Most of us in Nebraska tend to have pretty simple tastes when it comes to our favorite food. We like it fresh, we like it flavorful, and – whenever possible – we like it homemade. I’ll bet you that if you’re a born and bred Nebraskan you’re pretty fond of at least most of these things. They aren’t loved ONLY in Nebraska, but they sure do taste better here than anywhere else.
Ribs
flickr/thebittenword.com Throw your best table manners to the side and forget about all of that barbecue sauce covering your face. Just dig in and worry about the napkins later.
…Or Anything Barbecue, Really.
Wikimedia/jeffreyw Pulled pork is particularly popular.
Baked Beans
Wikimedia/Marshall Astor I’m pretty sure I’ve never been to a picnic in Nebraska that didn’t have baked beans.
…And Potato Salad, Too
flickr/alanagkelly Another picnic staple. Everyone’s got their own favorite recipe. Mine is mustard potato salad with eggs and celery. Delicious!
Beer
flickr/theNerdPatrol Do I really need to elaborate on this one? We’ll drink it fancy, we’ll drink it cheap…we’ll drink it in a box, we’ll drink it with a fox…
Wimmers Weiners
flickr/Michael Johnson Otherwise known as “those red hot dogs,” Wimmers are always a staple at cookouts and tailgating parties. It’s a shame about the West Point factory closing, but luckily the parent company plans to keep making the legendary dogs.
Cheese Frenchees
flickr/Neil Conway Seriously. Cheese sandwiches with mayo, breaded and fried? There is nothing not to love about these sandwiches.
Dorothy Lynch Dressing
Author I mention Dorothy Lynch in almost every food list, but come on - this stuff is magical. Mix it with mayo for the best french fry dip you’ll ever taste. Use it in a pasta salad for a distinctive tang. And it may sound weird, but it MAKES a taco salad. I can’t eat a taco salad without it, and neither should you.
Hamburgers
flickr/Elliot We’ll eat fast food burgers if we absolutely have to, but there’s nothing better than a fresh-grilled burger in your own backyard. (And that had better be Dorothy Lynch mixed with mayo in that little dipping cup for the fries.)
Fried Fish
flickr/Jimmy Emerson, DVM Fish fries are easy to find around Lent, and eating there is usually way cheaper than going to a restaurant. Don’t worry, though - you can find fried fish year-round in Nebraska.
Hamburger Pizza
flickr/Foodie Buddha A lot of people have said that they didn’t realize hamburger pizza was more or less a regional thing until they moved out of Nebraska. You can get it in other states, but it’s just not the same.
Kolaches
flickr/Whitney A lot of Czech immigrants settled in Nebraska, so kolaches have been around for a very long time. They’re starting to gain a big fan base all around the country - some people think they’ll be as big as cupcakes were a few years ago. Interesting tidbit: the world’s largest kolache was made in Prague, Nebraska in 1987. It weighed 2,605 pounds and was 15 feet in diameter!
Kool-Aid
flickr/theimpulsivebuy All the flavors, all the time, with any meal. Kool-Aid is magic in a pitcher.
Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches
Wikimedia/Glane23 If the tenderloin actually fits on the bun, you’re doing it wrong.
Reubens
flickr/Alan C. This amazing sandwich was invented here, but don’t think we eat it just out of loyalty or pride. It also happens to be incredibly tasty.
Apples Straight From the Tree
Pixabay Not to mention apple pie, apple cider, apple turnovers, apple crisp…I can’t wait for harvest time!
Runzas
Wikimedia/rayb777 Mmmm…bread pockets stuffed with meat. Special hat tip to the immigrants who brought this recipe to Nebraska many generations ago.
Steak
Wikimedia/BuBBY Right after corn, it’s the food we’re best known for.
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
flickr/El Gran Dee This is pretty much a staple at family dinners. Who doesn’t like fluffy mashed potatoes drowning in rich gravy?
Corn on the Cob
Pixabay We grow the best corn, and we sure know how to cook it, too. The little corn-shaped holders are optional, but they somehow make the corn taste better, don’t you think?
Honorable mention goes to rhubarb crisp, which people seem to either love or hate. I could eat an entire pan of it myself…and I usually get to because no one else in my family will touch it. 🙂
flickr/thebittenword.com
Throw your best table manners to the side and forget about all of that barbecue sauce covering your face. Just dig in and worry about the napkins later.
Wikimedia/jeffreyw
Pulled pork is particularly popular.
Wikimedia/Marshall Astor
I’m pretty sure I’ve never been to a picnic in Nebraska that didn’t have baked beans.
flickr/alanagkelly
Another picnic staple. Everyone’s got their own favorite recipe. Mine is mustard potato salad with eggs and celery. Delicious!
flickr/theNerdPatrol
Do I really need to elaborate on this one? We’ll drink it fancy, we’ll drink it cheap…we’ll drink it in a box, we’ll drink it with a fox…
flickr/Michael Johnson
Otherwise known as “those red hot dogs,” Wimmers are always a staple at cookouts and tailgating parties. It’s a shame about the West Point factory closing, but luckily the parent company plans to keep making the legendary dogs.
flickr/Neil Conway
Seriously. Cheese sandwiches with mayo, breaded and fried? There is nothing not to love about these sandwiches.
Author
I mention Dorothy Lynch in almost every food list, but come on - this stuff is magical. Mix it with mayo for the best french fry dip you’ll ever taste. Use it in a pasta salad for a distinctive tang. And it may sound weird, but it MAKES a taco salad. I can’t eat a taco salad without it, and neither should you.
flickr/Elliot
We’ll eat fast food burgers if we absolutely have to, but there’s nothing better than a fresh-grilled burger in your own backyard. (And that had better be Dorothy Lynch mixed with mayo in that little dipping cup for the fries.)
flickr/Jimmy Emerson, DVM
Fish fries are easy to find around Lent, and eating there is usually way cheaper than going to a restaurant. Don’t worry, though - you can find fried fish year-round in Nebraska.
flickr/Foodie Buddha
A lot of people have said that they didn’t realize hamburger pizza was more or less a regional thing until they moved out of Nebraska. You can get it in other states, but it’s just not the same.
flickr/Whitney
A lot of Czech immigrants settled in Nebraska, so kolaches have been around for a very long time. They’re starting to gain a big fan base all around the country - some people think they’ll be as big as cupcakes were a few years ago. Interesting tidbit: the world’s largest kolache was made in Prague, Nebraska in 1987. It weighed 2,605 pounds and was 15 feet in diameter!
flickr/theimpulsivebuy
All the flavors, all the time, with any meal. Kool-Aid is magic in a pitcher.
Wikimedia/Glane23
If the tenderloin actually fits on the bun, you’re doing it wrong.
flickr/Alan C.
This amazing sandwich was invented here, but don’t think we eat it just out of loyalty or pride. It also happens to be incredibly tasty.
Pixabay
Not to mention apple pie, apple cider, apple turnovers, apple crisp…I can’t wait for harvest time!
Wikimedia/rayb777
Mmmm…bread pockets stuffed with meat. Special hat tip to the immigrants who brought this recipe to Nebraska many generations ago.
Wikimedia/BuBBY
Right after corn, it’s the food we’re best known for.
flickr/El Gran Dee
This is pretty much a staple at family dinners. Who doesn’t like fluffy mashed potatoes drowning in rich gravy?
We grow the best corn, and we sure know how to cook it, too. The little corn-shaped holders are optional, but they somehow make the corn taste better, don’t you think?
So what do you think, Nebraska? Which other foods are universally beloved across the state?
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