Fun facts and fascinating trivia about historical, bygone, and modern foods for people who love eating food.

Chew on This

Old Stuff

Every <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/each-state-essential-food/melissa-sartore">state has a food</a> it is known for, and we often take pride in claiming that our home makes some of the best barbecue, seafood, or pies in the nation. Still, when Ranker asked readers which food they could eat for the rest of their lives, Chinese food, spaghetti, burritos, and sushi were some of the dishes that ranked at the very top of the list. Part of what makes these foods so appealing is that they seem special, helping us feel like we are experiencing ethnic foods without having to leave home. Are we really, though?&nbsp;It turns out that some of our very favorite “ethnic” foods actually originated right here in our own country. While a few resemble dishes from their supposed countries, others were conceptualized entirely in the United States. This list exposes the fascinating, real, and very American origins of some of our very favorite “ethnic” dishes.

Foods Americans Think Are Ethnic But Were Actually Invented In The States

Food

Lauren Glen

Fast Food

Snacks and fast food can make up a considerable amount of what we eat in a day. If we're in need of a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/most-popular-junk-food-kids-every-decade/oliver-pretl-drummond">quick bite</a> between meals, nothing is more satisfying and delicious than some chips, candy, or a similar treat. Fast food is - well, fast and convenient - making it a tasty option when we're in a hurry or just too lazy to cook.Many good eats passed our lips this year - and many facts about those foods crossed our paths, too. We learned about some of our <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/fast-food-to-eat-every-day-big-mac-taco-bell/dave-schilling">favorite fast-food restaurants</a>, individual ingredients, and even how we might actually be <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/food-you-have-been-eating-wrong/donn-saylor">eating food wrong</a>.&nbsp;We can't wait to see what we learn next year! In the meantime, take a look at some of the most fascinating food facts we learned in 2022 and vote up the ones that definitely leave you hungry for more.

17 Facts About Snacks And Fast Food We Learned In 2022 That We're Still Nibbling On

General

Melissa Sartore

Food History

Avocado toast, goat cheese, alternative meat dishes - these are all what we'd consider <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/21st-century-food-fads-to-avoid/carly-kiel?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">21st century food trends</a>.But did you know the bases of these dishes have been around a long time? In some cases, thousands of years?&nbsp;Our ancient human ancestors were no different from us in wanting tasty dishes, so they created some of the staple recipes that we take for granted today. From pancakes to pot pie to popcorn, different people in various pockets of the world were responsible for creating (or stumbling upon) some of our favorite foods today.&nbsp;So which food do you think will be the oldest? Read on to find out.&nbsp;

Dishes That Are Much Older Than We Realized

Surprisingly Ancient Meals

Emily Mast

In the last decade, we've seen some <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/unusual-food-experiences/melissa-sartore">pretty wild variations of food</a> emerge as people feel more comfortable sharing their experiments with friends and the world on social media.&nbsp;But have you ever thought about what the original versions of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-most-delicious-foods-in-the-world">popular dishes</a> tasted like? Was chocolate always so sweet? Did ancient people enjoy a crisp pot pie as much as we do? Did sushi use to be way saltier? (Spoiler: yes.)So which of these dishes would you have indulged in their original form? Which would you prefer to eat today's version of?

What The Original Versions Of 12 Popular Dishes Actually Tasted Like

Original Popular Dishes

Weird History

Food! From fast food to comfort food, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/food-rules-traditions-people-experienced/melissa-sartore?ref=profile_own">people around the world</a> enjoy many different types of cuisines. Food can be delicious or gross, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/popular-dish-taste-history/emily-mast">boring or exotic</a> - &nbsp;or something you don't really give much thought.&nbsp;We, on the other hand, think about food - a lot. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/whoa-food-myths/setareh-janda">Food fascinates us</a>, and we learned a lot about it this year. From facts about fruits and veggies to unsettling details about additives and ingredients, here are the food facts that satisfied our intellectual appetites - for now. If nothing else, they'll hold us over until next year.&nbsp;Take a look and vote up the facts that fill you up, too.&nbsp;

17 Facts About Food We Learned In 2022 That Made Us Hungry For More

poll

Halloween is different as an adult. No matter how much you love the day or the season, you have to admit that the magic of celebration has changed. No longer do you dress up in costume to go trick-or-treating with your friends, get into mischief, nor sort through the mysterious trove of candies you have collected. Instead, you’re at home watching a horror movie you’ve watched twenty times before, waiting for the doorbell to ring so you can pretend to be impressed by a kid in the same Iron Man costume you’ve seen four other times that same night, then hand out candy you bought with your own money. It’s just not the same.But there are things we hold onto. Figuratively, we tend to hold onto the love of certain candies we find especially delicious or give us a sense of nostalgia for a long-gone era. Literally, we hold onto the certain candies we love for ourselves rather than handing them out. Even if we’ve sworn off candy, on Halloween night we find ourselves picking out <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-halloween-candy">those favorite few</a> and soon enough we’ve hoarded and eaten them all.So, adults who have now been relegated to handing out candy rather than receiving it on Halloween, which candies do you always find yourself holding onto rather than handing out to the costumed children knocking on your front door?

Halloween Candies You Find Yourself Holding Onto

Brenden Donnelly

The 1990s was the era of grunge, independent films, and the dawning of the world wide web, but what was it like at the grocery store? For generations, people have commented on the rising cost of groceries, but when factoring in inflation, some items are actually cheaper today than they were in the 1990s. Food prices in 1990 were often similar to today&#39;s prices - which one would hope for since it wasn&#39;t all that long ago - though some items have actually come down in price in the past 30 years.

Have you ever wondered, &ldquo;how much was a loaf of bread in the 1990s?&rdquo; How about the price of eggs? This list will break down <a href="http://https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=12&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjL-JT44NnoAhWQhJ4KHatpA1cQFjALegQIBxAB&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fnaldc.nal.usda.gov%2Fdownload%2FCAT91960192%2FPDF&amp;usg=AOvVaw3LzA_fIuaI7cfmaiGusyVK" target="_blank">1990 food prices</a> by listing the average price back then, the 1990 price factoring in inflation &ndash; using the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics&#39;s <a href="https://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl?cost1=0.60&amp;year1=199001&amp;year2=202003" target="_blank">inflation calculator</a> &ndash; and today&#39;s cost for the same items.

Vote up the grocery store items that you think have the best 2020 value and vote down any food that you&#39;d rather go back in time to purchase.

How Much Grocery Store Items Cost In 1990 Vs. 2020

Jude Newsome

Elizabeth I of England

Oh what a time to be alive in late 16th Century England!&nbsp;Queen Elizabeth I was defending her throne while some plotted against her in favor of her cousin, Mary Queen of Scots. Regardless, Elizabeth's reign cemented <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Elizabeth-I">Britain as a global powerhouse</a> in arts, culture, and cuisine. (Particularly sugary foods, we'll soon find out.)Under Elizabeth's rule, the aristocracy enjoyed a meat-heavy diet with plenty of decadence and splendor - though some of their customs may leave us scratching our heads now.&nbsp;So what do you think? Would you have enjoyed a seat at Queen Elizabeth I's table?&nbsp;

What Food In The Elizabethan Era Was Actually Like

Food In The Elizabethan Era

Food and riddles: two great flavors, together at last! A good riddle nearly stumps us until we finally stumble onto the answer, then leaves us hungry for more. So, we've searched for a variety of riddles to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/riddles-from-movies/will-morgan-1">quench our puzzle appetites</a>, this time focusing on food.&nbsp;Take a big bite out of these food-themed brain teasers and see if they satiate that riddle rumble in your tummy.&nbsp;

Our Favorite Foodie Mind-Boggling Riddles

Will Morgan

The Simpsons

After "d'oh!" Homer's habit of saying “mmm” when tempted is probably his most-used catchphrase. Given the great many culinary delights available in <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/obscure-simpsons-characters/michael-muir?ref=profile_own ">Springfield</a>, it's a phrase that gets plenty of chances to air. This collection looks at those dishes that most bring out our inner glutton; it's probably just as well you can't actually purchase a nacho hat, but who wouldn't want to try one?From the donut so good you'd sell your soul for it, to the eclair that likely would be lethal even without the poison, we look back on our favorite foods from The Simpsons.

Obscure But Memorable One-Episode Foods From ‘The Simpsons’

M. Muir

Lists to rank all things ice cream, fro-yo, gelato, popsicles, and other treats you store in the freezer.

I Scream, You Scream

Restaurants

A list of the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-ice-cream-brands-v1/werner-brandes?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best ice cream</a> and frozen yogurt chains. In the mood for a delicious dessert? Try browsing through our detailed list of the best ice cream and frozen yogurt shops in your area. If your favorite ice cream chain isn’t on the list, go ahead and add it. If you know of a new popular frozen yogurt place, add it too. If your favorite ice cream and frozen yogurt places aren’t ranked high on the list, vote for them to move them to a higher spot. Ice cream and frozen yogurt shops are becoming more popular as new flavors become available to try. Imagine going into an ice cream chain and being able to pick from a hundred new and different flavors. You would never tire of visiting that special ice cream shop and would be able to try something different each time. Frozen yogurt is also becoming more popular, and favorite frozen yogurt shops are popping up in convenient places like malls, making it easy to grab a delicious snack in between shopping.Browse through our list of <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-ice-cream-flavors?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">popular ice cream</a> and frozen yogurt chains to find a new favorite dessert place in your area. From tutti-frutti to plain and yummy vanilla, it’s time to relax with a special ice cream or frozen yogurt dessert.

The Best Ice Cream &amp; Frozen Yogurt Chains

Company

Restaurant Chains

What's a better Halloween costume than going as the very thing you're craving? There even seems to be a candy wrapper to fit every mood. Are you sweet then sour like a Sour Patch kid? Are you a rainbow of feelings like a bag of Skittles? Or do you like to keep things classic <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-halloween-candy">like a Hershey bar</a>?&nbsp;Vote up the candy you'd most likely dress as for Halloween.

Which Candy Wrappers Would Make The Coolest Halloween Costumes?

Josh Buono

Lists about all the fun things happening in the kitchen.

What's Cooking, Good Looking?

Influential

Bon App&eacute;tit! Ever wonder who the most influential chefs of all time are? Sure, super chefs Bobby Flay, Gordon Ramsay, and other <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/notable-tv-chef_s)/reference" target="_blank">famous TV chefs</a> can be considered some of the best, but are they&nbsp;the most influential? Maybe for their time, yet they may be nowhere when it comes to cooking if it wasn't for some of the top world chefs before them. In other words, the chefs to follow were largely important in creating and exploring a great deal of dishes and cuisines, changing the way chefs&nbsp;approach food, as well as how we eat.&nbsp;While many of these <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-male-chefs/reference" target="_blank">renown chefs</a> still grace the world with their delicious plates, others have since passed, leaving their great contributions behind for all of us to enjoy. From Frenchman Alexis Soyer to the award-winning Thomas Keller, these important chefs had a huge influence on a broad range of dishes, and they set the standard for chefs across the world. But who's the most influential chef ever?Check out the list of top chefs in history below and be sure to vote up whoever you think had the greatest influence on food as we know it today. You can also vote chefs down and add any missing ones to the list.&nbsp;

The Most Influential Chefs of All Time

Person

The 30 Most Influential Chefs of All Time, Ranked

Chef Jen

Whoa Facts

Food. We grow it, we buy it, we eat it - it's part of our daily lives. It seems pretty straightforward, right?Wrong.The realities of the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/mind-blowing-every-day-food-facts/brian-gilmore">foods we eat</a> are complex and fascinating. From the foods we <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/nostalgia-food-recollections/alyssa-mariano">remember eating as kids</a>, to the quick bites to eat we <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/unsettling-fast-food-facts/melissa-sartore?ref=profile_own">grab at the drive-thru</a>, there's so much about food to know.We asked some questions about food, and the answers satiated our intellectual appetites. Vote up the answers to questions about food that hit the spot for you, too.

Answers To 14 Questions About Food That Really Hit The Spot

Answers To 14 Questions About Food

Entertainment

A moviegoer can practically smell the finely sliced garlic and onions simmering in a red sauce during the prison scene in Goodfellas. These <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/the-best-food-movies/ranker-film">movies with good food</a> are guaranteed to make you hungry. The creative pies in Waitress. The chocolate river in Willy Wonka &amp; the Chocolate Factory. The exquisite cakes in Marie Antoinette. The straight-up foody goodness that is Chef.We eat with our eyes first. Unfortunately in a movie experience, that’s the only “taste” a viewer can achieve. But in these films, seeing is almost enough. Make your voice heard. Vote up the movies that make you hungry.&nbsp;

15 Movies That Always Make You Hungry

Film

Ann Casano

Ranking the top rap and hip hop songs about every subject, from church to weed.

Rap Songs About Everything

Snacks

The art of rap is all about using what you have around you to express yourself, and if you're hungry, it's going to be about food. These are some of the greatest rap &amp; <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-rap-songs-of-all-time/ranker-hip-hop?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">hip hop songs</a> about food ever recorded. These top food-related hip hop lyrics cover everything from pizza to tacos, collard greens to vegan dishes, lentil soup, and many kinds of soul food.&nbsp; &nbsp; If you were a rapper, what would you rap about? Perhaps this Ranker list of <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-most-delicious-foods-in-the-world">The Most Delicious Foods In The World</a> would be a useful reference. Granted, it may be difficult finding words that rhyme with crispy fried chicken, cinnamon rolls, King Crab legs, or mozzarella sticks.&nbsp; &nbsp; Mmm, now that you're likely pretty hungry, check out these raps about food, and vote up the track you think is best. &nbsp;

The Best Rap Songs About Food

Song

Josh Heller

Food lists at Ranker - the ultimate source for hundreds of food lists and rankings.

Food lists at Ranker - the ultimate source for top 10, top 100, best of, funny, factual lists of any kind

Food lists on Ranker

Foods lists on Ranker

Kit Kat

Twix

Snickers

Pizza

Chinese Food

Cheeseburger

Lettuce

Cucumber

Cheese

Ruffles Cheddar Sour Cream

Pringles Sour Cream and Onion

Cool Ranch Doritos

We all gotta eat, right? Lists of your favorite things to stuff in your face, ranked.

Food Glorious Food

It’s a question asked by kids at sleepovers and by bored office workers around the world. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? Don’t blurt out the first thing that comes to your head, because the answer may not be as simple as you think. Maybe pizza is the first thing you think of, but can you truthfully say that you won’t miss the satisfying, perfect bite that you only get with a giant plate of nachos? This entire list is a Sophie’s choice of delicious food, and it will drive you insane with just a glance, setting your stomach rumbling. If you think you’re up to the challenge, throw out your concept of healthy eating, undo the top button on your jeans, and vote up the one food that you would eat for the rest of your life.Foodies have long discussed the one best food they would happily eat until they departed this mortal coil. Some people get fancy with it and choose a forever meal of a lone quail egg. Other folks, who aren’t afraid to get trashy with their bad selves, decide they’re going to eat nothing but bean burritos until eternity. But now it’s your turn to decide what one food you’ll eat for the rest of your life.Vote here on your favorite forever food, and if there’s some weird regional grub that isn't already listed, run it up the flag pole and see if anyone salutes it.

Steak

If You Could Only Eat One Food for the Rest of Your Life...

Favorite Foods | Food You Could Eat for Every Meal

Ranker Food

We get it—chocolate is basically irresistible. Now, repeat after us: "Hi, I'm [your name here], and I'm addicted to chocolate."

Chocoholics Anonymous 

Lists that rank the many delicious and decadent things you shove into your mouth by the handful, straight from the bag, off the stick, out of the bin, etc. Yum.

Snacks, Sweets, Candy & Treats

Chocolate

A list of the Best Chocolate Bars, including ones you can get delivered to your door with these <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/best-chocolate-subscription-boxes/ranker-shopping" target="_blank">popular monthly chocolate subscription boxes</a>.&nbsp;What chocolate bars are considered the best by consumers? Browse through our list of the best chocolate bars to see which tasty chocolate bars are the most popular, and which ones are on the bottom of the list. If you see a favorite chocolate bar on the bottom of the list, go ahead and vote for it to raise it to a higher spot on the list of popular chocolate bars. You can also add a special chocolate bar if you don’t see it listed here.Wondering which new chocolate bars might send you to Chocolate Heaven? By looking at the top-ranking spots, it will be easy to find new favorite chocolate bars to try. You can copy and paste from this list of chocolate bars to make your very own list of your favorite chocolate bars. From the well-known Hershey’s brand to Willy Wonka, there are multiple taste sensations to try! And, with different flavors and varieties such as chocolate bars with peanuts added, you won’t run out of new chocolate tasting options for a long time.Plan a special evening for trying several of the new chocolate bars listed here. What are your favorite candy bars? If you try new ones that you’ve never tried before, you are sure to find that new special chocolate bar to feed your chocolate addiction.

Hershey's Special Dark

The Best Chocolate Bars

Best Chocolate Bars List

Lists that rank the salty, seasoning-covered treats you reach for when you just need a little hit of that sweet sodium.

Salty & Savory Snacks

You can't eat just one. Or even just one bag! This list of the greatest chips of all time ranks the most delicious chips (both corn and potato!) based on their size, texture, flavor, crispness, and packaging. Many chip lovers still hold on to their early love affairs with chips and few of us can honestly say we've watched a movie and NOT devoured an entire bag of this delicious snack food. But here's the real question: what are the best chips in the world? We need to know, and your votes will help determine not just the top 10 chips, but the complete list of chips and ultimate ranking of most popular chips. Have <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-snacks?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">the best snacks</a> delivered to you with these <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/best-subscription-boxes-for-snack-lovers/ranker-shopping" target="_blank">popular monthly snack subscriptions</a> and the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/best-international-snacks-subscription-boxes/ranker-shopping" target="_blank">best international snack boxes</a>.The Dorito, Frito, and Lays lovers fit into this category. (For Dorito lovers, there is a whole separate debate going on about what is the best Dorito flavor). Others have moved on to artisanal chips, organic or natural chips, and gourmet chips. These chips are undeniably delicious, but when you have a craving for a greasy potato chip, do you really want something that is &quot;all-natural&quot;? That's a question you'll have to answer for yourself, because this list has them all!How do you rank the greatest chip of all time? Do you go by dip-ability? Or the flavor of the chip by itself? Do you go by the size of the chip? Do healthy chips make better chips? All these very important questions could have mind boggling answers that shake the very foundations of science, snacking, and reality! The goal of this list is to put all of our chip-loving minds together and decide what is the absolute most delicious, best chip in the world. Go!

The World's Most Delicious Chips, Crisps &amp; Crunchy Snacks

Best Chips in the World | List of Top Chips Flavors

Ranker Community

Ready for a real health hack that will give you results you've never dreamed possible? It's easy: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." (-Michael Pollan) Vote for your faves.

Rabbit Food

The very best salad ingredients, be them veggies, cheese, meats or other items, are the essential components that when combined transform the individual items into a real salad. Alone, these items are all delicious, but when you add them together and toss them with a <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/best-salad-dressings/chef-jen" target="_blank">delicious salad dressing</a>, a yummy salad is created.

In fact, it&#39;s the salad ingredients or toppings that distinguish one salad from another. Take the Caesar salad&nbsp;for instance and it&#39;s traditional toppings of Parmesan cheese, romaine lettuce, croutons and a garlicky dressing. Greek salads&nbsp;are the same with the likes of feta cheese, tomatoes, onions, pickled beets, peperoncini peppers, cucumbers and an olive oil-oregano dressing making these individual items combine to create something better than the sum of the original parts.

Whether you&#39;re a fan of traditional salads like the Waldorf&nbsp;or the classic cobb or just a simple garden salad with lettuce, tomato and dressing, it&#39;s safe to assume we can all agree that the ingredients make the salad. We&#39;ve all seen the salad bars stocked with a wide variety of vegetables, cheeses, meats, nuts and dressings, and just as there are endless options for salad toppings, there are endless combinations for which to create out own definition of a perfect salad.

Perhaps that flexibility and the fact that there is no wrong way to make a salad, is what makes salad a wonder food. As an added bonus, for the most part, unless you pick fatty dressings and high-calorie toppings, salads are also healthy (often rich in&nbsp;<a href="http://www.anrdoezrs.net/a866biroiq5A76687F576A97AAA" target="_blank">proteins and nutrients</a>). That&#39;s a double bonus if we ever saw one.