9 foods you probably miss if you moved away from the Midwest (2024)

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Puppy chow is a party staple in the Midwest, but not everywhere else.

Puppy chow — a snack mix made of Chex cereal covered in melted chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar — is often a fixture at parties. People outside of the Midwest have often never heard of it, and they don't know what they're missing.

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It doesn't get more Midwestern than cheese curds, fresh or fried.

Because of the Midwest's booming dairy industry, cheese curds are a popular snack in the region. Produced by harvesting curdled milk before it hardens into cheese, they're also widely available in Canada, where they're used to make poutine.

Eat them fresh and they make a distinctive squeaking noise with each bite. Eat them fried and the crispy, melty curds can be dipped in a variety of sauces.

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Culver's famous ButterBurgers, fresh frozen custard, and Wisconsin cheese curds make it a beloved fast-food destination.

The Culver family opened its first restaurant in 1984 inSauk City, Wisconsin. Since then, it has been named one of America's best burger chains.

Culver's now has over 900 restaurants in 26 states across the US, but it hasn't yet reached the East or West coasts. The highest concentration of stores remains in the Midwest.

Casseroles, also known as hotdishes, are the ultimate Midwestern comfort food.

A Midwestern casserole usually consists of a cream-based soup, a canned vegetable, and a protein topped with tater tots and cheese and baked to perfection. The warm, filling dish takes minutes to assemble and can serve as a meal in itself. Because everything is contained in one pan, casseroles are portable and easy to bring to potlucks or a sick neighbor.

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Former Chicago residents might find themselves craving deep-dish pizza after leaving the Midwest.

Whether you prefer Giordano's or Lou Malnati's, deep-dish pizza is a Chicago specialty. The thick, high crust makes the perfect bowl for gooey cheese and tangy tomato sauce.

There's nothing like a freshly grilled Midwestern bratwurst.

No Midwestern tailgate is complete without bratwurst, also known as brats. A German sausage known for its juiciness and bold flavors, brats became a local specialty as millions of German immigrants settled in the area in the late 1800s and early 1900s, according to Madison magazine.

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If you've spent any time living in Wisconsin, you probably miss Kopp's Frozen Custard.

With flavors like turtle sundae and butter brickle, Kopp's rich, creamy frozen custard can be enjoyed alongside menu items like cheeseburgers and Buffalo chicken. Though it's a hyper-local chain with only three locations in Wisconsin, it's famous enough to have inspired a devoted following.

Midwestern beer brands aren't always available outside of the region.

Some brands like Miller Lite, which is based in Milwaukee, are distributed widely across the US, but not every bar or pub will have them on tap. Local craft beers from smaller Midwestern breweries, like Spotted Cow from Wisconsin's New Glarus Brewing or Two Hearted Ale from Bell's Brewery in Michigan, are even harder to come by.

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Kringle, Wisconsin's official state pastry, comes in a variety of fruit and nut fillings.

Danish immigrants brought the flaky filled pastry to the Midwest in the mid-19th century, according to Real Racine.

Trader Joe's sells kringle from Oh Danish bakery in Racine, Wisconsin, but the grocery chain is known to frequently discontinue beloved items.