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there are over 50 typical Canadian foods

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Aren't so different from american foods.

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In 2021, about 5.8 million Canadian households suffered not having enough food.

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Possibly the best desert in Canada.

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LOCAL Life | Hilton Head Island & Bluffton

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All locals should experience one of the tastiest things to come out of the True North.

In a land not so far away, north of the 49th parallel, every bakery worth its butter, every cookbook, everyone's grandmother knows the secret to heaven on earth. At least when it comes to sweet things. It's called a butter tart: a magical alchemy of butter, eggs, sweetness and pastry.

According to Canada's culinary archives, the first known recipe for butter tarts was called "Filling for Tarts" and was published in 1900 in a fundraising cookbook produced by the Ladies Auxiliary of the Royal Victoria Hospital in the rural Ontario town of Barrie. Thank you, Mrs. Malcolm MacLeod - a star was born!

Home cooks across Canada shamelessly copied that first recipe. Yet, to this day, every butter tart-baking Canadian will tell you their recipe is unique. Oh, and every butter tart-eating Canadian (which is basically all 35 million of them) will say their grandma's/mom's version is the best.

To honor Canada Day (July 1), and the large number of Canadians that now call the Lowcountry home, we humbly offer a recipe for this sweet Canadian delicacy.

Canadian Butter Tarts

Directions
Fill a cup with ice and water. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Cut in the shortening to make pea-size pieces. Add the tablespoons of ice water from the cup until dough holds together. Form the dough into a ball. The dough is now complete. Put it into a plastic bag or wrap it up and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. Roll the dough between two sheets of waxed paper. Cut the shells using a large glass or your smallest pot. You should have about 12 shells when finished. Put these shells into a greased muffin or tart pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put walnuts and coconut on baking pan and roast for 5-10 minutes, until brown. Remove from oven and set temperature to 450 degrees. Fill the bottom of each tart shell with about 10 raisins each. Whisk together sugar, egg, butter, vanilla and hot water. Add coconut and walnuts. Pour mixture into tart shells, filling 2/3 full and no more. Bake in 450 degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool before attempting to remove. Makes 12 tarts.

Have Btarts Shipped to Your Door

When Asher Weiss moved to the Lower 48, he couldn't find his home country's beloved national dessert anywhere. Founding Btarts, he now shares Canada's iconic sweet pastry with Lowcountry residents and the rest of the United States. Subtly flavored with real maple syrup, Btarts' handmade butter tarts are an irresistible sweet treat that are both gooey and flaky at the same time. Perfect at room temperature or heated up for the ultimate ooze, these tarts will make you wonder: where they b all this time? Order them online at www.eatbtarts.com.

The LOCAL Life Team had some fun sampling Butter Tarts, tasty little pieces of heaven courtesy of Btarts.
https://vimeo.com/277683618

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Canada's National Dessert: Butter Tart | LOCAL Life | Hilton Head Island & Bluffton

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All locals should experience one of the tastiest things to come out of the True North. In a land not so far away, north of the 49th parallel, every bakery worth its butter, every cookbook, everyone's grandmother knows the secret to heaven on earth. At least when it comes to...

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Most Canadians will eat lightly for lunch and breakfast.

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Originally from Italy, pizza has become a staple of the Canadian diet. It's a common food to get delivered to your door when you don't feel like making dinner. Most Canadian pizza chains sell "Canadian-style" pizza (seen here) which has mozzarella cheese, mushrooms, pepperoni, and bacon bits.

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there is a type of pancake that is "thin, buttery pancake has crispy edges and is so large it will hang off the edges of your plate." and it ranks in the top 3 most famous in Canada.

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https://www.unileverfoodsolutions.ca/en/chef-inspiration/food-delivery/top-10-ordered-meals.html

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Fried dough topped with sweet toppings. 180 calories plus toppings.

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A popular food of Canada is called a Persian

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A popular food of Canada is called a Persian

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A persian basically a doughnut and was first created in the 1940s

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Maple syrup, which makes sense on why it is one of the top 10 Canadian things, according to sobeys.com

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For most Canadians, what qualifies as our "national" cuisine is a little mysterious. But our provinces and territories do share a love of some distinctive foods that originated from inside our borders. Here are 10 that make us proud to be Canadian.
1. Bannock
A satisfying quick bread steeped in Canadian history, basic bannock is flour, water and butter (or lard) that is shaped into a disc and baked, fried or cooked over a fire until golden. It may have come with Scottish fur traders in the 18 th century, or a First Nations version made of corn, nuts and starchy roots could have influenced European settlers, who changed the recipe to include wheat flour. Either way, this easy-to-make bread sustained families and travellers alike through the harsh winter months and is still enjoyed across our great land today.

Try it: Pull-Apart Bannock Bread
2. Nanaimo Bars
There are as many origin stories for these three-layer bars as there are recipe variations. One thing is for sure, though: Nanaimo bars are named after the city in British Columbia. The creamy, custardy centre is what sets Nanaimo bars apart from the buttercream-filled New York slice-both have a smooth chocolate topping and a rich graham cracker crust. You can personalize any of the layers or turn the bars into a completely different dessert, but their B.C. heritage still shines through.

Try it: Combine the flavours of a Nanaimo bar and a Coffee Crisp ® chocolate bar, and you have our super delicious Nanaimo Coffee Crisp ® Cake.
3. Maple Syrup
Canada produces 80 percent of the world's maple syrup, so we reign supreme when it comes to this sweet treat. We love it so much that we even made the sugar maple our national tree! Luckily for us, it is a versatile ingredient-you can add a touch of maple goodness to just about any dish you can imagine, from salads to cakes to roasts. Learn how Canada's liquid gold goes from tree to table in our article.

Try it: Roasted Maple Salmon & Brussels Sprouts
4. Saskatoon Berries
The city of Saskatoon was named after these abundant summer berries-not the other way around! Saskatoons were a main ingredient in pemmican, a dried-meat dish that historically nourished First Nations peoples, voyageurs and explorers through the freezing winter months. Sweet and juicy with an almond-like flavour, they are related to apples and continue to ripen once picked. Swap fresh or frozen saskatoons for blueberries in any recipe.

Try it: Replace blueberries with saskatoon berries in our Blueberry Grunt.
5. Caesars
A proud Calgary invention, the Caesar was the brainchild of Italian-born bartender Walter Chell. Legend has it that in 1969, Chell adapted his beloved pasta with clam sauce into this zesty tomato-clam juice cocktail spiked with vodka. The Caesar immediately became hot, hot, hot nationwide-and now it's often called Canada's national cocktail. Today's Caesars are sometimes crowned with over-the-top garnishes, such as spring rolls or lobster tails.

Try it: Ultimate Canadian Caesar
6. Ketchup Chips
Since the 1970s, Canadians have eaten tons of these crunchy chips. While both Canadian and American companies have laid claim to the original recipe, this addictive, finger-staining snack has been wholeheartedly embraced in the Great White North. These days it's tough to find a chip with the same zippy flavour outside our borders. Crumbled ketchup chips are amazing sprinkled over baked squash, fried eggs and popcorn.

Try it: Ketchup Chip Popcorn
7. Montreal Smoked Meat
This salty, smoky deli beef is a Canadian sandwich superstar, best slathered with mustard and sandwiched in rye bread. Montreal smoked meat is dry-rubbed with more garlic and savoury spices than its sweeter deli cousin, pastrami, before being smoked, steamed and sliced. Think beyond the sandwich and bring Montreal smoked meat's intense flavours to salads, tacos and appetizers.

Try it: Montreal Smoked Meat Crostini
8. Lobster
Sweet, succulent lobster from our Atlantic waters is loved across the globe. Once a cheap food source for servants and prisoners, Canadian lobster is now the ultimate delicacy. But don't let its fancy status intimidate you-lobster is meant to be enjoyed! Whether it's served whole in a Maritime boil or chunked in a long bun with a big dollop of mayonnaise, there's a lobster dish for every Canadian taste (and budget).

Try it: Chive-Lime Lobster Rolls
9. Donairs
It doesn't matter if you're enjoying it as a late-night nosh or a Tuesday-night dinner-a good Canadian donair is all about gobs of sauce. A Nova Scotian twist on traditional gyros, donairs feature spiced ground beef, onions, tomatoes and a tangy-sweet condensed milk sauce. Some say a true donair is served on a soft, Lebanese-style pita for soaking up all the juices, but the sturdier Greek variety keeps the mess to a minimum.

Try it: Donair Burgers & Halifax Sauce
10. Poutine
Warm, gooey and indulgent, the famous Canadian snack of fries, cheese curds and gravy is now adored the world over. It debuted in rural Quebec snack bars in the 1950s and found its way onto Canada-wide fast-food menus by the late 1980s. While poutine purists insist on cheese curds made in eastern Quebec, today's poutine variations are endless, featuring everything from extravagant foie gras toppers to homemade oven-fry bases.

Try it: Chicken & Goat Cheese Sweet Potato Poutine

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10 Quintessentially Canadian Foods - Sobeys Inc.

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Discover which 10 foods make Canadians' hearts skip a beat.

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3 layer bars with a creamy, custardy center, smooth chocolate topping and rich ghram cracker crust.

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faky pastry shells filled with a butter, sugar, and egg filling. usually around 23g of carories.

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also called maple taffy, it is a sweet candy mad eby pouring boiling maple syrup on snow. the cold makes the syrup immediatley harden, and the sweet goo is rolled up on a popsicle stick and eaten.

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fries, cheese curds and gravy. 870 calories at mcdonalds

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usually costs around 20$

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Ketchup-flavored chips created in the 1970s

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Cocktail from 1969, very popular in canada. tomato-clam juice cocktail, spiked with vodka.

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Sweet and juicy berries with an almond-like flavour, main ingredient in pemmican, a dried-meat dish that 1st Nations people ate a lot.

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disc shaped bread either deep fried or roasted over fire, may have come with Scottish fur traders in the 18th century

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Sure, the lakes and stuff are nice. And we hear there are some pretty cool mountains too. But let's not kid ourselves, the real reason you're thinking of visiting Canada is for the EPIC Canadian food you've heard so much about.

But it's not just about the poutine. Okay, quite a lot of it's about the poutine. But there are loads of other amazing Canadian dishes you need to try. To help you on your quest, we've put together a handy checklist of the best traditional Canadian foods to try. It will be hard to pack all 17 into one trip, but we believe in you!

Ready to head there right now?

Explore hostels in Canada

The 17 Best Canadian Foods You Need To Try

1. Poutine

2. Bannock

3. Butter tarts

4. Nova Scotian Lobster Rolls

5. Montreal-style Bagels

6. Saskatoon berry pie

7. Montreal-style Smoked Meat

8. Peameal Bacon

9. Beavertails

10. Split Pea Soup

11. Tire d'érable sur la neige (Maple Taffy)

12. Ketchup Chips

13. Nanaimo Bars

14. Pouding chômeur

15. Caesar Cocktail

16. Tourtière

17. Game Meat

1. Poutine
First stop in Canada: Poutine ? @shannondidwhat
Few Canadian dishes are as world-renowned as the glorious creation known as poutine. Crispy fries, squeaky cheese curds and rich gravy all combine to create the meal of dreams, and this French Canadian food is so popular that it can now be found all around the world. The classic version is great on its own, but toppings like pulled pork, bacon and smoked meat really knock it out of the park - and at an average price of £3.50, it won't break the bank either.

2. Bannock
You can't beat bannock and bacon cooked over the fire @torebergengen
Delicious and versatile, bannock is a simple bread that was once a key staple in the diets of Canada's Aboriginal people. Modern takes on bannock include baked versions (which are heavy/dense) and fried versions (which are crispy and fluffy on the inside). In recent years, bannock has seen a surge in popularity, with new twists and variations popping up in bakeries and cafes nationwide - you have to try it!

3. Butter tarts
Baked some delicious Canadian butter tarts @karyne.villeneuve
Butter tarts are so simple, but oh so good. They're made by taking flaky pastry shells and filling them with a butter, sugar and egg filling. This is traditional Canadian food at its best, and you'll be craving these long after you've left the country.

4. Nova Scotian Lobster Rolls
Can't resist these lobster rolls Neil Conway
Canada is a massive country, with spectacular seafood from coast to coast. Not-to-be-missed experiences include Atlantic and Pacific salmon, smoked salmon, arctic char, and of course, East Coast lobsters. Nova Scotian lobster rolls are a Canadian favourite.

5. Montreal-style Bagels
The best bagels in Canada from St. Viateur! @newna__o0o
Montreal's bagels are the unsung heroes of great Canadian food. Sweeter, denser and thinner than their NYC counterparts, Montreal bagels are baked in wood fire ovens and are often covered in poppy or sesame seeds. The two heavyweights in the Montreal bagel game are St. Viateur and Fairmount Bagel, both of which (we can confirm) are amazing.

6. Saskatoon berry pie
Mmm Saskatoon berry pie with ice cream @prairieberries.sk
The Saskatoon berry is often described as having a sweet and almondy flavour, which makes it an ideal candidate for the perfect pie. Truly, a slice of this will change your life. It's no wonder the city of Saskatoon was actually named after it, rather than the other way around.

7. Montreal-style Smoked Meat

Schwartz's smoked meat sandwich with some tasty sides is @eatingwithchu

Similar to pastrami, Montreal's smoked meat is the heavenly result of beef brisket salted and cured for a week with a range of spices, before being smoked and steamed to perfection. It's usually served in a rye bread sandwich smeared with tangy yellow mustard, but you'll also see it as a topping for poutine. The smoked meat sandwiches from Schwartz's Deli have earned worldwide recognition, with some die-hards considering it to be one of the best restaurants in Canada.

The only way to know is to try it for yourself!

8. Peameal Bacon
Berry pie and juicy peameal bacon @cool.notcool
This special Canadian twist on bacon is made from lean boneless pork loin, which is trimmed, wet-cured and then rolled in cornmeal, giving it its distinctive yellow crust. It's juicier than American-style bacon, but also leaner and, some might say, more delicious.
A Nutella and banana Beavertail - a must have in Canada @shalssh
9. Beavertails

Imagine a slab of delicious, deep-fried dough, covered in a variety of toppings like Nutella, Reese's Pieces, peanut butter and more. While it's not exactly a traditional Canadian food, beavertails are gooey, crispy and a taste of true perfection. No visit to Canada is complete without one!
Classic Canadian comfort food - split pea soup
10. Split Pea Soup

Ah, comfort food at its finest. With Québécois origins, split pea soup is traditionally composed of peas, pork and herbs blended together for pure, creamy deliciousness. A bowl of this will get you through the tough Canadian winters!
Maple Taffy ? Canada's original delicious treat @kbeedeng
11. Tire d'érable sur la neige

It truly does not get more Canadian than tire d'érable (or maple taffy). This sugary sweet candy is prepared by pouring boiling maple syrup over snow, where the cold causes it to immediately harden. You're then meant to roll it up with a popsicle stick and enjoy immediately. The result is a rich maple flavour, with a soft, gooey texture - the dessert of dreams!

12. Ketchup Chips

Ketchup chips: a staple of Canadian care packages

Craving a snack? There are plenty of chip flavours that can only be found in Canada! Many Canadians are die-hard devotees to the Ruffles all-dressed chip, which offers a bit of everything - from tomato and onion to salt, vinegar, sour cream and BBQ. Ketchup chips and dill pickle chips are also mega popular flavours native to the Canadian junk food scene.

Unsurprisingly, there are speciality flavours like poutine and, of course, the inexplicably addictive Hickory Sticks - thin strips of potato with a mild BBQ flavour.
These Nanaimo bars look heavenly
13. Nanaimo Bars

Named after the British Columbian city of Nanaimo, these three layered slices of heaven require no baking and are comprised of a crumb base layer, custard and a thin layer of chocolate on top, which gives the bar a perfect crunch.
Cheap and tasty goodness
14. Pouding chômeur

Literally translated to "the unemployment pudding", this French Canadian dessert was created during the Great Depression, which makes it one of the more traditional Canadian foods on the list. It's proof that less is more, with a few basic ingredients combined to make a delicious, comforting dessert still loved by Canadians all over the country. Made up of cake batter topped with hot syrup, the end result is a deliciously sweet treat that cures all woes.
The amazing Checkmate Caesar at the Score on Davie
15. Caesar Cocktail

The Caesar is Canada's national cocktail. Made of vodka, clamato juice, Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce, the Canadian take on the Bloody Mary makes the absolute best brunch companion. Recently, restaurants and bars have stepped up their garnish game to include more than the traditional celery salt rim and celery stalk to include the likes of an entire roast chicken, burgers, hot dogs, sliders, onion rings and more (aka the Checkmate Caesar at the Score on Davie in Vancouver).
A delicious tourtière and house made chai
16. Tourtière

If it's hearty fare you're after, look no further than the French Canadian tourtière, a savoury meat pie commonly eaten during the holidays (but is popular year round). Recipes vary regionally and by family, but pork, veal, beef and game are popular choices of meat to fill the pie.
Moose taco salad - don't knock it til you've tried it
17. Game Meat
So tell me, what's your favourite Canadian food? Are there any classic Canadian dishes we missed? Let us know in the comments!
Depending on where you are in the country, game meat may feature heavily. Though not as common in big cities, the likes of venison, caribou and moose are often used as the main meat in certain meals. There are even moose tacos!

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Keep reading: ⬇️

🌟 Ultimate guide to backpacking Canada

🌟 Best places to visit in Canada

🌟 18 of the best Canadian desserts

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17 Traditional Canadian foods you NEED to try

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Looking for traditional Canadian food? Or maybe a modern take on Canadian classics? From sweet to savoury, view the best Canadian food now.

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Even though burgers can seem more of a american thing, the 3rd most popular item in takeout is a make your own burger.

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The number 1 takeout food in Canada is burrito bowls.