When Brits insult American food

Me again with another rant. Today two of the Brits in our office were making fun of American chocolate on the entire team chat channel. (There's two americans in our office.) I find this happening all the time though, people going on about our food and thinking McDonalds is all we eat.

First, it's always really rich when brits make fun of our food. Because their cuisine is known as the best right? I dont think the people who eat fruitcake, hoops and marmite have any room to "slag off" others food. And our food might be overly mass produced but the other day, I saw grey, literally GREY, bacon.

Second, it's so rude! Even if I didn't like something, if someone brought treats in from another country, especially if I knew several people were from that said country, I wouldn't talk bad about it.

And one of our American managers always brings in desserts to the office and he makes the VERY best cakes I've ever had.

Anyway, just wanted to see if anyone could relate.

It sounds like you just work beside a bunch of idiots.

I do agree with them that American chocolate (Hersheys in particular) is the most loathesome, boak-worthy, yukky chocolate ever.  But if someone brought some into the office, I would smile and thank them.  And then tell them I'm off sugar at the moment, so can't eat any. 

However, everyone I know who has ever gone on holiday to America has always come back to RAVE about the food... the portion size and the deliciousness.

But... so what?  If they don't like it, that means more for you!   

(Chat channel?  In work? Sounds cool... we would never have anything like that in my work!)

I agree that hersheys is not the best (but if put in front of me, i'd eat it nonetheless, i love chocolate)

i guess it's extra annoying because its the pot calling the kettle black. if we were in switzerland, france or italy, for example, i'd take it more because yeah, their food is pretty amazing.

and same here, people i know end up loving american food and didnt even know that it included great sushi, mexican, etc.

and chat channel....i work at a tech company

I'm afraid I have to agree with them about Hershey too. But yeah all the food in America is delicious but I do live here. But in regards to Brits and our chocolate, we do love our Cadbury's. My wife is bemused by it because all you ever hear about is Swiss and Belgian chocolate being the best and yet us Brits harp on all day about ours, but nobody blinking listens! :-P

But now you've mentioned Fruitcake, Hoops and Marmite. I want them now. Slag me off all you want! I promise I won't find it rude! haha

Yes, Hershey's is kind of naff, but it does have it's place.  The 'good stuff' melts too quickly for some uses, like s'mores.

Overall, if people don't like American food, fair enough.  There's no accounting for taste, I guess.  But I agree it's a bit annoying that they tend to reach this decision without actually knowing what 'American' food really is, or appreciating that there are lots of regional cuisines, etc. 

The thing that baffles me, though, is people complaining about the portion size being too big-- especially when it's generally still less expensive than eating out in the UK.  If you don't want it all, don't eat it all.  Or do what most Americans do-- what it's assumed you'll do-- and ask for a box for the leftovers.  Either way, who actually complains that they're getting too much value for their money?

People like the food they grew up eating. You may not like fruitcake, but that doesn't mean that people who do can't have a valid opinion about other kinds of food. I agree that it's rude for your colleagues to criticise your country's food in front of you, but you reacting by saying that they can't have an opinion because their country's food is so bad is not terribly mature or helpful.

My theory on British food is that it has such a bad reputation not because it's inherently bad but because it's often indifferently prepared. A good roast dinner is a thing of beauty, but my mother in law cooks the meat until it's the consistency of leather and the veg until they disintegrate the moment you approach them with a fork, and drowns the whole thing in watery instant gravy. Thank goodness her roast potatoes are good. But last Christmas I had a roast dinner at a pub that was fantastically delicious. Preparation is key.

My theory on British food is that it has such a bad reputation not because it's inherently bad but because it's often indifferently prepared. A good roast dinner is a thing of beauty, but my mother in law cooks the meat until it's the consistency of leather and the veg until they disintegrate the moment you approach them with a fork, and drowns the whole thing in watery instant gravy.

My MIL is exactly the same.  It's a damned shame.  I think there's an entire generation of Home Econ. teachers out there who ought to be tried in the Hague.

My theory on British food is that it has such a bad reputation not because it's inherently bad but because it's often indifferently prepared. A good roast dinner is a thing of beauty, but my mother in law cooks the meat until it's the consistency of leather and the veg until they disintegrate the moment you approach them with a fork, and drowns the whole thing in watery instant gravy. Thank goodness her roast potatoes are good. But last Christmas I had a roast dinner at a pub that was fantastically delicious. Preparation is key.

Exactly. An excellently prepared and cooked Sunday Roast IS a thing of beauty! Some people just cannot be bothered and that is extremely sad.

 I think the whole 'British food is bad' thing is a completely out-dated notion.  We've become a nation of foodies in recent years! 

My theory on British food is that it has such a bad reputation not because it's inherently bad but because it's often indifferently prepared. A good roast dinner is a thing of beauty, but my mother in law cooks the meat until it's the consistency of leather and the veg until they disintegrate the moment you approach them with a fork, and drowns the whole thing in watery instant gravy. Thank goodness her roast potatoes are good. But last Christmas I had a roast dinner at a pub that was fantastically delicious. Preparation is key.

You all need to come to my MIL's house.  The woman can COOK.  Without a doubt, the best meal I've ever had has been a meal she made (better than any restaurant meal I've had).

Yeah, the complaining about American portion sizes is a bit old.  I don't think British portion sizes are particularly small.   

I do agree that I quite like British food.  But my tastes have adapted over the years.  I certainly miss American food, but I know I would miss British food if I moved back to the US.

I don't care if someone slags-off American food or chocolate.  Doesn't bother me in the least.

I think the saddest part about a good roast is how long it takes to prepare and how quickly a plate can be eaten. Takes me all afternoon to cook a good roast dinner and a plateful takes about three minutes to eat! Lol.
I moved over in 2001 and dealt with being an American in Scotland during Bush's presidency and the Iraq war. Anyone else remember how caustic Brits were to Americans during that era? Guh...

I moved over in 2001 and dealt with being an American in Scotland during Bush's presidency and the Iraq war. Anyone else remember how caustic Brits were to Americans during that era? Guh...

There's actually something to that, I think. I mean a lot of Americans perhaps hold a view that British people sort of like us a little bit better than the rest of the world...backed up by the many examples on this site of things like, "Oh, you are the right sort of immigrant", but by god the claws came out during that debacle.

And one has to ask about the huge anti-war marches, if they were truly anti-war, if they were supposed to be a statement about GB's hatred of war itself, then where were the similar-sized demonstrations regarding the Falklands? Or were those marches truly anti-American demonstrations? <perhaps understandably>

I agree that a roast is good but more often than not, as you say, not a lot of effort is put into it. As for british food being bad, i think restaurants are better than they used to be but nowhere near as good as the states. you still struggle to find food mexican, sushi, east asian restuarants here. but yes, it is an improvement than it was even six years ago when i first came here.

but i do think groceries are poor quality. meat is actually cut differently in europe than it is from the states and you cant really get good cuts like, skirt steak, rib eye, or pork loin (it just chops here) and of course there's not as many options with ingredients. but other than that, like i said previous, ive seen some meat that is grey and have had some really dodgy veg. also, my friends have pointed out that bread is not great either.

Goodness, where do you do your shopping? I'd try a local small butcher if you want good cuts of meat. They're usually not that expensive, and you can tell them exactly what you want.

just the usual, sainsbury's, ocado, tesco, co-opt. we have tried local butchers but usually they are not open by the time we get home.

to be fair, i do think the farm to table practices here are probably healthier, more humane etc than the US, which is great. not as much chemicals. but this also means that sometimes veg you buy might have mold on it when you buy it and not as robust.

also a little tidbit and an example of what i'm talking about. the flour here is a bit different than the US. Flour from the US is actually banned because it's heat treated and bleached, which some studies link to cancer. BUT, if you have tried baking here, cakes, etc don't come out as moist and the texture a bit more rough. so while the flour here to better for you, baking fancy cakes here might be a waste of time and money because they won't come out as well without the same ingredients. if anyone else has had a different experience, let me know!

i'm not saying the UK should adopt the US's questionable food practices, just pointing this out.