9 Quirky Food Terms You'll Only Hear in the Midwest

Known for its friendly hospitality and hearty comfort food, the Midwest offers unforgettable regional food crafted from locally grown ingredients that elevate the dish to the next level. But the area is also infamous for some truly unique food lingo that outsiders just don’t get. Whether you’re planning a trip through America’s Heartland or just want to decode Midwestern menus, here are 9 quirky food terms you’ll only hear in the Midwest — and what they actually mean.

Hotdish

Cheesy Potato Casserole — Courtesy of The Seasoned Mom

If you’re invited to a gathering and want to impress the guests, bring a hotdish–a baked casserole dish. The term is especially popular in Minnesota and North Dakota, and often includes starchy carbs, like tater tots, canned soup–usually creamy mushroom meat, and vegetables baked together.

Puppy Chow

Puppy chow might sound like something you’d feed a dog, but it’s actually a sweet treat made from Chex cereal coated in a mixture of melted chocolate and peanut butter, then dusted with powdered sugar. It’s a popular go-to snack in the region.

Loose Meat Sandwich

A loose meat sandwich is seasoned ground beef often cooked with onions and garlic on a bun. It differs from saucy sloppy joe because the loose meat sandwich is dry, crumbly. Toppings include mustard, pickles, raw onions, and sometimes cheese. In some Midwest areas, it’s also known as a Tavern sandwich.

Kringle

A kringle is well-known in Wisconsin as a sweet, flaky pastry with several layers of dough and fruit fillings. It’s a popular breakfast staple that you’ll find at any local gathering.

Jell-O Salad

Jell-O Salad is something you’ll often see on the dinner table, church potlucks and family get-togethers. A Jell-O salad is a bunch of things tossed in a bowl with gelatin like veggies such as shredded carrots, or fruit, but it’s not a salad. While it typically runs sweeter, it’s not considered a dessert either. It’s a side dish.

Bunza

A bunza is a savory meat pie that’s commonly referred to as a runza. It’s a baked dough pocket filled with beef, cabbage, and onions and a local favorite, especially in Nebraska.
In other areas, the term “bierock” is used for the same food.

Pop

When you want a soda many who aren’t from the Midwest say the word soda or the type they’re craving like Coke. But in the Midwest, pop is the standard term for a carbonated soft drink.

Fish Fry

A fish fry is a popular Friday night tradition that stems from Lent–the 40-day period leading up to Easter. Followers of the Catholic Church typically don’t eat meat on Fridays during this time frame as a way to honor Jesus’ sacrifice. The rule used to be year-round, but has since been relaxed, but in the Midwest, fish fry–a beer-battered usually cod dish served with tartar sauce, lemon wedges, and French fries (or German-style potato pancakes), coleslaw, and rye bread is still the norm.