[George G.]

I have a black friend who says he thinks the oddest “white folks” food is peanut-butter-and-banana sandwiches. Are there any other odd foods black people find especially associated with white people?

User Detail :  

Name : George G., Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Disability : likes peanut-butter-and-banana sandwiches, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 68, City : Los Angeles, State : CA, Country : United States, Occupation : Writer, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Jennifer R.]

I like peanut-butter-and-banana sandwiches! I’m pretty familiar with foods that are considered ‘white’ by some, since I live in Minnesota. I was even raised here, so I guess I’ve grown up eating some of those very foods. Some I haven’t eaten, and have no desire to eat, are more ethnicly associated than generally white, like Lutefisk. For those who don’t know what Lutefisk is, it’s whitefish (I think), prepared in a process that unaccountably includes LYE. You know, that stuff they used to put in our hair relaxers that burned like hell when applied to the scalp. The stuff they used to throw on bodies in mass graves to hasten decomposition. The result is a gelatinous cake of foul-smelling stuff, and it’s a traditional Norwegian dish. When I was in college in Wisconsin, another very white place, I noticed that a lot of people put MACARONI in chili! Is that a white thing? I’ve never seen anyone else do it. Also, some white people I know consider anything seasoned with more than salt and pepper to be spicy.

User Detail :  

Name : Jennifer R., Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Humanist, Age : 29, City : Saint Paul, State : MN, Country : United States, Occupation : Writer/Student, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Yvonne24344]

Pimento cheese sandwiches!

User Detail :  

Name : Yvonne24344, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 25, City : Austin, State : TX, Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[Yvonne24343]

Pimento cheese sandwiches!

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Name : Yvonne24343, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 25, City : Austin, State : TX, Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[Barb23466]

I always thought peanut butter and banana sandwiches were a black or Southern food. I’m African-American, and I loved the ones my mother from Mississippi would make when I was growing up.

Raw oysters – now THAT’S an odd white folks food.

User Detail :  

Name : Barb23466, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, City : Atlanta, State : GA, Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Jacqueline-C21033]

I am white but have never eaten any of the ‘white’ foods mentioned. The only one I might consider is a peanut butter and banana sandwich. I have never heard of a pimento and cheese sandwich, or putting macaroni in chili. It is true that there are a lot of white people who consider anything spicier than salt and pepper too much. I guess it’s a matter of what you are raised eating. When people come over for dinner, I always have to remember who I’m cooking for before I put in the spices. I have also noticed that a lot of white people (including my dad) put salt on food before they even taste it. I HATE that. It is insulting to the cook to start doctoring the food before you even taste it.

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Name : Jacqueline-C21033, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 26, City : San Jose, State : CA, Country : United States, Occupation : Engineer, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, 

[John A.]

I’m originally from New Jersey (by the shore) and I love raw oysters. I must admit, it is an acquired taste. If you can get past the gritty, slimy taste, they’re actually pretty good.

User Detail :  

Name : John A., Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 29, City : Charlotte, State : NC, Country : United States, Occupation : Office Assistant, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[George-Garrigues]

VERY interesting, Barb. Perhaps the peanut-butter-and-banana sandwich is a regional thing. My mom and grandparents were of very poor stock, from the South. Maybe they had these sandwiches because the two foods were very inexpensive. Who knows? My black friend, on the other hand, may never have experienced poverty so he doesn’t know how far a tight budget can be stretched with a little bit of George Washington Carver’s most prominent gift to little kids and teens.

User Detail :  

Name : George-Garrigues, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 68, City : Los Angeles, State : CA, Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Paul30493]

I’m from the south, Atlanta to be exact, and I grew up on peanut butter and banana sandwhiches. Furthermore, I also at peanut butter and mayonaisse and banana sandwhiches.

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Name : Paul30493, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Baptist, Age : 23, City : Atlanta, State : GA, Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[S.K.]

This question spawned from an ‘us/them’ mentality in which the true answer has been obscured by the most visible difference: race. Different people have different likes and dislikes. When you read these responses, it becomes clear that race has nothing to do with determining personal taste. Parents, friends, where you live, where you travel, your own sense of adventure … these are the things that influence what you eat and what you like.

User Detail :  

Name : S.K., Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 23, City : Boston, State : MA, Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[Becca S.]

It seems that some foods are ethnically associated, and some are race associated. I grew up in ND, another Scandinavian stronghold, and yep — a lot of people ate Lutefisk. And putting macaroni in chili turns it into ‘goulash,’ which I think is really a Hungarian food which probably bears scant resemblance to the midwestern dish. I now live in a predominantly African-American neighborhood in which there is a lot of barbequing (sp?) and smoking of meat (mostly pork, it seems) going on. (I never saw a smoker until I moved here.) I would disagree with the woman who posted a response that said noting such things is part of an ‘us/them’ mentality. Is it really wrong to notice and talk about differences? Does it mean we’re prejudiced or racist to notice patterns of behavior, be it in foods consumed, clothing worn, music enjoyed, etc.? What I like about these forums is that people can talk about such seemingly trivial things that may help us understand one another and feel more comfortable around one another. PS to Jennifer: it’s quicklime that is used to decompose bodies. Not lye. Lye is also used in making certains kinds of hominy (grits).

User Detail :  

Name : Becca S., Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Unitarian, Age : 34, City : St. Paul, State : MN, Country : United States, Occupation : Writer/Technogeek, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[buddy]

I thought this was funny. I am from the South and work with a lot of black folk. As far as I can tell they all eat and like the above mentioned foods except that fish stuff from Wisconsin, but they all seem to love fried catfish and mullet. These foods are also commonly eaten by all the white folk I know. Have you ever had a pineapple sandwich??

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Name : buddy, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 47, City : Marianna, State : FL, Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Kathy26672]

Hi: I am Black and live in Nashville, Tennessee. In high school I learned that a number of white classmates ate Jello and crackers, and also raw meat (not together though). Also a white lady told me that she ate raw ground beef and tartar sauce. Also the love of rare cooked meat is something Blacks usually don’t eat.

User Detail :  

Name : Kathy26672, City : Nashville, State : TN, Country : United States, 

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