety of meals that make up their lunch. Well enriched in major nutrients, here are some of the meals you can always find on their menu list:

1. Burger

What is America's national food? Burgers are the most popular meal in the US, and are available in nearly every local fast food outlet. Common burger concepts consist of ground meat, tomato, gooey cheese, lettuce, and sauce sandwiched between sliced bread buns. When taking it, you can add a topping like mayonnaise, onions, mustard, and relish.

2. Classic hot dog

The hot dog is popular street food in the United States that rocks a sausage sandwiched between sliced buns with ketchup or mustard toppings. Any type of meat can be used to make the sausage. The hot dog can be either grilled, microwaved, boiled or even baked.

3. Cheeseburger

Burgers, no doubt, fall among popular staple foods in the country. A Cheeseburger is simply a burger topped with cheese with a variant of toppings that may include lettuce, bacon, onion, tomato, pickles, mayonnaise, ketchup, spinach or olives.

4. Reuben sandwich

This is one of the famous classic sandwiches that ranks top in American food recipes. A Reuben sandwich is made up of grilled corned beef matched with sauerkraut and topped Swiss cheese; all dressed between two rye bread.

5. Barbecue ribs

Who does not love ribs? It is rare not to spot some people indulging in barbecue ribs in several recreational or restaurant joints. A classic rib can be of beef or pork. The grilled ribs can be taken with vinegar or tomato-based sauce, depending on the preference.

6. The BLT

What are typical American foods? The BLT sandwich is one of the staple lunch meals. The sandwich earns its name from the mix of bacon, lettuce, and tomatoes.

7. Apple pie

If the infamous cliché "as American as apple pie" is something to go by, this symbolic pie is one of the most popular desserts in the country. Apple pie will have vanilla ice cream, cheddar cheese, or whipped cream on top.

8. Philly Cheesesteak

This hot dog steak is one of the regional meals to have originated in South Philadelphia. Philly Cheesesteak is a mix of sliced beef, chip steak, cheese, and onions inside a hoagie roll.

9. California roll

California roll is a typical dinner meal in the USA prepared with sticky white rice served with crab meat, avocado, dried seaweed, or cucumber.

10. Beef jerky

This is a typical American food, and guess what? The old practice of drying meat still lives on to date. Jerky can be from any lean meat, including beef, pork, or turkey.

11. Buffalo chicken wings

The cuisine is popular in grill joints and bars in the United States like KFC. The food is precisely spicy deep-fried chicken wings coated with cayenne pepper, hot sauce, and butter. Buffalo's name stuck after a family-owned bar in Buffalo introduced it on its menu in 1964.

12. Baked Alaska

Being a creation of Delmonico's restaurant, the dessert is ideally slices of sponge cake topped with layers of ice cream and then coated in toasted meringue.

13. Cobb salad

This is a lunch food in USA that originated in the East. It is made up of lettuce, avocado, romaine, watercress, tomatoes, chicken breast, a hard-boiled egg, chives, cheese, and French dressing. The resulting concoction is healthy lunch that can be taken on the go.

14. Chicken fried steak

The chicken fried steak pairs well with other American food classics like mashed potatoes, and black-eyed peas. The meal is a slab of tenderized steak, breaded in seasoned flour and pan-fried.

15. Potato chips

Potatoes are one of the most common American lunch foods, and potato chips are one of the best ways to consume them.

Common American dinner foods

After a hectic day, having the perfect meal for dinner is essential. If you are curious to know what consists a typical American dinner, find out below:

1. Meatloaf

Although this is one of the classic American dishes with its roots in Europe, it has gained a reputation since the industrial revolution. Thanks to the meat grinder that made an appearance at the same time.

A meatloaf dish is a baked loaf stashed with ground meat, diced onion, sauce, and spices.

2. Macaroni and cheese

Simply called Mac & Cheese, this is one of the common American foods that has defied the test of time. This meal consists of cooked macaroni flavoured with cheese sauce like cheddar. Their restaurants are famed to prepare the mouthwatering treat of these noodles with creamy cheese.

3. Fajitas

Today, fajitas likely take the form of grilled meat on a tortilla and sometimes served with an array of condiments. These include green pepper, grilled onions, shredded cheese or sour cream.

4. Chicago's deep-dish pizza

Making headway since the Second World War, pizza has become one of the famous foods in America. The delicacy is made up of pizza baked in a pan layered with cheese, meat fillings, vegetables, and sauce.

5. Thanksgiving turkey dinner

This is an iconic staple food in America that dates back to the holiday of Thanksgiving. The yummy turkey can be grilled or deep-fried and dressed in cornbread, onion, celery, fruits, chestnuts or oysters.

6. Tater Tots

Even though some food critics can point to how Tots are not healthy, no one puts the meal off the shelf. Tater Tots consists of crunchy fried potatoes served as a side dish. It's a typical American version of French fries.

7. Baked beans

Baked beans are among traditional American dishes popular among the Native Americans. The protein-rich starch meal consists of baked beans but, in most cases, stewed in a sauce.

8. Wild Alaskan salmon

No doubt, the US is home to the best salmon fish. Like other fishes, this classical fish delicacy is a rich source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids.

9. Grilled cheese sandwich

The advent of sliced bread in 1928 paved the way for the invention of grilled cheese. Later, a brilliant citizen soon discovered a bright milk by-product cheese. In a short time, the duo became enjoined in a recipe.

10. Cornbread

Originally a main dish of the indigenous Americans, cornbread is heavily ingrained in their meal culture. The primary ingredient of this bread is leaven and ground cornmeal mixed with baking powder. Cornbread can be consumed with meat, stew, or salad.

11. Cheesecake

This sweet dessert is prepared with cookies or sponge cake base with cream cheese, eggs, sugar, nuts, and other condiments toppings.

12. Pot roast

Are you looking for food for dinner in USA? Pot roast is a meal that claims a sentimental favourite place in the top 10 foods. The food recipe used for this meal are usually family-based and is different in each household.

13. Baked/mashed potatoes

Mashed potatoes are the most common dish used for dinner in the USA, their ability to pair with most side dishes makes it a convenient meal.

14. Chicken potpie

The chicken pot pie is made of chicken, potatoes, peas, and corn. The resulting golden pies are usually the highlight of the meal.

15. Spaghetti pie casserole

This casserole is old-timey comfort food that is a great option for dinner. It is one of American cooking that has become popular worldwide.

The beautiful thing about these American foods is that preparing them is not difficult. Besides, they are available in the most reputable local food joints. Although America has a lot to offer to our dinner tables, learning how to prepare any of the listed dishes is not bad.

Besides these typical dinner meals in the USA, as published on Yen.com.gh, most Ghanaian foods are enhanced with the necessary nutrients.

Interestingly, their cuisine is described by many as pleasing, savoury, and healthy, and most of them require local crops. Discover how to prepare meals like banku, fufu, and kenkey from the post.

Source: YEN.com.gh