While I (unfortunately) haven’t seen every corner of the world, I’ve gotten the chance to travel quite a few places and I’ve noticed some pretty serious food trends...AKA, America seems to have some food preferences that are all it’s own. Although a few brand-names seem to cross country borders (Coca-Cola to name one), there are quite a few treats that haven’t found their popularity outside these 50 states.
1) Peanut Butter
Although peanut butter can definitely be found outside the US, the numbers of products are pretty slim which means no PB & J sandwiches or 10 types of Reeses to choose from (I’m as horrified as you are).
2) Goldfish
Much like peanut butter, goldfish are hard to come by outside the states. If you’re lucky, you might find a bag of rainbow fish to satisfy the craving...but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a salty snack that isn’t Cheez-Its or Pringles.
3) Fruit Snacks (or Fruit Chews)
I’m pretty sure just about everyone snacked on these as a kid (and maybe even a college student feeling a little nostalgic). But whether you liked Fruit Gushers, or the ones shaped like Scooby Doo, you’ll be a little disappointed when you head abroad.
4) Fried Anything...Literally anything.
I’m not sure when America became fascinated with deep frying anything we could get our hands on, but the fascination seems to have started and ended with us. Other than the occasional fried chicken or fried entree...you probably won’t be finding fried Snickers anywhere else in the world.
5) Pop-Tarts
Whether you love Pop-Tarts or hate ‘em, you probably ate them the morning after a sleepover on your way out the door. From the classic flavors (Wild Berry) to the newer, more out-there flavors (Root Beer), Pop-Tarts just aren’t gracing breakfast tables world-wide.
6) Girl Scout Cookies
Although Girl Scout programs exist in other countries...the cookie craze didn’t seem to follow. Which is a real tragedy considering life just doesn’t get any better than a box of Peanut Butter Patties by your side.
7) S’mores
Microwaved, made over a blazing campfire, or roasted over a tiny gas burner, S’mores are quintessential to summer nights. Regardless of how you spice up your S’mores, these seem to be one snack that go hand-in-hand with holidays like 4th of July and Labor Day.
8) Lucky Charms
Cereal seems to be somewhat universal, however, Lucky Charms just haven’t quite made the world-wide cut. With some digging and perseverance, it’s usually possible to find Lucky Charms in bigger cities abroad, but this definitely isn’t the cereal of choice (although I’m not sure where you can go wrong with fun-shaped marshmallow puffs in your breakfast).
9) Root Beer Floats
Not 100% sure why, but root beer floats seems to have missed the international desert train. Although dark soda and ice cream have both made appearances world-wide, the combo just didn’t seem to strike big. If you’re looking to fix that float craving, you’ll have to set your sights within the US.
Traveling abroad comes with pretty some amazing views and life-changing experiences...but one thing is for sure: you might want to stick a few boxes of your favorite snack in your suitcase and a bag of your favorite munchie in your carry-on because these are just a few things that don’t transcend US borders.
