Fried cheese curds, butter burgers, funeral potatoes, Snickers salad – nowhere does food quite like the American Midwest. Yet, while these comforting dishes may sometimes look or sound strange, they have legions of fans across the USA who rave about their unique flavour combinations and nostalgic appeal. Here, we reveal the incredible dishes that you’re unlikely to find outside of the Midwest. How many have you tried, or even heard of?

Click or scroll through our gallery to discover the Midwestern meals rarely found in the rest of America – counting down to the most unusual of all.

Our selections and ranking are based on each food’s popularity and reputation both in and outside of the Midwest, as well as on the opinions of our expert team. This list is unavoidably subjective.

Midwestern USA foods the rest of the world thinks are weird