What The “American Food” Section Looks Like In Different Countries

Grocery stores around the world often try to persuade their customers to buy more by having "exotic" displays of foreign products. However, they aren't necessarily accurate. Take the American sections, for example. You can find them in pretty much any country. Wild flavors of Dr. Pepper, chocolate-covered pretzels, hamburger cookies, and of course, Snapple—the cornerstones of every American diet. Continue scrolling, take a look at these shelves, and let us know in the comments if you think this is actually what Uncle Sam eats or the stores have stocked up on too much sugar and are trying to get rid of it!

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Pungent Sauce 3 years ago

Nope.

16points

riley_is_trans_ 3 years ago

Did it ever occur to anyone that Americans eat food other then pure sugar

5points

3 years ago

No why would they care even if they knew lol

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Bridget Price 3 years ago

the mike and ikes mega mix is my personal favorite.😋

2points

Imheresometimes 3 years ago

Definitely not the warheads

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Random Person 3 years ago

sample the runts. they are fire. the rest is trash

1point

Jane S. 3 years ago

A handful of Nerds is good for stopping hiccups, but a big spoonful of sugar works just as well. So, not really.

1point

Cindy Arrieu-King 1 year ago

This comment has been deleted.

0points

rs_adahl1971 1 year ago

I like Mike and Ike's. But Reese's is better

0points

Pamela Blue 2 years ago

Nope. ESPECIALLY NOT the chocolate bars. American chocolate is putrid. They use butyric acid in processing their chocolate and it gives the chocolate an unpleasant flavour. Americans don't notice it because they're brought up on it, but to someone who has eaten really good chocolate, the flavour is very definite.

0points

Dorothy Cloud 3 years ago

If you want to just live on candy.

0points

3 years ago

No maybe nerds but meh

0points

Viv Hart 3 years ago

All snacking.

0points

Angelique Sweetman 3 years ago

Not at all.

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Lynne Stankard 3 years ago

Reese's!! Although most shops in UK now stock Reece's - lovely!

0points

Ms LaDonna 3 years ago

no....

0points

Susan Widomski 3 years ago

Hershey's?

0points

gaby Lieb 3 years ago

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Sarah Grape 3 years ago

hershy's would be my first pick. get a little of both the cookies and cream and the original.(probably not the king sized that are there in case you don't like it) I like the cookies and cream, but the original is classic.

0points

SuePrew 3 years ago

I personally love Hershey chocolate.

0points

PrincessTheSiameseKat 3 years ago

my family is american but we actually don't eat much sugar and candy or even sugary cereal

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LakeMonster 3 years ago

I'm an American. The answer for these products is... no.

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Hollysmom 3 years ago

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TheBoredPanda 3 years ago

LOL, they have warheads!! omg, I ate so many of those one that my tongue blistered.

0points

Batwench Premium 3 years ago

Not the chocolate but the snack mix might be ok.

0points

just a hamilfan (hufflepuff) 3 years ago

the reeses and mike and ikes, everything else is crap

0points

Amanita Virosa 3 years ago

Ha, maybe the Hersey's bar.

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Jessica Otto 3 years ago

Not really, no

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What do you think ?

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Logic and Reason 3 years ago

I feel like I just saw the same picture 73 times.

13points

BorPand8 3 years ago

Has anyone ever seen bottled hotdogs for sale in the US? I lived there for 20+ years and have never seen anything like those.

12points

Natalie Oleander 3 years ago

Nope

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Evil Little Thing 3 years ago

Nope. Been here all my life.

4points

Khavrinen 3 years ago

I had never seen them, either, but they were in SO MANY of those pictures I eventually Googled "Dino's". It says on their website "Inspired by the streets of Brooklyn, Dino's brings classic American Deli flavors to your home", so I think this may be a New York thing, which hasn't spread to the whole rest of the country. That would explain why the supermarkets I've always shopped at on the West Coast don't carry them.

3points

Mewton’s Third Paw 3 years ago

I’ve seen them in a jar but not in a long long time, probably more than 20 years ago, and in a southern / country area.

1point

SirPatTheCat 3 years ago

No, and also the nerds? I don't feel like anyone here has that much of an obsession with nerds

1point

Deborah Rubin 1 year ago

Never.,

0points

Lyone Fein 3 years ago

Maybe they ship better, or sray preserved longer than plastic sealed ones?

0points

3 years ago

Nope not here in pa

0points

Pilot Chick 3 years ago

I think it’s interesting how many stores had multiple kinds of Nerds. I’ve never seen them like that in the US. The only time we got Nerds was in tiny packages at Halloween.

9points

Samuel 3 years ago

can't relate to this post as I'm european and visiting the US is only a plan. Could someone explain what is wrong here?

5points

DoomsdayDuck555 3 years ago

Americans don't just eat junk food and sugary cereal

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Q B F T 3 years ago

I *think* the Americans are saying "oh god, all the food in the American section is awful - is this what people think American food is???" but I could be wrong.

4points

Evil Little Thing 3 years ago

We don't eat that much sugar. Yes, we do have a weird obsession with fake cheese. But if you want real American food, it's going to be BBQ or sandwiches. And not the British version (buttered cucumbers on bread). American sandwiches put the whole meal inside the bread- meat, salad, cheese, sauce.

2points

3 years ago

Lol dont expcet any of this dog food lookin sh1t exept in the candy isle

0points

Linda H 3 years ago

To be fair, our US stores probably don't accurately represent international foods either. I mean, do Asian folks only eat pockie and Raman?

4points

Batwench Premium 3 years ago

A lot of these are what I would call “ comfort foods “ you don’t eat it every day but have a craving for your own taste of home occasionally.

3points

Lucas 3 years ago

Which I think is the point. Everyday 'normal' food that we all eat will be available in the rest of the shop. This is just a taste of home that is specific to the US but in the way that all countries have. UK will have unhealthy nostalgic treats too.

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H Edwards 3 years ago

Thanks to this post I know where to look for canned pumpkin puree.

3points

No one 3 years ago

There is so much sugar

2points

Q B F T 3 years ago

Be interesting to see how the international sections in American supermarkets compare. Think those sections in any supermarket always tend towards the stereotype - German bratwurst, Spanish chorizo, British baked beans, etc.

2points

Yettichild 3 years ago

In my neck of the woods there is a chain of stores called 'World Market' and they stock food and booze from all over the world. Obviously not an entire grocery stores worth for each country, but a good showing. It's all packaged food though, nothing fresh.

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Bizianka 3 years ago

To sum up - junk food plus beans.

2points

Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago (edited)

I just realised that I have never seen an "American" section in a supermarket before. We have an Asian food section, a Mexican food section and an international food section which mainly consists of food from the UK and Europe. The American foods we do have are scattered in the relevant aisles ie gobstoppers and nerds are in the lolly/ chocolate aisle, pop tarts in breakfast food section, oreos in biscuit section etc.

2points

Chris Hill 3 years ago

I've been on this planet a long time, neither I or anyone I have ever known has bought marshmallow "fluff". Nice find = sweet baby rays, wtf = jar of hot dogs, missing=ketchup

1point

just a hamilfan (hufflepuff) 3 years ago

you guys should try pop tarts, not the kinds like "smores" or "cookies and cream" those arnt any good. but the fruit ones like strawberry and cherry are the best.

1point

Q B F T 3 years ago

I thought pop tarts have been around in Europe since the 90s? I remember having some around then...

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rs_adahl1971 1 year ago

No Marmite. I like Vegemite myself.

0points

rs_adahl1971 1 year ago

This is what the rest of the world thinks of us? From the looks of things, the rest of the world didn't do enough research.

0points

Anita Pickle 3 years ago

Is it just me, or was Tabasco missing entirely? I never cared for Tabasco, I like other got sauce way more, but it is a staple in most households in America.

0points

Rose the Cook 3 years ago

The Foreign Food section in Chinese supermarkets isn't labeled American Food but should be. Typically it contains at least 25 types of chewing/bubble gum, Red Bull and other energy drinks, potato crisps and other rubbish. If you are very lucky there may be pasta sauce.

0points

Meami 3 years ago

It seems as though the American sections are limited to American junk food for the most part. There were a couple that had peanut butter which is always hard to find outside the US but mostly, it was just crap. Many of us just don't eat that stuff.

0points

Jods 3 years ago

If only UK supermarkets sold Jolly Rancher hard candies then I wouldn’t have to spend a fortune buying them on-line. And Nerds and Runts have been over here for years.

0points

Kati Donovan 3 years ago

I want to know where all those countries found "Twinkies" cuz you sure don't see them for sale anywhere near my part of the USA!

0points

Faith Hurst 3 years ago

They all basically look like a rest stop/truck stop convenience store shelf. Not actual food.

0points

Carlota 3 years ago

Yeah, in my country the US section in grocery stores is basically just shelves full of diabetes

0points

Amanda Brownell 3 years ago

Are marshmallows only an American thing??

0points

AzKhaleesi 3 years ago

Ok anyone not from America, please tell me why you think we have such an infatuation for marshmallows? Don't get me wrong. Yea they're tasty and they make great s'mores (graham cracker, chocolate and marshmallow) but we don't sit around eating this stuff. The candy is accurate, but again, not many of us just walk around downing fist fulls of nerds and other candy daily. Pizza is good. But it definitely doesn't have hot dogs on it. I'm just confused.

0points

Prilsy 3 years ago

Marshmallows can be thought of as American because of the films with people melting them around a campfire. Similar with hotdogs - films with newyorkers eating them on the street. As for pizza - beats me, pizza is Italian.

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riley_is_trans_ 3 years ago

1. A lot of Americans actually eat real f*****g food 2. It's actually gotten a little old, how much Americans are stereotyped. 3. Yes American food has a lot of sugar but that's not all we eat. 4. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are revolutionary

0points

Q B F T 3 years ago

1. I guess that's the point of the article, but you're right, that is a common belief among many. 2. I'm not sure America is stereotyped any worse than any other country, although the proliferation of American culture means it is more visible. 3. I think that's the same point as 1. 4. They haven't really taken off anywhere else, though, have they? I've never seen them outside of the US myself. And, controversial opinion, I found them a little underwhelming after they'd been built up so much by Americans. A hotpot in beijing or yakiniku in Osaka blew my mind far more, but it's always personal I guess.

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Dee Pond 3 years ago

I kept looking to make sure they stocked peanut butter.

0points

Marcellus the Third 3 years ago

In The Hague there is/was the 'Expat Store' in the harbour of Vlissingen. It was ran and visited by US expats, and was basically a supermarket but with overseas products (as if dishwashing detergent shipped across the pond would make a difference --- but it was mainly that kind of simple stuff). And yeah it was similar to most of these photos above: Junkfood, regular household products, terrible 'chocolates'... but given owners and clientele, it's what americans think what american products are.

0points

lara 3 years ago

OK, tiny to nothing hot sauce sections, no barbecue sauces/seasonings, this is literally nothing but contempt shelves.

-1point

Ren Karlej 3 years ago

Honestly, there are whole sections in supermarkets with other brand sauces, hot or otherwise. These are just familiar brands that people from the US may prefer. We all get brands we like better after all. I think these are just items that wouldn't normally be sold in whichever country the shop is in, but that most people's needs are easily met with the normal offerings in the shop. People don't need US veggies but might be pleased to see US sweets for example. I think those people taking photos and assuming that this is all American's eat are being daft, of course it's not. That's how I see it anyway. If I was in a different country and saw my preferred brand of something I'd probably just be pleased the shop was bothering.

1point

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Linda H 3 years ago

Yes, because these are all the food products Americans eat.

-2points

Aliquid A 3 years ago

Who said it was? Have you ever actually been grocery shopping, and looked how food is sorted?

2points

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Uber Mensch 3 years ago

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Logic and Reason 3 years ago

I feel like I just saw the same picture 73 times.

13points

BorPand8 3 years ago

Has anyone ever seen bottled hotdogs for sale in the US? I lived there for 20+ years and have never seen anything like those.

12points

Natalie Oleander 3 years ago

Nope

5points

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Evil Little Thing 3 years ago

Nope. Been here all my life.

4points

Khavrinen 3 years ago

3points

Mewton’s Third Paw 3 years ago

I’ve seen them in a jar but not in a long long time, probably more than 20 years ago, and in a southern / country area.

1point

SirPatTheCat 3 years ago

No, and also the nerds? I don't feel like anyone here has that much of an obsession with nerds

1point

Deborah Rubin 1 year ago

Never.,

0points

Lyone Fein 3 years ago

Maybe they ship better, or sray preserved longer than plastic sealed ones?

0points

3 years ago

Nope not here in pa

0points

Pilot Chick 3 years ago

I think it’s interesting how many stores had multiple kinds of Nerds. I’ve never seen them like that in the US. The only time we got Nerds was in tiny packages at Halloween.

9points

Samuel 3 years ago

can't relate to this post as I'm european and visiting the US is only a plan. Could someone explain what is wrong here?

5points

DoomsdayDuck555 3 years ago

Americans don't just eat junk food and sugary cereal

8points

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Q B F T 3 years ago

I *think* the Americans are saying "oh god, all the food in the American section is awful - is this what people think American food is???" but I could be wrong.

4points

Evil Little Thing 3 years ago

2points

3 years ago

Lol dont expcet any of this dog food lookin sh1t exept in the candy isle

0points

Linda H 3 years ago

To be fair, our US stores probably don't accurately represent international foods either. I mean, do Asian folks only eat pockie and Raman?

4points

Batwench Premium 3 years ago

A lot of these are what I would call “ comfort foods “ you don’t eat it every day but have a craving for your own taste of home occasionally.

3points

Lucas 3 years ago

2points

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H Edwards 3 years ago

Thanks to this post I know where to look for canned pumpkin puree.

3points

No one 3 years ago

There is so much sugar

2points

Q B F T 3 years ago

2points

Yettichild 3 years ago

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Bizianka 3 years ago

To sum up - junk food plus beans.

2points

Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago (edited)

2points

Chris Hill 3 years ago

I've been on this planet a long time, neither I or anyone I have ever known has bought marshmallow "fluff". Nice find = sweet baby rays, wtf = jar of hot dogs, missing=ketchup

1point

just a hamilfan (hufflepuff) 3 years ago

you guys should try pop tarts, not the kinds like "smores" or "cookies and cream" those arnt any good. but the fruit ones like strawberry and cherry are the best.

1point

Q B F T 3 years ago

I thought pop tarts have been around in Europe since the 90s? I remember having some around then...

-1point

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rs_adahl1971 1 year ago

No Marmite. I like Vegemite myself.

0points

rs_adahl1971 1 year ago

This is what the rest of the world thinks of us? From the looks of things, the rest of the world didn't do enough research.

0points

Anita Pickle 3 years ago

Is it just me, or was Tabasco missing entirely? I never cared for Tabasco, I like other got sauce way more, but it is a staple in most households in America.

0points

Rose the Cook 3 years ago

0points

Meami 3 years ago

0points

Jods 3 years ago

If only UK supermarkets sold Jolly Rancher hard candies then I wouldn’t have to spend a fortune buying them on-line. And Nerds and Runts have been over here for years.

0points