Which US state has the blandest food?

The areas of eastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota settled by Scandinavians is the answer. They don’t even use pepper, and very little salt.

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Yeah. Restaurants are hit and miss, but at a lot of family gatherings, you’re lucky if there’s pepper on the table. At my last job, the boss brought in a big tub of her homemade chili for a team lunch. There was no chili in the chili. She was kind enough to bring a bottle of store brand chili powder for people who liked their chili “spicy” though. In a lot of places, this is changing now. Lots of Latin American immigrants have moved up here, as well as folks from various parts of Africa and India. Plenty of restaurants now that actually use seasoning, and it’s becoming more popular with home cooks too.

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UnrelatedCutOff@reddit

What’s in the chili-less chili?

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Rail1971@reddit

Iowa. Home of the loose meat sandwich.

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ohdang_raptor@reddit

So far, in my experience, it’s Ohio. That’s the only state I’ve lived and didn’t have a favorite local restaurant. I’d go to chain places over the local fare because they were more flavorful.

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Tormod76@reddit

Cleveland is usually a top 10 ranked foodie city and Columbus has great food scene also. Plus top chefs like Michael Symon, Guy Fieri, and several James Beard nominated chefs come from Ohio.

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babarsac@reddit

I married an Ohio gal and this is 100% the truth. The only thing you're missing is that all red wine must be served on ice.

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Yggdrasil-@reddit

Indiana Haha suck it Indiana

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milesdriven@reddit

I hate Indiana, and have only gone there for work, but the best Mexican food I've ever had was ar a hole in the wall in Indianapolis and the best Thai was in Fort Wayne . Also Greiner's subs in Indianapolis has some good sandwiches .

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Express-Stop7830@reddit

I'd like to hear about your breakup with Indiana. Because your comment genuinely made me laugh.

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GBPack52@reddit

There's nothing that Illinoisans love more than dunking on Indiana (whether or not it's deserved, but it's totally deserved).

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anillop@reddit

We also love to dunk on the cheeseheads too.

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lokland@reddit

It’s always deserved. Such a shithole state and so easy to kick around.

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door322@reddit

Ouch. I won't retaliate tho because im a people pleasing Midwesterner. You want a tenderloin er no?

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Otherwise-OhWell@reddit

I get my tenderloins from Iowa, where god created them. It's nice Indiana tries though.

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front_torch@reddit

That's a cheap shot. You don't seem well traveled.

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Willing_Calendar_373@reddit

Yup.

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Charvan@reddit

I live in North Central Indiana. The Hispanic population is approaching 30% in my area. We have some of the best traditional Mexican food. I work with many native Spanish speakers who say some our area cusine is very similar to what they eat at home. There are some hidden gems in the South Bend, Elkhart and Goshen area.

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Striking-Ladder-832@reddit

Try some St Elmo’s shrimp cocktail

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shelwood46@reddit

I went with a couple dozen guys from NJ when we were there for the fire instructor's conference, and they all turned red and sweaty (aka they loved it).

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Appalachian_Aioli@reddit

Who knew the secret was a shit ton of horseradish. That shit was fantastic.

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-PiesOfRage-@reddit

St Elmo’s shrimp cocktail is an amazing experience. My sinuses are opening up just thinking about it!

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ChadTitanofalous@reddit

Utah

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HobsHere@reddit

I'm sure that there is some bad food there, but I've had some excellent meals on the few occasions I've been there.

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ghman98@reddit

I’m still waiting for the day I can have a meal in this state and honestly call it “great”. There’s a ridiculously low standard for flavor here

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UntidyVenus@reddit

Live in Utah and super disagree. So much more food diversity then I ever imagined moving from California! But maybe y'all just ate at IDK BBQ and decided that was all of Utah

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ghman98@reddit

Beating the allegations about having the blandest food in the country doesn’t mean it’s actually good

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Appalachian_Aioli@reddit

One of my favorite BBQ places is in St George

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InevitableStruggle@reddit

Most of Utah disowns St. George. Not bland enough for them.

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Link_save2@reddit

I've never been to Utah but I still feel like you're lieing idk why

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UntidyVenus@reddit

You'd be wrong. Everyone has their vices, and when much of the culture doesn't drink, food becomes an obsession. But believe what you want and stay away 😘

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nope-its@reddit

It’s better than you’d think - my husband loves to travel there for work because the food is better there than where we live (Colorado). Colorado’s food is worse. It’s the worst thing about relocating here from a state with excellent food.

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worldDev@reddit

Where are you in Colorado? There’s plenty of good food around me in the Denver metro suburbs. It’s not LA or NY, but definitely better options than anywhere I’ve been in UT.

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nope-its@reddit

Denver suburbs. The food is almost always disappointing.

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SDEexorect@reddit

i got a "panini" in a random town in Utah, it was a fucking bagel

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ChadTitanofalous@reddit

Had carbonara at a highly recommended Italian place. It was fettuccine in cream with peas and chicken strips. Salt flavored.

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DrBoots@reddit

Utah food is so boring they had to cut Ketchup with Mayonaise because it was too spicy. It's the only place I've seen a restaurant have to hang up a sign that they don't offer refunds on curry because it's too spicy. If we want to have a wild and crazy evening we might make a "cocktail" by adding cream and flavored syrup to a diet coke. "Chuck-a-rama"

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JohnMichaels19@reddit

Youve clearly never been

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ChadTitanofalous@reddit

Been many times. People are very nice, the streets in SLC are very wide, the scenery is freaking beautiful. And the food for the most part, not very good.

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JohnMichaels19@reddit

Pick better places to eat next time, i guess? There's a huge variety to choose from, especially in and around SLC. For example, the best Indonesian food ive ever had is in Sandy

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ChadTitanofalous@reddit

Every time I've been there, it's been local coworkers suggesting places.

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Sarcastic_Rocket@reddit

The two Utah specific foods are being proud of mixing Mayo and Ketchup into fry sauce, and cooking potatoes with cheese and corn flakes

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No_Patience_6801@reddit

Some of the best food I’ve eaten was in Orem and Park City. I live in SoCal so that’s saying a lot.

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Jubguy3@reddit

I have a friend from Simi Valley and she said the food was the best part of moving back to Utah. It’s more cosmopolitan here than people realize. One of my favorite restaurants was owned by a guy and his husband that he met in Vietnam on his mission. That’s the type of weirdness only Utah can do.

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lost_nurse602@reddit

I also had really, really good food in park city. But I think park city could be an exception because it’s is a very wealthy area.

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Ceehansey@reddit

The River horse or something up in PC was one of the best filet mignon I’ve ever had. I can still taste it nearly ten years later

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No_Patience_6801@reddit

I love River Horse!

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jackofspades49@reddit

I second utah. Even idaho knows how to habdle a potato. Utah folks are too Coke'd oht for other flavors.

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Link_save2@reddit

Or high on Christ or wtv Mormons do idfk

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jackofspades49@reddit

Coke. They do coke. Not cocaine.

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WesternRover@reddit

You need to come west of State Street. Try El Paisa for example.

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jackofspades49@reddit

It has been many years since I had the flattest mexican and chinese of my life. If I ever head that way, I'll dig a little deeper. I'm sure it exists, but the impression I got on my way to wisconson wasn't great.

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SalsaYogurt@reddit

They have "fry sauce", which is Mayo mixed with Ketchup, because Ketchup is too spicy.

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imthesqwid@reddit

Two words, Green Jello

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Ecobay25@reddit

[Green Jello](https://giphy.com/gifs/blue-monster-funny-jello-cDj6ZySi0LBGah0rpv)

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steveofthejungle@reddit

I love living here and there’s good food if you know where to find it but yeah overall it’s very bland and sweet

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police-ical@reddit

Thus far Utah is the only state I've been where locals didn't defend the food.

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Firlotgirding@reddit

I have never been to Utah but I know that there is getting to be a bigger international presence from the LDS church being headquartered there and I would think that would mean people bringing their cuisine with them.

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Ok-Energy-9785@reddit

It's not really a state thing

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Usuf3690@reddit

I think most ethnic restaurants in the US dial it down for Americans. Especially Indian/South Asian restaurants. Nothing like my Pakistani friends make, quality doesn't even compare. As someone who eats a lot of home made spicy food and has a pretty high threshold, especially for a white guy, I will honestly say I've never had Mexican or Indian that was really spicy.

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Unusual_Artichoke_73@reddit

In my experience, Utah

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Pernicious_Possum@reddit

In Indiana, outside of the largest population centers, sugar seems to be the most popular seasoning

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Congregator@reddit

I don’t think it works quite like this, per the states. Why? States are full of a lot of different types of people and communities. Even if a state is like 100% KKK, they might have really damn good cheesecake or pie. Turns out the most racist have the best desserts: custards, gelato and cheesecake. I have no clue how that works. The least racist have the best savory food: Jambalaya, Kung pao, curries, jerk and more. Yet the most racist areas make the best dessert. Basically, the blandest food will come from a region where no one has access to anything, in the middle of the weirdest part of america where no one is anything extreme

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MarionberryPlus8474@reddit

Went to school in Iowa, lots of people from rural areas acted as if bell pepper was too spicy.

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Otherwise-OhWell@reddit

Which school and when?

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Optimal-Hair-7888@reddit

Tbh i have a VERY low spice tolerance

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Dapper-Presence4975@reddit

New England has great seafood and we’re largely responsible for the traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Don’t look at us!

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NintendogsWithGuns@reddit

Yeah, but I’ve also had Mexican food in Boston and it was some of the blandest stuff imaginable.

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HowLittleIKnow@reddit

We have great seafood. I don't know that we necessarily cook it very well. We tend to just fry it or drench it in butter. I mean, there's a reason that in *The Good Place,* one of the things on the menu in Hell is "soul food from Maine."

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Mother_Sort_894@reddit

The first Thanksgiving in 1621 consisted of a three-day harvest celebration featuring venison (deer), assorted wildfowl (duck, goose, and potentially wild turkey), lobsters, clams, mussels, eels, corn, and native berries. The meal focused on local, seasonal foods provided by the Wampanoag and harvested by the Pilgrims, lacking modern staples like potatoes, bread, and sugar.

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Ambitious-Ad2217@reddit

It’s got to be West Virginia, no large cities, minimal immigration, minimal diversity. It’s not a recipe for great things

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cactuscoleslaw@reddit

I had the blandest burrito I've ever eaten in Denver. The filling was beans and ground beef and the only discernable flavor was salt. And this was a highly recommended local place that had tons of great reviews

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EconomyScall@reddit

You went to the wrong place. The good green chile will melt your face and asshole.

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Remote_Ocelot9600@reddit

No state has bland food. Every food is delicious when made by someone with skill. Every food is horrible when made by a bad cook.

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Link_save2@reddit

Okay but Louisiana vs like maine is very different you gotta admit places with big cities or things like north Carolina BBQ, the creoles in Louisiana and Texas BBQ are different then utah wtv they have

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Remote_Ocelot9600@reddit

Funeral potatoes are amazing comfort food

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uresmane@reddit

Have you been to Nebraska?

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Remote_Ocelot9600@reddit

And a well made runza is amazing.

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uresmane@reddit

Got me there

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CatoTheElder2024@reddit

Big dawg lemme tell ya I’m born and raised in Kentucky… and it’s pretty damn bland. But there ain’t no American born here in the states that can handle real Thai… if they didn’t tone it down, they’d be arrested for murder my guy.

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ChimmyTheCham@reddit

Plenty of us can handle real Thai my man old thai lady doesnt give a shit if you order it a 10 or thai hot or whatever the specific restaurant calls it shes gonna give it to you and just remind you no refund lol

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jakerooni@reddit

What?! We have burgoo and bourbon in everything!! lol

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Significant-Track797@reddit

I think it’s less of a state thing and more of an Urban/Rural thing. But my vote would be Wyoming.

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anillop@reddit

It’s Utah. The “Diet Coke“ of states.

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Jsmith2127@reddit

Idaho is mine. I grew up there. I hadn't had any ethnic food, until I left the state. The most ethnic thing they had in my town , when I moved was raco bell

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D-Rich-88@reddit

That’s better than Taco John’s at least

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Otherwise-OhWell@reddit

Do not slander Poato Oles! (TJs tacos are sub Taco Bell.) Keep your potato ole slander to yourself!

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alwaysforgettingmyun@reddit

No, it's so not

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gnirpss@reddit

I'm from western Oregon, but I now live in Spokane, about 45 minutes from Coeur d'Alene. Not that Spokane has an amazing food scene, but I swear, the food gets blander the moment you cross the state line into Idaho.

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Jsmith2127@reddit

😄 yes my sister lives in Coeur d'Alene, and works in Spokane. Idaho is very "meat and potatoes". If you put anything other than basic spices in something people would accused you of "trying to be "fancy" I lived in Bremerton, , Washington years ago, and I still miss the coffee shops, and the Italian sodas in particular

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gnirpss@reddit

Bremerton is fun! Definitely an underrated little city. I grew up in Portland but always wanted to try living somewhere closer to Seattle, at least for a few years.

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Willing_Calendar_373@reddit

South Idaho has a significant Latino population, and decent south american/Central American restaurants.

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Excusemytootie@reddit

Montana is pretty bad. I would imagine the offerings are similar.

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Cicero912@reddit

Well, its not really urban/rural cause some of the best American food (BBQ, seafood etc) comes from rural areas.

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forgotwhatisaid2you@reddit

Rural in the south generally has flavorful food. Not so much the rest of the country.

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improbdrunk@reddit

Shockingly places where more people live have diverser of flavors. Who could have seen that coming?

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Exnixon@reddit

You go to rural New Mexico and the food is going to be spicy as hell.

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SnooPies5378@reddit

East and west coast have awesome food, so does the south, so i dunno. I’m sure the US have bland food but i can’t figure out where lmao

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D-Rich-88@reddit

That was going to be my vote too… although there is surprisingly good sushi and some alright Mexican spots in Cheyenne

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BlazinAzn38@reddit

College town pulling a lot of weight there

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kmokell15@reddit

I think Wyoming will be pulled up based on the large amount of tourists and millionaires with second homes

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No-Bear1401@reddit

I live in Wyoming and have family in Montana. I literally bring seasoning and hot sauce when I visit them, because it's hard to find it even in the grocery store up there.

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New-Grapefruit1737@reddit

Wyoming had a really popular Thai place for a long time, Thai Me Up. Apparently it closed a few years ago.

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Penguin_Life_Now@reddit

I seriously considered Wyoming, but at least they have some flavor variation, while South Dakota seems to use the same spice blend on everything from Beef to Chicken to French Fries

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BackgroundNoise222@reddit

Iowa. People there believe salt is too spicy.

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No-Blackberry-2481@reddit

Very inaccurate. Iowa is not afraid of spice being big with Indian population and other cultures. Iowa surprisingly offers very spicy foods at the right restaurants.

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Fast-Penta@reddit

Iowa does not have a big Indian population. The total percent of all Asians is 2.4%, and there's no way 100% of Iowan Asian Americans are Indian. Iowa is one of the whiter states.

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curiousleen@reddit

I’d add… vast difference between the college towns and the rural ones.

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No-Blackberry-2481@reddit

I see from your comment history you for some reason have issues with Iowa, so there is underlying factors lmao. How did a state hurt you? (Besides the water causing high cancer rates but we are talking about food here)

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dorkpool@reddit

"Point on the doll where Iowa touched you"

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kc_cyclone@reddit

Someone doesn't like tenderloins. Is it a meat and potatoes heavy state, yes. Is the food good, also yes.

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LockNessCrotchMonst@reddit

Iowa, the worst Mexican and Indian food in the country.

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uresmane@reddit

Dakotas, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas. Thank goodness we have more options where I live here in Minnesota.

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boodyclap@reddit

Indian, was there for collage and cannot tell you one good regional food from the area

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im-dramatic@reddit

Vermont is probably one of the most beautiful states in this country, but good lord the food has no flavor.

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blipsman@reddit

Dakotas probably?

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-_FearBoner_-@reddit

North Dakota has a larger ethnic diversity than most people assume, thanks to the oil field. There are a couple really great family owned Mexican, Thai, German, Scandinavian, and other restaurants in the patch. There's also international food shops and one family has a Jamaican fusion restaurant that is outstanding.

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AimlessFred@reddit

I remember going to a truck stop in South Dakota and they had a section of the menu called “ethnic” there were two items: nachos and spaghetti and meatballs

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Dwight_P_Sisyphus@reddit

Even bland states have college towns, so testimonials are going to be deceiving. I propose, for purposes of statistical accuracy, we determine it as directly proportional to the per capita demand for ranch dressing, at a statewide level.

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knightni73@reddit

I feel like Utah would be a contender.

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ShortieFat@reddit

If you're in search bland food, you can do no better than to find the nearest P.F. Chang's.

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420Middle@reddit

According to my son central north America. He said the meat was amaxing in Wyoming Montana but omg where was the seasoning. He was sooooo happy he had taken his seasoning shakers

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Buckabuckaw@reddit

Indiana in the 1950s was very very bland. In the midsize industrial town where I grew up, there was exactly 1 old guy with a tamale cart who wandered around the various factories peddling tamales. I'm gonna guess that my dad pretty much singlehandedly kept him in business. My dad loved to eat things that freaked everybody out. Like Limburger cheese and blood sausage that one of his farmer buddies made.

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Exnixon@reddit

Missouri. A popular Mexican restaurant in Springfield serves salsa which is, essentially, ketchup.

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fuckin-slayer@reddit

St Louis has the worst food of any city I’ve visited, and I’ve been everywhere

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xhmmxtv@reddit

Reno? Chicago? Fargo? Minnesota? Buffalo? Toronto? Winslow? Sarasota?

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dkesh@reddit

Key Largo? Montego? Baby why don't we go?

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IShouldBeHikingNow@reddit

Ooh, I wanna take you down to Kokomo

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1Negative_Person@reddit

You think that *Chicago* has bad food?? It’s one of the best food cities in the country. You’re out of your godsdamned mind.

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Nate_Hornblower@reddit

Whoosh

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fuckin-slayer@reddit

lol the number of people replying here who don’t recognize these are Johnny cash lyrics is hilarious

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Ill-Lou-Malnati@reddit

Chicago is the third biggest city in the States. If you can’t find a variety of good ethnic food in Chicago you’re just lazy.

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BombardierIsTrash@reddit

You think Chicago and Toronto has worse food than St. Luis?

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Wise_turtle@reddit

St. Louis punches way above its weight. You’re off on this one

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Electrical_Chart_477@reddit

Man

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ChessieChesapeake@reddit

I would disagree with that one. Most of the folks I work with are St. Louis locals, and every time I go out there they take me to a new, unique place to eat. I've found the food game in the St. Louis area to be surprisingly strong.

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ZonaWildcats23@reddit

KC has very solid Mexican food (and of course, BBQ)

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fuckin-slayer@reddit

I’m from San Diego. Ain’t no way I’m getting Mexican food in Kansas City

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Vicith@reddit

KC kansas is where you go for the best Mexican food in th KC metro, only thing KCK has over KCMO.

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ZonaWildcats23@reddit

Yeah I wouldn’t get fish tacos. That’s for sure. But I lived in Arizona for 5 years and yeah, KC has legit Mexican food. Your loss amigo!

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1Negative_Person@reddit

KC is the only place in Missouri with decent food. STL is the worst.

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Living_Molasses4719@reddit

Everybody in Springfield knows that Mexican Villa is not real Mexican food and doesn’t pretend to be. We actually have a lot of good Mexican restaurants

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No-Conversation1940@reddit

Southwest Missouri is basically entirely English/Scots-Irish white, to the point that migrants who started restaurants based on their local cuisine had to create watered down dishes just to get locals to try their food so they could stay in business.

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ZebulonRon@reddit

I see your Springfield cuisine, and I raise you KC BBQ and small rural town diners that people still smoke in.

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CuriousExpression876@reddit

I second this

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daishiknyte@reddit

Northern middle states. And Utah.

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thegabster2000@reddit

Utah got delicious deserts though.

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daishiknyte@reddit

I love me some Moab with a side of Bryce and a glass of Uintahs.

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StatementOwn4896@reddit

Come now. Whom among us hasn’t enjoyed a refreshing vegetable-filled jello bowl?

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D-Rich-88@reddit

Wut? That combination of words shouldn’t exist

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daishiknyte@reddit

The 50s were… odd.

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SuperPomegranate7933@reddit

"enjoyed" might be a stretch.

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PabloPicasshooole@reddit

Unjoyed?

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Different_Car106@reddit

Rural Midwest. It was refreshing to move from rural Wisconsin to the Chicago suburbs because I had access to a multitude of ethnic grocery stores for spices and easy access to a lot of really good food.

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Conscious-Okra-7340@reddit

Well, I can’t speak for whole states or regions, but my late in-laws from NJ, near Philly, were the whitest people I ever met. They didn’t have even black pepper in the house. Worcestershire sauce was waaay overly spicy for them. Even Boursin cheese was like nuclear hot to them.

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farson135@reddit

Keeping in mind the somewhat limited number of states I've been to, the Northeast was by far the worst for me. My habit when I try a new place is if they have different levels of "spiciness" I go with whatever qualifies as "medium". However, I stopped bothering when I'm in the northeast and just go with the spiciest option. And even that rarely qualifies as "spicy" at all, despite sometimes the damn staff tries to warn me off of it.

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fl0pi3@reddit

Used to live in Eugene, so ill say oregon

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PilesOfRavioli@reddit

North Dakota

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Forward_Tank8310@reddit

I had the opposite issue to bland. Moving to California after growing up in a small town back east, with the large Mexican population & huge numbers of authentic Mexican (local, not chain) restaurants, my palate was pretty boring. ChiChi’s was exotic for me. In LA, I learned to ask the server for items, “gringo style” for many items so it wasn’t too hot and spicy for me, but I gradually grew to love it spicy.

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Still_Can_7918@reddit

California. No unique cuisine at all. They all just try to out “authentic” each other and then hate on the states that actually innovate and make unique cuisines like Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana, Mississippi, etc.

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SkiAK49@reddit

There is no way you genuinely believe this lol

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Still_Can_7918@reddit

Oh I do. There is no such thing as a California cuisine but there sure is Southern, Creole, New England, TexMex(even though I hate that name, it should just be Texas) cuisines.

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helic_vet@reddit

Can you elaborate?

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Still_Can_7918@reddit

California has no unique cuisine of its own. There is no such thing as a California cuisine unlike say Southern cuisine, Creole cuisine, TexMex(which I hate the name should be just Texas cuisine), etc. They all just try to replicate what they did in their “ancestral” lands and never innovate. It makes food really boring and not unique. Literally the only two reasons they say they have the best, for example, Mexican food, in the US is that 1. They use fresher ingredients (which is valid) and 2. They are more “authentic” which just tells me your food is boring and non-innovative and you don’t care about creating a unique cuisine. And I am a Californian born and raised.

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helic_vet@reddit

I see where you are coming from. You are saying that Camiformianhas fresh ingredients and authentic foreign food but no American originated or fusion cuisine. I am Texas and I am surprised that there isn't a California equivalent to Tex-Mex to be honest.

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Ecobay25@reddit

I guess baja tacos would be the closest to tex mex?

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D-Rich-88@reddit

Authentic is better than “Americanizing” it. That’s usually just watering it down.

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helic_vet@reddit

I disagree. Tex-Mex is great and it is American as apple pie.

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D-Rich-88@reddit

I’ve had it and really don’t like it, no disrespect

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KevrobLurker@reddit

CA does have a lot of fusion.

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DrMindbendersMonocle@reddit

This is one of the most ignorant posts I have read in a while

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Still_Can_7918@reddit

Not really. All the credit goes to whatever foreign country it is named for and people actively hate on fusion food. Besides its “fusion food” is not a full scale cuisine the way Creole, Southern, TexMex, even the Northeast has.

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DrMindbendersMonocle@reddit

Creole is a fusion food ...

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Still_Can_7918@reddit

Yet they made it completely unique and give credit to their (Creole) people only and call it Creole food. The food that is creole doesn’t exist in its creole form in the other countries. No one is calling the food that Californians make Californian cuisine. Besides like I said the vast majority of Californians care more for trying their hardest and getting off to food being as “authentic” as possible. The “fusion” food is literally dying and going away.

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D-Rich-88@reddit

You can delete this.

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jakerooni@reddit

Saying California has the blandest food in the States is wild to me.

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alwaysboopthesnoot@reddit

Central and most of rural PA, its truly awful. Boring, bland, tough, over or undercooked. But go to Pittsburgh, go to Gaucho, Taj Mahal, Patron, Pusadees, get some banh mi from Lucy’s in The Strip. Thank me later.

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whowhatwhat8@reddit

I had "Mexican food" in New Jersey. It tasted like spaghetti-o sauce. I'm from the southwest so it was a bland travesty.

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improbdrunk@reddit

It varies massively by individual. Broadly, pac northwest or midwest, but that's giving a lot of people eating grits a free pass.

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Express-Stop7830@reddit

Have you put taco seasoning in grits? But also, are there people who eat plain grits??

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improbdrunk@reddit

If you get a reddit cares about you response, it wasn't me, but I still worry about you.

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Greenbean6167@reddit

Whoa whoa whoa! Not too much on the grits, now…

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mr-singularity@reddit

It would have to be a state with no real major city. Simply having a major city would guarantee a food island, even if the rest of the state is lacking. So basically it can't be a coastal state, midwest state, sun belt state, or Hawaii. I would also say seafood saves Alaska, and soul food saves the south. Leaving really only the plains and a few states in the Rockies. In which case they're probably all about tied. That said there is likely amazing food in every state. You just might have to try harder to find it.

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SkiAK49@reddit

Anchorage, Alaskas biggest city, has a surprisingly amazing and diverse food scene.

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pikkdogs@reddit

North Dakota. I live there now. It’s tough sometimes.

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GenFatAss@reddit

Minnesota they think Mayo is spicy.

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professor-ks@reddit

Only place I saw extra mild salsa

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Hot_Aside_4637@reddit

We have both spices here. Salt and pepper

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Kellzy1212@reddit

Don’t forget ranch. 😹 I watched a Minnesotan put ranch on scrambled eggs once.

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Katesouthwest@reddit

They need to start living dangerously and put applesauce on those eggs.

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throwfar9@reddit

And Snicker Salad.

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cb1037@reddit

and ketchup, but not the spicy ketchup

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tenehemia@reddit

I'd still put MN above Iowa (both literally and figuratively). Just having more cityfolk makes a difference.

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Luchofromvenezuela@reddit

Plenty of option for spicy food in the cities. But if you go to rural MN, yeah, pretty much bland

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bryku@reddit

In terms of spiciness, then the northern center states probably fall into that.   However, I wouldnt use the term bland, because there are many other flavors they use. For example, no one e would call a pickle bland, but it isnt spicy. Also horseradish is kind of spicy but also not spicy in the same way as peppers.

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Katesouthwest@reddit

Minnesota.

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chasmccl@reddit

The thing about MN is that most of the population lives in the cities, and food in Minneapolis/St. Paul definitely isn’t bland. There are so many immigrants here that there are plenty of Hmong, East African, Indian, and other options. Now when you get into the rural areas though you might as well be in the Dakotas or Iowa. The most adventurous thing you’re going to get there is a walleye fish fry. But again, most of the state doesn’t live there.

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Ok-Possibility-9826@reddit

I’ve found that it’s less the state and more regional. Unfortunately, I’ve been unimpressed every time I’m in the Midwest. I am inclined to give Chicago another chance, though.

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winenot_@reddit

This is my time to shine. It’s Minnesota. Trust me, it’s Minnesota.

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Important_Canary6766@reddit

Pennsylvania!!!

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Ecobay25@reddit

It's not a bad thing, but I'd say West Virginia. Their big dish is a pepperoni roll. Soup beans and potatoes are also a big thing (again not bad just simple comfort food) - except for unsweetened cornbread that can go straight to the 9th circle of hell.

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sharkycharming@reddit

I haven't lived there since the '90s, but Montana had the most laughably bland food at the time. I suspect it's improved considerably since then. One time at a Chinese restaurant in Butte, my egg rolls came with Heinz ketchup and French's yellow mustard. Even mozzarella sticks, which are served with marinara in every other place I've lived, only came with ranch dressing in Montana.

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burner456987123@reddit

In my experience, South Dakota and colorado.

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DropTopEWop@reddit

Wyoming

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NYLotteGiants@reddit

Vermont

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Any-Investment5692@reddit

Georgia.... everything is fried, grease, butter, gravy and orange weird stuff on grits and eggs that i didn't even know existed. I never had grits until i went down south. Might was well drink straight fryer oil while down south. I don't think they even know what olive oil is....

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dorkpool@reddit

That's ridiculous. Seeing as how most Georgians live in the metro area and we have good food from all over the world, the average doesn't support your case, and even if the rest of the state only ate barbeque, they like some kick in their butt rub.

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SenseAndSaruman@reddit

Idaho

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Suspicious-Fish7281@reddit

Not exactly state wide, more regional. Pennsylvania Dutch food is infamously bland and that has bleed over somewhat into my local food. Thankfully a large immigrant population from primarily PR and SE Asia amongst others does help out a ton.

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FondleGanoosh438@reddit

I heard nothing but horror stories about rural areas in the Great Plains. Just terrible mom and pop joints.

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yanknga@reddit

Not sure about the whole state but I went to St. Louis once for a 3 day business trip, I found all of the food including the nice restaurants very blah. I’ve made it a point to never go back.

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ClickClick_Boom@reddit

Probably Nebraska.

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Blue387@reddit

They have runzas and not much else

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402-420@reddit

Wouldn’t count on it

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1Negative_Person@reddit

Utah. Mormons aren’t allowed to have flavor. Except for potatoes at funerals, apparently.

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gmikey2000@reddit

I think its mostly states that are in the Rust Belt and Great Plains. The opposite, the best is Louisiana!

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Redbubble89@reddit

I don't see it state by state but one of the Midwest ones. Everything is a casserole or meat and cheese. While it isn't bad, it's uninspired. Not a lot of chilli either and what they call chilli isn't hot.

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Impulse2915@reddit

I wouldn't say the usual cuisine is necessarily bland, but in Minnesota ketchup is spicy

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curiousleen@reddit

Idaho comes to mind…

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ID_Poobaru@reddit

Indiana My MIL is from there and everything she makes lacks flavor

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door322@reddit

This sounds like a MIL issue lol

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ID_Poobaru@reddit

She thinks pepper and ketchup is spicy lol

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TrashtvSunday@reddit

Kansas. I was once served enchiladas at a Mexian restaurant in Kansas that were topped with Velveeta slabs.

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Soft-Caterpillar8749@reddit

New Hampshire. They made fucking grape nut pudding a thing

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ChoppedUnc-SF@reddit

I wouldn't know. Total coastal elite all my life. Well, I did live in TN for 9 months (long story) where I learned about country sausage. Not spicy, but not bland. I'd be willing to do a Midwestern safari.

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Sonnuvah@reddit

The local restaurants I've seen that feature traditionally spicy foods will usually offer a range of options from those just trying it out to those who are more comfortable with the heat. I can get pad thai in five different "levels". Not knocking on chains but those are where you're going to find blander foods.

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gperson2@reddit

I’ve been all over the country and never have I been served food that I’d consider spicy (other than wings specifically marketed as “nuclear challenge wings” or whatever).

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Amockdfw89@reddit

Probably the dakotas or something

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OpposumMyPossum@reddit

Like the Dakotas? Unless salt counts as spice.

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DadPuncher69@reddit

California

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Malfunkdung@reddit

Yeah the most ethnically diverse state has the blandest food. Makes sense.

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fuckin-slayer@reddit

Gtfo

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Which_Initiative_882@reddit

This is sarcasm, right?

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SmokedPumpkin@reddit

Indiana.

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Kellzy1212@reddit

Minnesota.

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SamsonOccom@reddit

Utah

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Penguin_Life_Now@reddit

It has to be somewhere in the upper midwest, or mountain states, maybe South Dakota where everything tastes the same. I don't know what that spice blend is that they use, but they put it on beef, chicken, you name it.

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