Quantifying culinary diversity across countries.
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In Algeria, people consume about 2255 g of food per day, with produce taking the biggest share at 47%, and fish and seafood coming in last at 0%. In United States of America, the daily total is around 2610 g, with produce leading at 34% and fish and seafood at the bottom with 2%.
Grains
Fish and seafood
Produce
Eggs and dairy
Meats
Sugar, fats and nuts
Americans consume a substantial amount of meat by global standards, with chicken becoming increasingly popular while red meat consumption is stabilizing. Dairy is huge too – record amounts of cheese and butter are consumed these days. The country lags in vegetable and fruit intake. The real American food staples are wheat in bread, pasta, and baked goods, corn in tortillas, cereal, and snack foods.
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Grains 597 G
503 G
12 G
46 G
36 G
0 G
0 G
0 G
0 G
0 G
Grains 327 G
233 G
31 G
34 G
1 G
2 G
16 G
0 G
2 G
8 G
Wheat and corn are very important to the American diet. Wheat appears as bread, pasta, and baked goods. Bread is everywhere – from soft white loaves to regional staples like cornbread, sourdough, and rye – forming the base of sandwiches, burgers, and deli subs.
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Produce 1059 G
18 G
575 G
176 G
290 G
0 G
Produce 896 G
11 G
342 G
144 G
289 G
0 G
In American cuisine, vegetables play second fiddle. They show up as sides, in salads, but are not central. Potatoes dominate, (including fries and chips), also tomatoes, largely via sauces, pizza, ketchup; onions, iceberg lettuce, carrot, broccoli, green beans, peppers. Widely popular are cucumbers in the form of dill pickles or sweet relish, cabbage, usually as cole slaw.
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Meats 56 G
17 G
0 G
12 G
22 G
1 G
4 G
Meats 350 G
159 G
83 G
103 G
2 G
2 G
1 G
The United States consistently ranks among the world’s top consumers of beef and poultry, holding the 2nd position globally for poultry consumption and 3rd for beef. Portion sizes in American meat dishes (e.g., 16 oz / 450g steaks, triple-patty burgers) sometimes astonish visitors. While exaggerated, this reflects both abundance and the value through size.
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Fish and seafood 10 G
10 G
0 G
Fish and seafood 62 G
36 G
26 G
Despite regional richness, fish consumption in the U.S. is relatively low, more secondary after meat and regional. In New England, cod, clam, and lobster are icons with ‘clam chowder’ and ‘fish fry Fridays’ tradition. Salmon is vital in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska; catfish, crawfish, redfish, and shrimp are key in Southern cuisines. Jewish Americans popularized smoked fish – lox and whitefish that became deli staples.
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Eggs and dairy 362 G
18 G
341 G
3 G
Eggs and dairy 684 G
44 G
629 G
11 G
The U.S. has one of the highest milk intakes, unlike many regions. It has a foundational but shifting role. The cheese consumption, though, is not declining. In the U.S., cheese is often melted on burgers, pizza, sandwiches, nachos, casseroles, and macaroni. Texture and meltability are prioritized over aging or flavor complexity. Americans are among the top global consumers per capita, especially of mozzarella (due to pizza), cheddar, and processed slices. Unlike in Europe, it’s rarely eaten as a course on its own; it’s usually integrated into other dishes.
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SUGARS, FATS AND NUTS 171 G
6 G
88 G
0 G
61 G
16 G
SUGARS, FATS AND NUTS 291 G
13 G
180 G
0 G
78 G
20 G
Peanut butter is the taste of American childhood – pretty much every kid grew up with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in their lunchboxes; this nostalgia runs into adulthood. It’s one of those uniquely American foods that gets used in everything; no surprise, the U.S. is also the world’s biggest consumer and exporter.
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BAY LEAVES
CILANTRO
MINT
PARSLEY
THYME
CHIVES
DILL
OREGANO
ROSEMARY
SAGE
BAY LEAVES
CILANTRO
MINT
PARSLEY
THYME
CHIVES
DILL
OREGANO
ROSEMARY
SAGE
ANISEED
CARAWAY
CORIANDER
GINGER
NIGELA SEED
SAFFRON
TURMERIC DRY
BLACK PEPPER
CINNAMON
CLOVES
CUMIN
DRY CHILI
NUTMEG
PAPRIKA
ALLSPICE
CELERY SALT
GARLIC POWDER
MUSTARD SEEDS
ONION POWDER
SMOKED PAPRIKA
ANISEED
CARAWAY
CORIANDER
GINGER
NIGELA SEED
SAFFRON
TURMERIC DRY
BLACK PEPPER
CINNAMON
CLOVES
CUMIN
DRY CHILI
NUTMEG
PAPRIKA
ALLSPICE
CELERY SALT
GARLIC POWDER
MUSTARD SEEDS
ONION POWDER
SMOKED PAPRIKA
BELL PEPPERS
ORANGE WATER
CHILI PEPPERS
GARLIC
LEMON
ONION
LIME
SHALLOT
BELL PEPPERS
ORANGE WATER
CHILI PEPPERS
GARLIC
LEMON
ONION
LIME
SHALLOT
CLARIFIED BUTTER
DATES
FERMENTED BUTTER
OLIVE OIL
PEPPER PASTE
PRESERVED LEMONS
TOMATO PASTE
BROWN SUGAR
BUTTER
GRAIN VINEGAR
LIQUID SMOKE
MAPLE SYRUP
MAYONNAISE
MUSTARD
PORK FAT
VANILLA EXTRACT
WHISKEY
WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE
CLARIFIED BUTTER
DATES
FERMENTED BUTTER
OLIVE OIL
PEPPER PASTE
PRESERVED LEMONS
TOMATO PASTE
BROWN SUGAR
BUTTER
GRAIN VINEGAR
LIQUID SMOKE
MAPLE SYRUP
MAYONNAISE
MUSTARD
PORK FAT
VANILLA EXTRACT
WHISKEY
WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE
The seasoning profile of Algerian cuisine is more about spices than high spiciness. Sweet and savory combinations are not as common in Algeria as in Morocco. In a global context, Algerian flavor building sits in the moderate range — not as minimalist as Northern European cuisines, but simpler and more direct than Persian or Indian cooking. Parsley, cilantro, and mint are the most popular herbs, alongside generous use of cumin, cinnamon, coriander, paprika, caraway, ginger, and turmeric. Spices are usually added together early in cooking. Base building starts with onion, garlic, oil or smen (fermented butter), followed by ground spices.
Spice mixes Ras el hanout, Hror, Za’atar, Tabil are popular.
RAS EL HANOUT – a complex blend of spices that can include up to 80 (!) ingredients, is popular with cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, turmeric, and ginger at its core.
HROR is a mixture of dry-roasted peppercorns, cumin, coriander, cloves, and nutmeg until they’re toasted and gain a distinctive smoky flavor. The mix of flavors in slow-cooked stews adds a robust and warm spice profile. This is a lesser-known but valued regional spice blend of French origin.
Levantine ZA’ATAR – dried oregano, thyme or marjoram, sumac, sesame seeds, salt.
TABIL – a warm and earthy spice mix beloved in Algeria and Tunisia, used to flavor meats, stews, and vegetables. Made of caraway, coriander seeds, cumin and dried chili.
Popular Algerian sauces are harissa, derssa, and hmiss. Also, chermoula, which may be more associated with Moroccan cuisine, yet some versions are used in Algerian seafood and vegetable dishes. Also, the garlic-based toum, originating from Lebanon, is not traditionally Algerian but has found a way to urban areas.
HARISSA – spicy chili paste from dried chili peppers, garlic, olive oil, cumin, coriander. It is used as a condiment to add heat and flavor to stews, soups, and grilled meats and as a marinade for proteins.
DERSSA is a slightly milder, made of garlic, chili, caraway, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, cilantro, and mint. It is often used as a dipping sauce for bread, vegetables, and grilled meats, as a marinade or dressing for salads. It might sound similar to harissa, but dersa is garlic-forward rather than chili-forward, and has a unique flavor profile due to the caraway seeds and fresh herbs.
HMISS is another popular spicy and tomatoey condiment from roasted red peppers, tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and chili peppers. Usually served as a dip or spread with bread or grilled meat, it can also be used as a topping for sandwiches or pizzas. In some parts of Algeria, hmiss is made with the addition of cumin and paprika, giving it a unique regional variation.
American seasoning stands out globally by its bold flavors that often incorporate heat and smokiness. Americans also have a clear love for richness and intensity – they gravitate toward satisfying flavors that deliver immediate impact. This is illustrated by fat-forward dishes (buttery steaks, creamy mac and cheese, loaded burgers), sweet-savory combinations (maple bacon, honey BBQ), and “maximalist” flavor profiles where more is better. Not as central as fat or smoke, vinegar-based BBQ sauces, pickles, and citrus marinades add a contrasting element to the richness.
Americans have this unique relationship with umami-rich processed flavors – they’ve embraced things like aged cheeses, cured meat, fermented sauces, and even MSG-heavy snack foods in ways that create this very distinctive “American taste”.
The other key characteristic is accessibility – American palates favor immediately recognizable and satisfying rather than acquired tastes. It’s a cuisine built on bold satisfaction rather than complexity.
Most American pantry essentials are kosher salt (coarser, milder than table salt), black pepper, garlic, onion, chili powders, paprika, dried oregano, and cinnamon.
Some traditional spice blends include:
OLD BAY – a classic from Baltimore, this blend features celery salt, paprika, black pepper, and other spices, widely used for seafood and snacks.
CHILI POWDER – ground dried chili peppers, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, and paprika. In the U.S., “chili powder” usually means this seasoned blend used in chili con carne. In many other countries, “chili powder” refers simply to pure ground dried chili peppers, without added spices.
EVERYTHING (BUT THE) BAGEL – combines roasted sesame seeds, garlic, onion, poppy seeds, and sea salt, popular as a savory topping on bagels and beyond.
BARBECUE RUBS – various rubs combine spices like smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin, brown sugar, and salt, tailored for ribs, pork, and grilled meats.
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