Ohio Foods Outsiders Will Never Understand, And That’s Okay
Growing up in Ohio means you probably ate foods that sound totally weird to people from other states. I’m talking about snacks and dishes that make perfect sense to us but leave outsiders scratching their heads.
Whether you’re a lifelong Buckeye or just curious about what makes our food culture unique, you’re in for a tasty journey through Ohio’s most misunderstood eats.
1. Buckeye Candy
You might wonder why we’re so obsessed with chocolate-covered peanut butter balls. Well, these little treats are named after the poisonous nut from Ohio’s state tree, and somehow that makes them even more special to us.
Every holiday season, Ohio families make batches of these sweet confections. The peanut butter center stays partially exposed to mimic the actual buckeye nut’s appearance.
Outsiders think it’s strange we celebrate our state with candy. I say they’re just jealous they don’t have something this delicious representing where they’re from.
2. Goetta
This Cincinnati breakfast staple confuses everyone who doesn’t live here. Picture a meat and grain sausage that gets sliced and fried until crispy on the outside.
German immigrants brought this recipe to Ohio centuries ago. Pin-head oats mixed with pork and beef create a texture that’s unlike any other breakfast meat you’ve tried before.
Some people compare it to scrapple, but that’s not quite right. When you fry up a slice of goetta with your eggs, you’ll understand why Cincinnatians defend it so fiercely against all critics.
3. Skyline Chili
Nothing starts arguments faster than telling someone from out of state about our chili. We serve it over spaghetti, pile on cheese, and call it a three-way without even blinking.
The secret ingredient is cinnamon and other Mediterranean spices that make it taste totally different from Texas chili. People either love it immediately or think we’ve lost our minds completely.
I’ve watched visitors take their first bite with suspicious looks on their faces. Most of them end up ordering a second helping before they leave town.
4. Sauerkraut Balls
Walking into any Ohio party, you’ll likely spot these fried appetizers on the snack table. Breaded and deep-fried sauerkraut mixed with sausage sounds weird until you actually taste one.
Our German heritage shows up again in this beloved finger food. The tangy sauerkraut gets mellowed out by cream cheese and meat, then coated in crispy breadcrumbs that crunch perfectly.
Visitors always ask what they are before trying them. Once they pop one in their mouth, they suddenly understand why we make them for every single gathering imaginable.
5. Pawpaw Fruit
Most Americans have never heard of this tropical-tasting fruit that grows wild right here in Ohio. The creamy texture reminds you of banana and mango mixed together, but it’s native to our forests.
Finding pawpaws requires knowing where to look in late summer and early fall. They bruise easily and don’t ship well, which is why grocery stores outside Ohio rarely carry them at all.
I love watching people try pawpaw for the first time. Their faces show complete surprise that something this exotic-tasting grows naturally in the Midwest.
6. Peanut Butter and Pickle Sandwich
Okay, even some Ohioans think this combination sounds absolutely disgusting at first. But there’s a dedicated group of us who grew up eating this Depression-era snack and still crave it regularly.
The salty crunch of dill pickles pairs surprisingly well with creamy peanut butter. It’s one of those flavor combinations that shouldn’t work but somehow totally does when you give it a chance.
I dare you to try it before judging. Your taste buds might surprise you, or you’ll confirm that we’re all completely bonkers here in Ohio.
7. Polish Boy Sandwich
Cleveland claims this monster sandwich as its own creation. Imagine a kielbasa sausage on a bun, but then someone decided to add french fries, coleslaw, and barbecue sauce all at once.
It’s messy, it’s huge, and it makes absolutely no sense to people from other states. Yet somehow all these ingredients work together in perfect harmony when you take that first massive bite.
You need about ten napkins to eat one properly. The combination of textures and flavors creates something that’s way better than it has any right to be.
8. Grippo’s Chips
These Cincinnati-made potato chips have a cult following that outsiders just don’t get. The barbecue flavor tastes different from any other chip brand, with a vinegary tang that hits your tongue immediately.
People who move away from Ohio often beg friends to mail them bags of Grippo’s. You can’t find them in most other states, which makes them even more precious to transplanted Ohioans everywhere.
I’ve seen visitors wrinkle their noses at the strong vinegar smell. Meanwhile, I’m over here crushing an entire bag while watching a Bengals game without any shame whatsoever.
9. Fried Bologna Sandwich
Something magical happens when you throw a thick slice of bologna in a hot pan. The edges curl up, the meat gets crispy, and suddenly you’ve got yourself an Ohio delicacy.
We’re talking about bologna that’s cut thick from the deli, not those thin pre-sliced rounds. Slap it on white bread with mustard and maybe some cheese, and you’ve got lunch perfection.
Fancy food people turn their noses up at this working-class sandwich. Their loss means more fried bologna for the rest of us who appreciate simple, delicious comfort food.
10. City Chicken
Here’s something that confuses everyone: city chicken contains absolutely zero chicken. Instead, cubes of pork or veal get threaded onto wooden skewers, breaded, and fried or baked until golden.
This dish started during the Great Depression when chicken was expensive. Clever Ohio cooks made cheaper meats look like chicken drumsticks by putting them on sticks and coating them in breadcrumbs.
The name stuck even though chicken prices eventually came back down. Now it’s a nostalgic comfort food that grandmas across Ohio still make for Sunday dinners regularly.
11. Shredded Chicken Sandwiches
Walk into any Ohio church festival or school fundraiser and you’ll find these sandwiches for sale. We’re not talking about pulled pork or pulled chicken with barbecue sauce like other states make.
Ohio shredded chicken is cooked until it falls apart, then served plain on a hamburger bun with pickles. That’s it – no sauce, no seasoning, just simple chicken and bread.
Outsiders think we’re crazy for loving such a plain sandwich. But there’s something comforting about the simplicity that keeps us coming back to every fish fry and festival booth.
12. Chocolate Covered Potato Chips
Sweet and salty combinations are everywhere now, but Ohio candy makers were doing this decades ago. Crispy potato chips get dunked in chocolate, creating a treat that sounds bizarre but tastes incredible.
Local chocolatiers across Ohio sell these in their shops. The salt from the chip enhances the chocolate’s sweetness while the crunch adds perfect texture to every bite you take.
First-time tasters always look skeptical when I hand them one. Their expressions change from doubt to delight within seconds of that first crunchy, chocolatey, salty bite hitting their taste buds.
13. Sloppy Joes with Elbow Macaroni
Most people eat sloppy joes on hamburger buns like normal folks. Ohio school cafeterias had a different idea and decided to mix the meat sauce with elbow macaroni instead.
This combination became such a staple in Ohio schools that generations of kids grew up thinking it was totally normal. The pasta soaks up all that tangy tomato sauce and makes the whole thing less messy to eat.
When I mention this to people from other states, they look at me like I made it up. But ask any Ohio kid who went through public schools and they’ll back me up completely.
14. Beer Cheese
Cincinnati and northern Kentucky share this tangy cheese spread that people dip pretzels into at bars. Sharp cheddar gets blended with beer, garlic, and spices until it becomes a smooth, addictive dip.
Every bar and restaurant has their own secret recipe. Some make it mild while others pack in enough garlic to ward off vampires for weeks afterward.
Visitors often confuse it with fondue or queso, but it’s neither. The beer gives it a distinctive flavor that’s uniquely Ohio, and once you start dipping, you can’t stop until the bowl is empty.
15. White Chili
After talking about Cincinnati’s weird red chili, I should mention that Ohio also does white chili differently. We make ours with chicken, white beans, and green chilies in a creamy base instead of tomato.
It’s lighter than traditional chili but still hearty enough for cold Midwest winters. Some recipes add cream cheese or sour cream to make it even richer and more comforting.
People from Texas have strong opinions about whether this even counts as real chili. I honestly don’t care what they think because it tastes amazing and warms you up perfectly on snowy days.
