Take a Cue from New York’s State Snack Saga: Official Foods to Inspire Office Meals
Posted by Sara on Monday, May 12th, 2014 with Comments Off on Take a Cue from New York’s State Snack Saga: Official Foods to Inspire Office Meals Comments
It sounds like a dream come true for writers at The Daily Show: the New York state senate recently made ridiculous headlines for debating about whether to endorse yogurt as the official state snack. And while Jon Stewart and company took advantage of the opportunity to poke fun at lawmakers’ priorities (although certain questions from lower-ranking senators, such as whether the proclamation would offend lactose intolerant New Yorkers, were actually intended to be subversive), it made a lot of Americans pause and ask, “Wait — we have official state snacks? What’s mine?!”
Hometown pride is prompting New York to name yogurt its official state snack.
Image source: Flickr user Rich Roberts
It turns out that only four other states have designated specific snacks, but there are official state foods, state drinks, state pies, state berries — seemingly, any example of local agriculture (like New York’s dairy farms) can warrant inclusion. And while spending valuable taxpayer time debating the merits of yogurt as a state snack may seem wasteful, there’s no denying that locally-sourced food is important to many Americans… after all, it was one of the most frequently-predicted food trends of 2014.
From sea to shining sea (or cubicle to corner office), we all take pride in where we come from. So in the spirit of local pride — and as part of our ongoing quest to inspire meeting planners and admin assistants to create exciting office meals beyond the typical box lunch or predictable pizza delivery — here are some of our favorite workplace-friendly ideas from the very deep well of official state foods:
California’s avocados are a welcome addition to burgers and salads.
Image source: Flickr user Meal Makeover Moms
In California, avocados are the state fruit (and yes, they’re a fruit). From topping black bean burgers to mixed into hearty, healthy salads, avocados certainly deserve a place in the pantheon of California cuisine.
Everything is bigger in Texas, including the list of official state foods. Our favorites are the state snack — chips & salsa — which is the perfect appetizer to precede the state dish: chili con carne. A Texan-themed lunch like this is perfect for a hearty celebration!
Nobody ever said Utah isn’t afraid to be unconventional. Here, Jell-O is the state snack, while sugar beets are the “state historic vegetable”. We suggest you go unofficial in this case, and serve burgers and fries with fry sauce, a Utah-specific condiment made from mixing ketchup, mayonnaise, and, occasionally, pickle relish.
The Illinois state snack is popcorn, and Chicago’s own Garrett’s is a delicious reason why.
Image source: Flickr user Tomoki Miura
One of the few other states with an official snack, Illinois and popcorn may not seem like a natural pair (next door neighbor, Indiana, is the home of Orville Redenbacher, after all)… but that probably means you haven’t had Garrett’s, a local purveyor famous for its cheddar-and-caramel flavor combo. This may not be popcorn in its healthy, whole-grain office snack form, but it’s definitely delicious!
Washington, D.C. may not exactly be a state, but that didn’t stop them from declaring an official drink: the rickey. A little liquor (gin or bourbon), a little lime, and some club soda — why, it sounds simple enough for your next office happy hour, doesn’t it?
Forget the cupcakes or the giant cookies: think pie for your next office birthday affair. Take a page from Massachusetts and its official pie, Boston cream, or go with Florida‘s offering and serve key lime pie. Maine gets specific: its state pie is blueberry, but only if it’s made with wild Maine blueberries.
Jersey tomatoes are a staple of local cuisine.
Image source: Flickr user Chelsea Grant
New Jersey doesn’t care what botanists may say about seeds and fruits and other little details: their official state vegetable is the Jersey tomato, making an Italian-American feast, heavy on the “gravy”, a no-brainer for your Jersey-themed office meals.
State foods get complicated in North Carolina. Blueberries are the state blue berry, and strawberries are the state red berry. Scuppernong grapes are the state fruit, though… so basically, a fruit salad is your go-to dish at a North Carolina-inspired lunch (although we might just be tempted to go with barbecue).
Whether you stick to locally beloved cuisine, or honor a birthday girl or guy with a treat from their home state, getting geographically inspired will help keep your office meals fresh and exciting. And with a wide selection of menus from cuisines of all kinds, Waiter.com can ensure you find the perfect dish for every occasion — and location!
When it comes to feeding employees and coworkers, make your company's food program really count! If your workplace dining plan needs to take it up a notch — or if you don't have one at all — Waiter.com is here to help. From Virtual Cafeteria Service to diverse menus to local takeout & delivery, Waiter.com offers customizable dining solutions for every business and budget. Contact us today to get started!
