You’re in the South, and while the region is home to some amazing, diverse foods, there are just some things not making it onto a southerner’s plate. These 17 foods are on that list either because “that ain’t how Mama fixed it” or “that’s not food.”
Kale
While kale has gained popularity as a superfood in recent years, many southerners still prefer traditional greens like collards and turnip or mustard greens. Even the Washington Post says, “Southerners are big on collards, and Yankees favor kale.” Kale’s tough texture and slightly bitter flavor can be off-putting to those accustomed to the smoother, milder taste of other leafy greens.
Lobster Rolls
Lobster rolls are a staple in the Northeast, particularly in Maine, but they’re not as popular in the southern states. The preference in the South leans more towards local seafood like crawfish and shrimp, which are more readily available and integral to southern cuisine. Why order lobster from the Yanks when you can catch crawdads on your own?
New England Clam Chowder
The creamy New England variety of clam chowder is often bypassed by southerners. This region has its own rich tradition of soups and stews like gumbo and étouffée, which feature local ingredients and spices that better suit the local palate. New England clam chowder can be a little too bland for southerners’ taste.
Bagels
In the South, biscuits hold a special place at the breakfast table. These fluffy, buttery delights are a preferred choice over the denser, chewier bagel commonly found in northern states like New York. They’ll keep buttering biscuits while the New Yorkers can have their bagels and schmear.
Greek Yogurt
Traditional, full-fat, and often homemade yogurts are preferred over the thicker, tart Greek yogurt for the southern palate. The southern diet traditionally favors richer, cream-based products with less focus on health words like “fat-free.”
Polenta
Corn, when it’s not on the cob or in corn pudding, is typically prepared as grits, a ground corn dish that is a staple in many southern homes. Polenta, grits’ Italian cousin, is less common and not as well-received due to its different texture and flavor profile.
Açai Bowls
Holding up an açai bowl for the ‘gram has not caught on as widely in the South as in health-conscious cities like Los Angeles or New York. Southern breakfasts are heartier, featuring items like bacon, eggs, and grits; leave those $13 “smoothie bowls” for diet-focused California.
Quinoa
Healthline says, “Quinoa is gluten-free and packed with nutrients like protein, zinc, fiber, and folate, as well as antioxidants.” Regardless of the health benefits, southerners prefer their mama’s recipes for rice, grits, or potatoes as their starchy side dishes.
Sushi
Younger southerners may have hopped on the sushi carousel, but the older generation wants their fish cooked. Give them their fried catfish, shrimp and grits, and oyster po’boys over the raw stuff and rice.
Tofu
“Down South, even our vegetables have some pig hidden somewhere in it. A vegetable isn’t a vegetable without a little ham hock,” says southern cooking queen Paula Deen. Southern cooking revolves around meat dishes, so vegetable substitutes just don’t hit the same way the real deal does.
Hummus
It’s gaining popularity as a healthy snack, but if you ask a southerner to pick between pimento cheese, spinach artichoke, or seven-layer dip with more familiar flavors and ingredients and hummus, they’ll reach for the pimento cheese every time.
Kombucha
The fermented tea drink touted for its health benefits can be an acquired taste. Many southerners prefer sweet tea or other traditional beverages over the tart, slightly effervescent flavor of kombucha. In South Carolina, Fox reported some confusion when lawmakers unintentionally shut down kombucha sales as it was deemed alcoholic, just showing kombucha didn’t even cross the minds of southern lawmakers.
Soy Milk
If you walk into a coffee shop in the deep South, you’ll have to make sure to specify if you want a milk alternative and cross your fingers they have it, because they’ll default to whole milk and not even ask. They just prefer whole milk’s rich, creamy taste for drinking, cooking, and baking. And don’t even think about plant-based butter!
Veggie Burgers
If you’re a vegetarian on your way to a southern cookout, probably grab your black bean burger before you get there because it won’t be automatic on the grill, and you may get strange looks from the grill master.
Insects
While some cultures eat insects, they remain taboo in the American South. Southerners generally view bugs as pests, not food. The notion of chomping on crickets or larvae would make most folks south of the Mason-Dixon line lose their appetite, no matter how much hot sauce you slather on them.
Matcha
Just give in to the sweet tea. Southerners prefer the bold, robust flavor of black tea or the sweetness of iced tea over matcha’s vegetal, slightly bitter taste. Matcha, a finely ground green tea powder from Japan, hasn’t become a go-to beverage in the South.
Jackfruit
The large tropical fruit often used as a meat substitute won’t be replacing traditional barbecue in the South. While it can mimic the texture of pulled pork, “a 2.65-ounce serving has just 1 gram of protein, compared with 21 grams found in the same amount of chicken breast,” according to TODAY. Leaving southerners asking, “Where’s the meat?”