It seems that the USA is a nation of cake and chili lovers. Who knew?
Obviously we know that different food cultures run deep in North America but, buoyed on by maps based around etymology and surnames, we wondered what the geography behind the country’s favorite recipes looks like.
So we asked Google… what was each state’s most searched for recipe in 2018?
We analysed Google Trends data for all of 2018, and looked at what recipes were most searched for for each state. Now, sure, we all love cake but some of the results are surprising.
For instance, who knew that New Mexico was populated with die-hard banana bread fans? Or that cheesecake and guacamole reign supreme in Montana?
What we’re finding most striking is the trends that the map offers up, with cake and chili dominating the center of the country and slightly more unusual choices (salsa, anyone?) proving more popular in the North-West and North-West.
It doesn’t stop there though: Hawaii and Maine might be over 5000 miles apart, but what binds them together is their love of salmon. The great American dinner staple meatloaf is still popular in Kentucky, New Jersey and North Dakota, while it should come as no surprise that halibut, often fished in the North Pacific, is ever popular in Alaska.
Here’s the full list of states, with their top 3 most searched for recipes…
Alabama: 1. Cake, 2. Taco, 3. Chicken Salad
Alaska: 1. Halibut, 2. Gravy, 3. Biscuit
Arizona: 1. Bread, 2. Banana Bread, 3. Meatloaf
Arkansas: 1. Cake, 2. Lasagna, 3. Pancake
California: 1. Chicken, 2. Cake, 3. Chili
Colorado: 1. Chili, 2. Salad, 3. Banana Bread
Connecticut: 1. Pancake, 2. Mac and Cheese, 3. Sugar Cookie
Delaware: 1. Turkey, 2. Chili, 3. Sweet Potato
Florida: 1. Cake, 2. Bread, 3. Chili
Georgia: 1. Chicken, 2. Salmon, 3. Cheesecake
Hawai: 1. Salmon, 2. Cheesecake, 3. Adobo
Idaho: 1. Salsa, 2. Cheesecake, 3. Fudge
Illinois: 1. Cookies, 2. Chili, 3. Steak
Indiana: 1. Chili, 2. Turkey, 3. Chocolate Chip Cookie
Iowa: 1. Cake, 2. Meatloaf, 3. Turkey
Kansas: 1. Cake, 2. Chocolate Chip Cookie, 3. Lasagna
Kentucky: 1. Meatloaf, 2. Salmon, 3. Fudge
Louisiana: 1. Cake, 2. Chili, 3. Gumbo
Maine: 1. Salmon, 2. Margarita, 3. Tater Tot Casserole
Maryland: 1. Chili, 2. Turkey, 3. Salmon
Massachusetts: 1. Chicken, 2. Bread, 3. Chili
Michigan: 1. Chicken, 2. Bread, 3. Cake
Minnesota: 1. Chili, 2. Turkey, 3. Lasagna
Mississippi: 1. Hamburger, 2. Cheesecake, 3. Lasagna
Missouri: 1. Cake, 2. Chili, 3. Roast
Montana: 1. Cheesecake, 2. Guacamole, 3. Chocolate Cake
Nebraska: 1. Chili, 2. Banana Bread, 3. Turkey
Nevada: 1. Cake, 2. Turkey, 3. Cheesecake
New Hampshire: 1. Cheesecake, 2. Chocolate Cake, 3. Stuffing
New Jersey: 1. Meatloaf, 2. Cheesecake, 3. Salmon
New Mexico: 1. Banana Bread, 2. Pancake, 3. Pumpkin Pie
New York: 1. Chili, 2. Salmon, 3. Cheesecake
North Carolina: 1. Cake, 2. Chili, 3. Turkey
North Dakota: 1. Meatloaf, 2. Enchilada, 3. Apple Pie
Ohio: 1. Chicken, 2. Cake, 3. Chili
Oklahoma :1. Chili, 2. Cheesecake, 3. Cornbread
Oregon: 1. Cake, 2. Pancake, 3. Meatloaf
Pennsylvania: 1. Cake, 2. Chili, 3. Cookies
Rhode Island: 1. Chili, 2. Banana Bread, 3. Pancake
South Carolina: 1. Chili, 2. Meatloaf, 3. Turkey
South Dakota: 1. Chili, 2. Pancake, 3. Meatloaf
Tennessee: 1. Cake, 2. Chili, 3. Taco
Texas: 1. Chicken, 2. Cake, 3. Bread
Utah: 1. Bread, 2. Cookie, 3. Salsa
Vermont: 1. Bread, 2. Banana Bread, 3. Waffle
Virginia: 1. Cookies, 2. Meatloaf, 3. Chicken Salad
Washington: 1. Turkey, 2. Stew, 3. Spaghetti
West Virginia: 1. Cheesecake, 2. Pancake, 3. Biscuit
Wisconsin: 1. Turkey, 2. Frosting, 3. Enchilada
Wyoming: 1. Pancake, 2. Waffle, 3. Salmon