Canadian food-isms

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pnieuw
pnieuw Posts: 473
in Food and Nutrition
I've noted in my limited travels, and especially during some trips to the US, a few differences in foods Canadians eat compared to our neighbours to the south, and other parts of the world. I've posted a few here - perhaps my fellow Canadians can add a few of their observations?

Canadian Bacon - we don't call it Canadian Bacon in Canada. Back or peameal are the more common terms for it here. Call it Canadian Bacon, and we'll figure you out to be an American pretty fast.

Shreddies - the perfect breakfast cereal, not available in the US? Pity....

Pop, not soda

Tea is a hot drink. Cold tea is iced tea. Order just tea in any restaurant north of the 49th, and you'll get hot tea.

Donuts - Canadians eat more donuts per capita than any other country in the world.
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Replies

  • Aeliyah
    Aeliyah Posts: 247
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    One word: POUTINE! Fries... with cheese curds (which I don't believe are made in the US), and covered in gravy. Curd can be substituted with shredded cheese if needed. So terrible for you.... but OH so delicious!
  • ShellyMacchi
    ShellyMacchi Posts: 975 Member
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    salt and vinegar chips used to be unavailable in the states *L* ...but U.S. got lucky and has them now *L*

    butter tarts are another hard to find item there
  • Aeliyah
    Aeliyah Posts: 247
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    Oh! And don't forget about our milk - it comes in BAGS! My boyfriend is American... and he gets SUCH a kick out of this!
  • McHeather
    McHeather Posts: 105 Member
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    I'm Canadian, and I remember serving in a restaurant and quite often people from the States would ask if our iced tea was sweetened or not. I'd never heard of unsweetened iced tea before, and they thought our sweetened iced tea was gross. I now only ever drink homemade unsweetened iced tea because I can't stand the sugar aftertaste. (same goes for all sweetened drinks, coffee, pop etc.)
  • muitobem
    muitobem Posts: 435 Member
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    I live in the south,but am from the Northern State of Michigan...close to Canada! lol

    I say pop....
    Tea here definitely is COLD and SWEET...You say tea, they say "sweet"?

    yeppers, Canadian Bacon is what I've always called it...

    Donuts!! YES!!

    Frosted Mini Wheats...the bomb!

    In the south: Fried pickles(my fav!), fried twinkies, fried oreos, fried watermelon...if it can be fried, it will be eaten!! LOL
  • McHeather
    McHeather Posts: 105 Member
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    Bugels too! We can't get them in Canada anymore. Xmas Nuts and Bolts will never be the same.
  • KeriA
    KeriA Posts: 3,275 Member
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    I'm from Washington State and we say Pop too. I would go to Vancouver BC and they had Raisin Pie. Never seen it here. Love the Pacific Northwest which includes BC.
  • robinaddison
    robinaddison Posts: 232 Member
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    Cheezies (which kick cheeto's butts to the curb and back), ketchup chips, Nanaimo bars, Coffee Crisp, Crispie Crunch and Aeros...
    On a slightly healthier side, cans of mixed beans...
    Decent tea in a restaurant...(I mean hot tea, if I meant cold tea, I'd specify it!!)
    Tim Hortons (which kicks Dunkin's butt to the curb and back too)
    ....hmmmm - might have to make a pilgrimage to the motherland soon!!

    ps - to the poutine fan - you can indeed buy cheese curd in the US - and very good cheese curd it is....now just to find a supplier for that brown gravy that every good greasy spoon uses on their fries...LOL
  • Caperfae
    Caperfae Posts: 433
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    Mmmmm @ Poutine.
    Smarties . .here's they're candy coated chocolate and in the States that's what they call Rocket candy ( so I've heard).

    I have to agree that Timmy's is delicious ONLY because I haven't had Dunkin'. I have heard great things about it though, lol
  • merrycat
    merrycat Posts: 131 Member
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    Quick question - is it true that they don't have kinder eggs down in the states?
  • robinaddison
    robinaddison Posts: 232 Member
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    yes it is true - the toys are a "choking hazard" LOL
  • taem
    taem Posts: 495 Member
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    In Canada, Mr. Big and Eat-More chocolate bars, in the US, it's candy bars.

    In Canada, there's a donut called Dutchie, a square shaped donut that's really a sugary bread (it is so good!)

    In Toronto, you go to a store and you can buy a Jamican beef patty with a buttered bread whereas in the US, you get hot dogs and taquitos.
  • KayteeBear
    KayteeBear Posts: 1,040 Member
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    Tim Horton's!!!!!!!! I love it! :D:D
  • ShellyMacchi
    ShellyMacchi Posts: 975 Member
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    ummm there ARE tim horton's locations in the states now btw *S* one right in downtown new york!
  • rkerr6
    rkerr6 Posts: 6
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    Haha, brown gravy. I was describing poutine to an American friend, and she seemed more surprised that we'd put gravy on the fries than the cheese...and then asked if it was "white gravy" or brown! Um...gravy is brown. That white stuff you have is a cream sauce ;) Good, but not gravy. Just sayin' . lol!!
  • Ruchell
    Ruchell Posts: 236 Member
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    In the south: Fried pickles(my fav!), fried twinkies, fried oreos, fried watermelon...if it can be fried, it will be eaten!! LOL

    I'm from Washington, but have lots of family in the south and fried pickles are yummmmmm!
  • sabified
    sabified Posts: 1,051 Member
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    I've had fried pickles in Canada :) they are good! I've seen fried other stuff, but haven't tried too many different things... trying to get away from that kinda stuff! There was huge controversy here last year when they debuted "fried butter" at the CNE (Canadian National Exhibition)... lol...

    we also don't have (very many? think I've seen a couple??) Krispy Kreme donuts here anymore... they're too unhealthy!

    hmmm oh, and our sausages! Appearently, along with "Canadian bacon" there's "Canadian sausage" here too... in the states breakfast sausages are like these lil patties.... and from the ones I've seen they tend to be greyish... EWWWW

    I think one of the biggest differences I've found is due to the different health regulations... Everything in the states is BIGGER... I was shocked when my lil cousin (he was 6 at the time) came up from NYC to visit, and he actually complained to his mom about how small the portion sizes were, when my sis and I SHARED the same meal he had and were STUFFED... and we're big girls!!
  • ma66ie72
    ma66ie72 Posts: 75 Member
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    I’m an American and I met my British-Canadian husband while he was living in Brantford, Ontario. Long story short...I lived with him there for 6 months and became addicted to Tim Horton’s Coffee and Tetley’s Black Currant tea... both of which I order online and have delivered to me.... Oh yes and the Poutine, My Goodness!!! What a GREAT IDEA!! Yummy!
  • robinaddison
    robinaddison Posts: 232 Member
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    @ rkerr - I had one of those episodes when I first moved to the states. I ordered chips (fries) and asked the guy behind the counter if he could put gravy on them. Oh how I love me some fries and gravy...
    So first of all he looks at me funny, then kind of shrugs and he hands over the plate with fries and this white gloppy stuff poured all over them - what is this I ask? "Gravy" he tells me! We then had a conversation about what was and was not "gravy", and I decided to go with ketchup (catsup!) instead!
  • karyngrace
    karyngrace Posts: 105 Member
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    well im an aussie and over here, bacon is bacon (we dont care where its from as long as its on our plate next to the eggs!)
    pop or soda is called soft drink
    tea is always served hot unless you ask specifically for iced tea
    our chips or fries either come with gravy or tomato sauce( which is the same as ketchup)

    went to a cafe one day for breakfast and ordered canadian pancakes which came drowned with maple syrup and topped with bacon lol! weird combination......but oh so yummy!!

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