Summer is the season of socializing and doing everything possible outdoors, including alfresco dining and (safe) grilling. With all the cookouts that are undoubtedly filling your calendar, you’ll save you a lot of planning and stress by nailing down a go-to dish to suit all dietary restrictions and lifestyles—so your best bet is probably a vegetable-based recipe. But which veggie is the ultimate crowd-pleaser? A recent survey conducted by national veggie brand Green Giant asked nearly 4,000 American adults aged 18 to 75 to share their favorite variety and the state in which they live. The company was then able to pinpoint the most popular vegetable in each US state, and the results are pretty…green.
Ultimately the skin-boosting cruciferous green meal staple, broccoli, snagged the top spot in 47 percent of states, across the all regions of the country—including Texas, South Carolina, California, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Minnesota, to name just a few. Corn took second place (but remains first in my heart), with nine states—nearly all of them Midwestern. Carrots, string beans, potatoes, cucumbers, and peas (in Idaho only) were also favorites of some states.
Only seven vegetables in total were voted most popular, which is surprising and sad news for salad staples like onions, peppers, celery, spinach, and even the illustrious kale.
So next time you need to whip up a side dish for a social gathering, consider making a healthy broccoli slaw, roasted broccoli with smoked paprika, or even just include the raw stuff on a crudités platter, and it more than likely will be a hit.
But before you go HAM on the vegetables, make sure your produce hasn’t been effected by the e. coli outbreak, and think twice about how much corn you consume.
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