Skip to main content

Food in the Midwest

Wheat and dairy for comfort.

The food in the American Midwest falls undoubtely in the category of comfort food.

Midwest foods

Comfort food as there is plenty of milk for dairy products and durum wheat for the pasta, you can enjoy the best macaroni and cheese, especially when using the great Cheddar cheese from Wisconsin, and then a fabulous burger a Kansas recipe, with corn on the cob, from any of the Cornbelt States - Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Ohio - and cherry pie, from Michigan cherries, for dessert. While black walnut cake or black walnut bread, from Missouir, are an ideal snack.

Visiting the Midwest, one can enjoy ethnic food, as the inmigrants settling in the region brought their recipes with them, and their own food traditions, from lovely Sunday dinners, often meat and potatoes, to a Wisconsin fish boil or tailgating party.

…and food events

One can enjoy the Grape Festival, Nauvoo, September, Illinois, or the Strawberry Days, Strawberry Point, June, Iowa; or go to the Minnesota State Fair, end of the summer, St Paul, Minessotta, the St. Paul Winter Festival, January, and hope that the Taste of Minnesota Food Festival, St. Paul, July, will run again.

Michigan has the Cereal Festival, Battle Creek, June, and the National Cherry Festival, Traverse City, July.

Indiana holds the Egg Festival, Mentone, June; the Popcorn Festival, Valparaiso, September; and the Festival of Gingerbread, Fort Wayne, November / December. In Wayne, Nebraska, runs the Wayne Chicken Show, in July.

Kansas is the place for the International Pancake Race, Liberal, where men -ladies have theirs in Olney, England- run 415 yards (379.5 m) with a pancake in a skillet, turning it overas they go. To make things more interesting, the course's contour is like an S. It takes place in February. There is also the Historic Fort Hays Day in Hays, Kansas, with plenty of history, including craft related demonstrations -weaving rugs, whittling- and food related demonstrations -churning butter, to mention one.

Missouri sponsors the Ozark Ham And Turkey Festival, California, September and the Missouri State Fair, Sedalia, August, an event with lovely food.

If visiting North Dakota, try to make it for the Potato Bowl, Grand Forks, September or the quaint Oktoberfest, Leipzig. If you are into German food, you can also book time to visit the Schmeckfest (German festival), Freeman, South Dakota, March or April.

Not entirely a food event, but the Circleville Pumpkin Show, Ohio, is great fun. In Wisconsin, one can choose among the Chocolate Festival, Burlington, May or the many ethnic festivals in towns and cities, especially German and Polish.

When to go

You can take advantage to do attend one of the food festivals and do some extra tourism.

If you like to catch your own food, check the hunting or fishing seasons.

Midwest

Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Michigan
Minessota
Missouri
Nebraska
North Dakota
Ohio
South Dakota
Wisconsin

Recipes from Midwest states

These are a few favorite recipes from the Midwest states.

Amish stuffing OH

Buckeyes OH

Cannibal sandwich WI

Cincinnati chili over pasta OH

Cheese puffs WI

Corn dogs IA

Cornmeal mush with molasses and cream SD

Deep dish pizza IL

Fried cheese curds WI

Grilled Swiss cheeseburger with sliced mushrooms KA

Iowa chops IA

Lefse ND

Macaroni and cheese ND

Meatloaf with brown sugar and ketchup glaze KA

Reuben sandwich with Russian dressing NE

Runza NE


Midwest recipes

Discover the most iconic food in every State

Tour around the Midwest states

Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minessota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin.... and return to taste more food in U.S.A.