If your diet does not allow for fried foods, animal fats, or foods cooked in butter, a trip to the South may be a bit of a challenge. Don’t get me wrong, you can absolutely eat healthy while visiting or living in the South, but it can take a lot of work… and willpower. You also have to ask yourself, do you really want to keep yourself from all of these delicacies? Try to resist all of these sinfully indulgent southern favorites – I dare you.
1. Biscuits
I would be stunned to hear anyone say that they don’t enjoy a good biscuit. Whether its smothered in gravy, butter, or jelly, a warm baked biscuit can be one of the most delicious comfort foods. If you think you would be able to resist, just wait until you smell them. Here is a hint: you can’t resist them.
2. Grits
A lot of people in the North will say that they either don’t know what grits are or they don’t like them. Well I say you are missing out, and if you think you don’t like grits you probably just have not had them made right. A big bowl of warm creamy, buttery, cheesy grits in the morning with some sausage or bacon is truly a treat to wake up to.
3. Fast Food
From 40+ different flavors of milkshakes at Cookout, to waffle fries and chicken tenders and Chik-fil-a, to seasoned fries at Zaxby’s, fast food in the south is no joke. You will see places that you have never even heard of, and those are the places that you will probably love the most.
4. A Whole lot of Meat
A few summers ago, I visited my family in the south with a vegetarian friend of mine. Let’s just say she did not have it easy being surrounded by crispy fried chicken, juicy pulled pork, and sizzling sausages. Also, chicken and waffles is a thing. Don’t knock it until you try it.
5. Peach Cobbler
Southern peaches are some of the best you will ever have, so this is something you don’t wanna pass up. With sweet sugary fruit between a warm buttery crust, why would you want to anyway?
6. Boiled Peanuts
Okay, so nuts actually are not unhealthy. The only issue is when you have a big bowl of salty peanuts on your kitchen counter or on the table in a restaurant, and before you know it, you have eaten a whole bucket. It’s fine, they are delicious.
7. Anything and Everything Fried
Don’t be naive and think that chicken is the only fried up dish you are going to encounter in the south. Fried seafood, chicken fried steak, fried okra, fried green tomatoes, the list of deliciousness goes on and on.
8. Hush Puppies
Another table top favorite at southern restaurants is hush puppies. Think of this as your bread before your meal. These little balls of fried doughy cornmeal goodness are 100% irresistible, especially when paired with a side of dipping butter.
9. A lot of Buttery Cheesy Carbs
Ah mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, cornbread, you are so wonderful. Can you think of anything more sinfully delicious?
10. Krispy Kreme Donuts
You must try these no matter what kind of diet you are on or what your beliefs are or whether or not you think you like donuts. When that warm donut sign is on in the window, there is really no passing it up.