Anyone visiting the United States for the first time may be surprised by the ways in which Americans introduce food into almost all celebrations. Depending on the occasion and location, certain foods seem to always make an appearance. For instance, picnic menus often include burgers, hot dogs, and potato salads while mashed potatoes, turkey, and roasted root vegetables are popular during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season. But do Americans really have a national dish like they have a national flag, national symbol, and national anthem? Technically, the answer to this question is no – but if the United States did have an official national dish, surely apple pie, brownies, and hamburgers would all be contenders.
