Immigrants are one of the most integral parts of American culture, including American food. I mean, if we didn't have immigrants, would we only be eating grilled cheese sandwiches? In response to the current political state of affairs, I thought it would be fitting to point out the foods we wouldn't have without immigration. Believe me, it's basically everything on the college diet.
1. Budweiser
When we're craving a cold one, often times it's Budweiser that comes to mind. Would it even be the Super Bowl without our annual Budweiser commercial? Ironically, Anheuser-Busch InBev prints "America" right on the bottle, but you can thank German immigrants for this one, folks.
2. Sriracha Hot Sauce
If you like a little (or a lot) of spice in your life, you probably have a bottle of Sriracha stashed in your pantry. Well, it's all thanks to Thanom Chakkapak, a Thai woman from Si Racha, Thailand. Although a little different from the original version, the rooster sauce Americans know and love today was brought to the US by David Tran who started making his in Vietnam in the 70s. According to Huy Fong Foods, Inc.'s site, the US took in Tran as a refugee in the early 80s when no other countries would, and he started making his sauce in LA's Chinatown.
3. Häagen-Dazs Ice Cream
It's a classic, and you can't beat the classics. Who doesn't love this ice cream after a long day of studying or while watching "Greys Anatomy?" If you're lucky enough to have a Häagen-Dazs in your town, they have the best milkshakes, too. Without our dear friends from Poland, we wouldn't have this sweet and cold treat.
4. Chobani Yogurt
Chobani has some wacky flavors, but their Greek yogurt is a part of my (and I'm sure many others') morning routine. Chobani may have been first created in upstate New York, but it's founder and CEO Hamdi Ulukaya grew up in Turkey.
5. Jelly Belly
Ugh, those flavors are bomb! Some of them bring my tastebuds such joy and some make me want to vomit, but let's focus on the joy. This happiness is credited to brothers Gustav and Albert Goelitz from Germany, who started making the jelly beans in the US over 100 years ago.
6. Panda Express
Oh, this one is important. For us college kids who can't afford to go to Nobu every night of the week, this is the next best thing. Peggy Cherng and her husband (a Chinese immigrant) started the largest Chinese food chain in the United States.
7. Oscar Mayer Meats
Ah, the famous Oscar Mayer Weiner. As probably expected, this delicacy originates from German immigrants, who came to the United States in 1873 and started making the hot dogs 10 years later.
8. Keebler Cookies
I'm sorry to disappoint the believers out there, but sadly these cookies weren't made by cute little elves. German immigrant, Godfrey Keebler, created an empire when he got to the United States in Philly, way back in 1853.
9. Kraft Cheeses
This glorious plate of noodles and cheese changed the game for parents and broke college students alike. One of the company's founders, J.L. Kraft, came to the US from Canada in the early 1900s and began selling cheese wholesale in Chicago. Then, eventually he created a processed cheese company and the rest stemmed from there.
I don't know about you, but I had no idea that all of these foods I eat nearly every day wouldn't be here without immigration. Next time you wake up and have a Chobani, or put your Easy Mac in the microwave, take a minute to remember where they came from.