United States of America, a country of central and northwest North America, with coastlines on the Pacific oceans and the Atlantic, includes the noncontiguous states of Hawaii and Alaska and several island territories in the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.

The area occupied by the contiguous 48 states was originally inhabited by Native American people and was initially colonized in the 16th century by Spain, France, the Netherlands and England. Great Britain eventually controlled the Atlantic coast and after the French and Indian Wars (1754-1763), the Northwest Territory and Canada. Colonization brought about African slavery in USA, bringing in another culture to the nation and along with it, a host of ethnic food and music. A cosmopolitan country, America's ethnicity has no divides of what represents their nationalities from history, except their food. Therefore United States of America, a land of immigrants, has a combination of ethnic food which the country has embraced as their own.

United States developed as distinct regions, much like individual countries. New immigrants decided to settle according to their nationality and each region had their customs and have collaborated them into indigenous food and ingredients. Americans have taken Old World cuisines and combined regional ingredients and traditions to create food which is uniquely American. Regional cuisine has been kept alive by local restaurants. Local eateries continue to revive and redesign regional dishes throughout the U.S.A.

The Native Americans had established cooking styles that were different from one group to another as the vast variety of ingredients and cooking styles were never found in the same locality. Their popular cooking methods were grilling meat and spit roasting over a pit fire. Vegetables and especially root vegetables were cooked directly in the ashes of the fire.

Regional cooking is a representation of where immigrants chose to reside and make their home. Such specialties are somehow never the same in another state, leave alone in another country. The recipes and stories speak volumes of the history of the people of U.S.A. Their cuisine has a history dating back prior to colonization. With European colonization, the cooking style changed vastly with numerous ingredients introduced from Europe. The French brought another culture of cooking which was introduced in Louisiana.

Game hunting was the pastime back home for New Englanders, who are originally from England, which became very useful when they migrated to the New World. Northern colonists depended upon their ability to hunt or to purchase from those who hunt.

Soul Food is cuisine of the African Americans of the Southern United States and of black communities in general. In the mid 1960s, the common adjective used to describe black culture was `Soul'. Collard, kale, cress, pokeweed and mustard are greens that are popular with the African Americans. Soul food restaurants have been established all around the United States.

The revolution of fast food took place in 1867 when Charles Feltman, a German butcher, started the first Coney Island hot dog stand in Brooklyn, New York City. The second fast food was White Castle founded in 1921 by Billy Ingram and Walter Anderson of Wichita, Kansas to sell hamburgers for five cents a piece. He introduced high volume, less cost, high speed hamburger restaurants. And in 1940 McDonals was founded as a barbecue drive-in. Chinese takeway and dining restaurants have become increasingly popular. Apart from Chinese food, they offer a wide variety of Asian food too. Pizza is a common fast food category, with several chains such as Dominos, Sbarro, Pizza and Pizza Hut. Middle Eastern cuisine is found in Kebab houses. Fish and chips is another popular food brought in by the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.

Mexican food, yet another ethnic food which has been adopted by the U.S.A are usually referred to as Tex-Mex or Cal-Mex.

America has a vast array of food to offer, which is all about the history and culture of this country.

Summery: This article describes the various types of food found in America, many dishes and combinations introduced by immigrants, natives and various other influences.