Is Mexican Food Becoming America’s Food?

It's great food.

Isn't this news about 30 years late?

Gen Z and Millennials prefer Mexican food over Italian, study finds.

Mexican food has been a staple of American dining habits for decades.

Italian food is too heavy.

I’m not saying Mexican food is light but there are more natural ingredients. . And no, Tex-mex is NOT Mexican food. Hardly any cheese involved in authentic dishes.

It's fast, it's easy, it's portable, and it's cheap.

What's not to love?

I never realized that Italian food was the food of choice for Boomers and GenX, until I watched the video at R3.

I guess that's true.

But Italian food is not portable and it's not cheap.

Which means, I really hope that Mexican food doesn't become horribly expensive like Italian food.

Any time something becomes popular in the US, the price starts to shoot up and become unaffordable.

Love Mexican food. Also love Korean food. I love spicy food and wish I could be on that YouTube channel (Hot Ones?) where they test your limits with hot sauce.

It's the reason salsa is now the #1 condiment in the U.S

At some point we figured out we can put hot sauce on everything! Ketchup is so boring.

As a native Californian, 20 years ago I would've suggested NEVER eating Mexican food in the US aside from Cali or the Southwest (Arizona, New Mexico & Texas). That's now decidedly changed: two of the best Mexican meals I've had in recent years were in Portland & Philly.

So yes, it's becoming a decidedly American food, which should be no surprise given how fast our Hispanic population is growing, much to conservatives' soooo unfortunate horror.

[quote] And no, Tex-mex is NOT Mexican food. Hardly any cheese involved in authentic dishes

Imagine the Mexican obesity rate if it did?

[quote] At some point we figured out we can put hot sauce on everything! Ketchup is so boring.

One of my favorite things to do is to put ketchup AND salsa on my omelettes and scrambled eggs.

I love them both and can never decide, so I just put them both on my eggs.

So American, R11. If adding one thing is good, then adding two is great. Americans can ever stop piling on the ingredients

Italian is easy and cheap to make from scratch. Italian (and Chinese) restaurants, along with Jewish delis were the first "ethnic" places many people from older generations ever patronized.

Mexican food doesn't have to be heavy like Tex-Mex.

This is news? Born and raised in Texas so Mexican has always been around.

Sorry, Chinese food is still #1 in Blaine, Missouri.

I knew an old Mexican man. He told me a story that he moved to the states as a child in the fifties. He said he went to school and his mom sent him with tacos for lunch. At first he was embarrassed until he realized other kids all wanted to trade their sandwiches for his tacos. Tacos and hamburgers are neck and neck for popularity in California and have been for at least 20 years.I almost always choose Tacos over Burgers and fries. Tacos are often real food whereas the burger seems more like a junky food treat.

R9 - well that's a very silly take as there are Mexicans all over the United States.

Californians think that they own Mexican food for some reason - and I live in California. Nearly 20% of Chicago's population is Mexican and 28% of Denver's population.

To think that there wasn't good Mexican food outside of California or the Southwest was an ignorant take.

Not really surprising to me either growing up in Chicago which has a huge Mexican population. Also, Taco Bell has been HUGE for years in the U.S. Having lived in the UK for a while, Mexican food is to the U.S. what Indian food is to the Brits.

R12 - and where in Europe are you from? Don't knock it if you haven't tried it.

We have an enormous amount of condiments and sauces. What does your country have?

R19 I'm not R12, but ketchup is for children.

Both Italian (pasta, pizza) and Mexican (tacos, burritos, etc.) are common parts of the diet for Americans of all ages.

[quote]Gen Z and Millennials prefer Mexican food over Italian, study finds.

These two generations prefer celibacy of sex, and eating Tide Pods over food.

I can't stand ketchup on eggs/omelettes. Gross.

I'm so thankful for all the places here that do fish tacos for like 1.50 or less. I don't care if those fishes eat poop to survive.

It’s becoming an Americanized version of Mexican food.

I like Tex-Amex bex.

R9, what’s the name of the Philly spot where you had great Mexican food, if you don’t mind sharing?

im cuban and I have never had mexican food before. I have lived in the US for 30 years. guess I am not really interested in that arroz con mango.

I live in a little town in Arizona and there are six Mexican restaurants.

I like Tex-Mex. I don't care whether someone considers it inauthentic.

Me, too. I went to an "authentic" Mexican food restaurant and didn't like the food.

What Mexican dish has arroz con mango??

Estas pendejo.

R20 - well there are several chefs who serve ketchup on eggs and the Japanese have an egg dish with ketchup on it.

So you're ridiculous - ketchup has its place for certain items.

Mexican, Tex-Mex, with cheese, without cheese...bring it ON!

[quote] I live in a little town in Arizona and there are six Mexican restaurants.

I would love to know what is considered to be the best Mexican food in Los Angeles.

There are probably THOUSANDS of Mexican restaurants there, and there has to be a "best one."

Anyone know?

I don't think there's a "best" Mexican restaurant in LA.

I eat eggs with salsa often. It's pretty much just chunky ketchup, so I reject your declaration r20.

R37 - baked ketchup on top of meatloaf is also delicious.

I'm not saying ketchup should be used on steak or anything - but to say ketchup is for children is pompous and laughable. Makes R20 look the opposite of the sophisticate you think you are.

ComPLETEly agree r38 (re: baked ketchup on top of meatloaf, but also your entire post in general).

Mexican food is too corny for me.

One thing Mexican food has over Italian is that it can better meet the needs of someone with dietary restrictions. Most Italian restaurants, 100% of the main dishes are wheat flour. In a typical Mexican restaurant if one of your dining companions is gluten free, they can easily order a meal that’s rice or corn as the carbs.

[quote]So yes, it's becoming a decidedly American food, which should be no surprise given how fast our Hispanic population is growing, much to conservatives' soooo unfortunate horror.

Many Hispanics are religious/conservative and helped Trump win this past election.

If you want fast food cheap and *fresh* there's nothing like a taqueria. Everything except the tortillas, hot sauces, and pickled veggies is made in house.

[quote] Mexican food is too corny for me.

R40 = Carol Channing

My mother retired to a TINY little town in outside Huntsville, Texas. Zero to do but there are six Mexican/Tex-Mex places. Two country diners as well and that's it. Nothing else unless you want to go drive the half hour into Huntsville, which is a college town so more varied.

r43, why wouldn't they make tortillas, hot sauces and pickled vegetables in house?

The Mexican food places in my area make their own salsas

Make yourself a dang quesadilla!

Hot fried chicken has exploded. Noodle houses korean or Chinese etc of one sort or another are exploding.

The only place I see a new influx of Mexican places are in working gas stations. And I have seen several of those—-and the reviews are great.

Food trucks serving Latin food of some sort are also a big thing

Yes, noodle places are really getting big. There's a chain called Teriyaki Madness that's very good.

I don't think so, OP. It is undoubtably popular, but IMO I think Mediterranean Middle Eastern is more so.

Chimichangas and tacos are perfect food inventions.

R46 - It’s not cost effective when there are perfectly fine commercial totillas available. Making tortillas by hand is labor intensive and busy place would have have would have to hire at least a couple of staff to keep up with volume. I've been to a couple of sit down restaurants where part of the dining experience involves a couple of ladies in a booth in the dining room hand-making the tortillas. Machinery and equipment is expensive and taquerias just don't have the space for them.

Why make a hot sauce in house when Tapatio and Cholula are perfectly fine? Salsas are always made fresh in house because it's easy to prepare in volume.

I’m convinced most Mexican restaurants just have the same 12 dishes in the kitchen and they arrange the plates using some combo of the ingredients.

A lot of Italian American food is bland red sauce stuff. A lot of Mexican American food is overspiced burritos or tacos.

I like my own Roman Italian simple pastas and the arancini I buy from Italian bakeries. I love fish tacos and Mexican seviche but indulge when I'm ocean side. I make frozen chicken burritos for quick lunches. Otherwise there are few places I'd go to in my city for either of these cuisines.

People really underestimate Mexican food.

There is an incredible variety of dishes in Mexican cuisine, that most Americans have never tried, and probably never will try.

The only other world cuisine that even comes close, is probably Chinese, in terms of variety.

It differs by region, and each area in Mexico has its own specialty dishes.

Tacos are pretty universal throughout Mexico, as are beans and rice.

I'm not sure where Enchiladas came from, and I'm sure that a Chimichanga is not authentically Mexican.

It probably is more southwestern but I enjoy chilaquiles. They are the best use of leftover nachos for breakfast.

[quote] why wouldn't they make tortillas

For the same reason most Italian places don’t make their own pasta.

Mexican food is the best food.

R56 - totally agree - most Americans think Mexican food is just basically variations of what you see on a Taco Bell menu. Plus mole, Chile relleno, pozole, tamales, elote and churros.

There's a huge variety - and you're starting to see more of that in the States. Rick Bayless introduced a lot of people to this on his show and in his restaurants.

I understand how the limited view of Mexican food happened - if you're going to open a place, it's safe to go with dishes that are easy to make and that Mexicans and more importantly Anglos know for a larger customer base.

It's a shame a gringo is the one who became famous exploring Mexico's cuisine - but that's what happened.

It's like saying Italian food is nothing more than pizza and pasta.

Eating Mexicans is fine once you get rid of the parasites.

Mexican food is fattening, which often times makes it unhealthy.

[quote] Mexican food is fattening, which often times makes it unhealthy.

There are many light options.

If you forego the beans and rice, tacos can be very light and refreshing.

Tortillas are low calorie, fill it with a healthy protein like chicken, and top it with a fresh vegetable salsa.

Low calorie, delicious, and filling.

Fish or shrimp taco is light and healthy, too.

I prefer Korean food. Give me tteokbokki, fried chicken, kimchi jjigae and gimbap and I'm happy.

Has anyone ever had Mayan food? Definitely not tacos and rice. I remember having it years ago on several occasions, and it just being actually creative and inspired.

Is Cochinita Pibil considered Mayan food, R66.

If so, then yes.

Also Tikinchik Fish.

Cochinita Pibil is SO good.

It's like pulled pork with Mexican flavors.

Pork marinated in spices and sour orange, wrapped in leaves, and then steamed/roasted underground.

When it comes out, you can shred the pork and put it in a taco.

SO good!

Does anyone remember those push pop candies with the spicy tamarind filling?

Me gusta churros y nachoes.

Now I'm hungry for Mexican food!

[quote]I love spicy food and wish I could be on that YouTube channel (Hot Ones?) where they test your limits with hot sauce.

Go to Firehouse Subs, R7. They've got an impressive hot sauce bar where you can try things out.

I think Indian Food is popular and so is Middle Eastern. I don't think Mexican is "America's Food. It's just really really popular.

Chinese is America's food! Unless you prefer Thai.

[quote] Chinese is America's food!

Said NO ONE EVER.

Dream on, Chairman Mao.