If we really are what we eat, North Dakota residents—and Americans as a whole—are mostly made of meat, potatoes, and bread.

At least, that’s what the list we’re about to show you seems to suggest. 

That might not be surprising, given the number of burger joints in any given U.S. town. Still, there are some items Americans eat in massive amounts that you might not expect. 

While you can probably guess a few of the items on this list, we doubt you could name all of them.

Americans clearly enjoy their hamburgers, but there are a lot of other foods that Americans eat 20 or more pounds of each year.

1: Potatoes

The humble potato is the number one vegetable Americans consume.

Whether fried, mashed, roasted, or baked, we can’t get enough of this starchy tuber. 

According to the USDA, Americans consume close to 50 pounds of potatoes per person per year. Most of them are in the form of french fries. 

2: Tomatoes

USDA data shows tomatoes are the second most commonly consumed vegetable in the U.S. Americans eat about 31 pounds of them per year. 

That said, Americans aren’t eating that many raw tomatoes.

Instead, we’re consuming a lot of pizza sauce, spaghetti sauce, and other prepared forms.  

3: Chicken 

Chicken is such a versatile meat; it’s no wonder we love it so much!

Whether you like it breaded and fried or prefer a lower-calorie grilled chicken breast, there’s a style for nearly every carnivore. 

Per Statista data, Americans consumed 98.9 pounds of chicken per capita in 2022. Projections show that the number could increase to 107 pounds or more by 2033. 

4: Cheese

It seems Americans can’t get enough cheese. Data shows US per capita cheese consumption hit record highs in 2022 at 42 pounds. 

According to YouGov surveys, cheddar cheese is the favorite for most Americans.

However, American cheese comes in at a close second. 

5: Ground Beef 

Ground beef is a staple in many dishes Americans eat. We enjoy it in hamburgers, tacos, and meatballs. 

Though the popularity of ground hamburgers has decreased in recent years, they remain incredibly popular.

According to Statista data, Americans consumed just over 59 pounds of ground beef per capita in 2022. 

6: Bread

The average American consumes about 53 pounds of bread per year.

When you think about how many things bread is in, this number makes a lot of sense. 

We eat bread with breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the U.S. From French toast to sandwiches to dinner rolls, there’s no doubt Americans love bread products. 

7: Corn

Corn is consistently one of America’s largest crops.

We plant millions of acres of it every year, and while much of it goes to feeding cattle and making ethanol, we also eat it in large amounts. 

USDA data shows Americans consume about 35.5 pounds of corn products per person per year.

From popcorn to corn chips, we’re big fans of corn-based products in the U.S. 

8: Sugar

Walk through any grocery store in the U.S., and you’ll find sugary sweeteners abound. Sugar is in everything from soft drinks and ice cream to salad dressing and yogurt. 

Though World Health Organization guidelines suggest keeping added sugars to a minimum, Americans still consume a lot of sweets.

Per the American Heart Association, the average American ingests about 60 pounds of sugar each year. 

9: Milk

Milk has long been a staple of the Western diet. We consider it essential for our children, our cereal, and our coffee. 

When you consider how prevalent this form of dairy is, it makes sense that we consume about 130 pounds of it per person, per year.

Believe it or not, this figure reveals a significant decline from 1975, when the average American drank over a cup a day. 

10: Rice

From pilaf to sushi, Americans enjoy rice in a variety of dishes. Though our rice consumption is nowhere near that of many other countries, it’s relatively high. 

According to the American Rice Federation, Americans eat about 27 pounds of rice per person each year.

The U.S. grows far more rice than we can eat, though; we’re the fifth-biggest rice exporter in the world. 

11: Pork

Statista data shows Americans eat about 51.1 pounds of pork per year. Though it’s far from our favorite meat, there are many forms of pork that Americans enjoy.

We put it in meatballs, enjoy it in sausages, and, of course, we consume a lot of bacon. 

Interestingly, pork consumption was down in 2022, but producers expect it to rebound in 2024. Pork is often less expensive than other proteins, and in times of high inflation, Americans may choose to eat it in greater quantities. 

12: Apples

They say there’s nothing as American as apple pie. It turns out that saying may be true. Americans love apples more than any other fruit. 

USDA data shows that in 2021, we consumed about 45 pounds of apples per person.

However, most of the apples we ingest are in juice or cider form rather than baked in a pie. 

13: Fish 

Seafood may be America’s least consumed whole protein, but we still eat quite a bit of it. The USDA estimates that Americans eat just over 20 pounds per person each year. 

Our taste for fish has increased in recent decades.

Over the last thirty years, American consumption of fish and shellfish has gone up by thirty percent. 

14: Onions

If you spend any time cooking, you’ll find onions play a significant role in many recipes. They’re sauteed into sauces, diced on top of chilis, and, of course, deep-fried alongside hamburgers. 

According to the National Onion Association, our love for onions has been on a steady forward trajectory for the last few decades.

In the 1980s, Americans were consuming a mere 12.2 pounds per person. Now, we consume more than 20 pounds per person each year. 

15: Pasta 

Americans consume about 20 pounds of pasta per person each year. While that’s nothing compared to our friends in Italy (they consume over fifty pounds per person), it’s still a lot. 

According to the North Dakota Wheat Commission, the way we consume pasta in the U.S. is changing.

There’s more demand for artisanal and organic products than ever before. Millennials, especially, are often demanding their pasta be locally sourced, handmade, and produced from non-durum wheat. 

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Eating bugs might not fit your idea of a gourmet meal, but in many cultures, these critters are dietary staples. Considering their numerous health benefits and minimal environmental impact, perhaps it’s time for Americans to start considering incorporating insects into our diets.

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Much like Gilligan’s unexpected extended tour, not all real-life trips go as planned.

These travelers discovered that it takes more than a coconut phone to get rescued, and some survived using remarkably inventive methods.

1: Fyre Festival 

Thousands of travelers expected the party of the year on a beach in the Bahamas. Instead, they ended up stranded.

Billed as the hottest music festival of 2017, complete with luxurious perks like arrival via private plane and gourmet catering, Fyre Festival proved disastrous as guests who paid up to $100,000 per ticket slept on bare, wet mattresses, ate cold cheese sandwiches, and tried in vain to fly back to Miami. 

What Happened? 

In a bid to lure the internet’s elite to the hottest music event of the season, businessman Billy McFarland cut corners and defrauded thousands of ticket-buyers to the now infamous Fyre Festival.

He’s currently serving a six-year prison sentence. 

That’s what you get when you try to plan an event in four months that should’ve taken at least a year.

2: Not Quite Home for the Holidays 

In late December 2022, a mechanical issue caused a United Airlines flight from LA to Sydney to make an emergency landing on Pago Pago Island in American Samoa.

But unlike Gilligan’s crew, these passengers were treated to hotel rooms and free beers on the beach while they waited for a new plane to arrive just a day later. 

3: Day Trip Turned Disaster 

An island-hopping outing turned into a rescue mission when a group of local college students ended up stranded in the Philippines more than 18 miles from their home port.

Luckily, the local disaster management team was able to rescue all 18 students just a few hours later. 

4: Real-Life Castaway 

In February 2021, a routine Coast Guard flyover of the Bahamas resulted in the discovery of three castaways on a deserted island.

The trio had survived for 33 days on a diet of coconuts, conchs, and rats. 

5: Vacation Nightmare 

Thousands of Korean tourists found themselves stranded in the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam as “super-typhoon” Mawar devastated the South Pacific.

While local airports were shut down for days, no casualties were reported from the severe storm. 

6: Living on Lemons 

In August 2022, a 51-year-old Brazilian gardener was rescued from uninhabited Palmas Island off of Rio de Janeiro.

He had been swept off a seaside observation point and dragged two miles to the deserted island, where he survived for five days on lemons and seawater. 

7: Stranded by Choice

After his catamaran capsized near the coast of Italy’s Budelli Island in 1989, Mauro Morandi fell in love with the island and decided to replace its newly retired caretaker.

Thirty-two years later, in 2021, Italy’s Robinson Crusoe (as he was affectionately known) was evicted by the national park service. 

8: An Unexpected Journey 

Mexican fisherman José Salvador Alvarenga has the unfortunate distinction of holding the record for longest solo survival at sea. He drifted over 6,700 miles from the fishing village of Costa Azul to the Marshall Islands in the South Pacific, where he was rescued.

The ordeal lasted 438 days and resulted in the death of Jose’s fishing partner. 

9: Message in a Bottle

Six sailors were rescued from a deserted island off the coast of Brazil after being stranded for 13 days.

The Brazilian Navy found the crew thanks to one of the oldest tricks in the book: a simple message in a bottle with the crew’s location, families’ phone numbers, and a plea for help. 

10: Happily Alone 

Three years into an ambitious 8,700-mile hike along Great Britain’s coast, Welsh hiker Christian Lewis found himself stranded on the remote Scottish Shetland Islands in March 2020 as the world shut down.

Instead of panicking, the hiker was in heaven, living in a cottage on the deserted island, waiting out the metaphorical storm with his dog, Jet. 

Survival Skills

So, what should you do if you find yourself stranded on a deserted island?

According to adventure tourism group Desert Island Survival, you’ll want to stay calm and remember the five pillars of survival: shelter, water, fire, food, and mindset. 

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Imagine this: You’ve waited your whole life to retire. But now that your retirement has arrived, people suddenly start making less-than-flattering comments about their perception of what you’re doing (or lack thereof).

Perhaps you even used to believe things about retirees that those people say to you. But just like it’s hard to convince a 20-year-old that youth is wasted on the young, it can also be hard for working-age folks to grasp what retirement is and isn’t.

While individual preferences and situations vary among retirees, we gathered these stereotypes that we believe far too many Arizonans—and Americans as a whole—have had to deal with upon entering their golden years.

1: A Time of Mental Decline

Contrary to what some people believe, just because a person retires doesn’t mean they suddenly start a cognitive decline. It turns out belief is a powerful thing.

Studies suggest that people who hold more positive stereotypes about retirement, particularly in terms of health, have a higher chance of a longer lifespan.

So, people who are about to retire and believe they could experience mental decline because they’re no longer working could end up experiencing that very scenario.

2: Sitting Around

We’re not here to shame anyone: Go ahead and spend your retirement sitting around if that’s what you want to do.

It’s not fair to place all retirees in the sit-around box, though.

On the contrary, many retirees take advantage of their newfound time to do the things they weren’t able to do during their working years. With careful financial planning and a dose of luck, many retirees have the money to travel, pick up a new hobby, and do the things they love.

3: Depression Sets In

Research shows that around 28% of newer retirees suffer from depression. That number is significantly higher than the overall older adult population.

Nevertheless, some people assume that retirement and depression go hand-in-hand, especially as one ages. This simply isn’t true, and researchers believe that older adults with depression often have co-occurring medical problems.

In other words, while retirement in and of itself can cause depression, it’s often combined with pre-existing factors, if depression happens at all.

4: Everyone Wants to Live in Florida

You may or may not be ready to shake your screen upon reading that all retirees want to live in Florida.

But alas, it’s a stereotype that some people say (although we question whether they truly believe that all retirees long to reside in the Sunshine State).

While it’s true that Florida has the second-highest rate of people of retirement age (21.3%, with Maine being first with 21.8% of people ages 65+), not all retirees desire to be in a place with excessive heat, high humidity, and the chance of their house getting wiped out by a hurricane.

5: Lonely Lives

Yes, retirement can feel lonely for some people who enjoyed being around their coworkers and clients. But retirement doesn’t mean that everyone sits in a rocking chair looking out a window, waiting for someone to visit or call them.

On the contrary, many people end up becoming social butterflies during retirement.

From golf buddies to meeting people at volunteer activities, opportunities are abundant for making friends. And if someone chooses to live a more hermit-like life during retirement, that’s totally great too.

6: Everything Is Awful

Retirees sometimes have the stereotype of being bitter, without patience, and thinking that everything in the present about the world is awful and most things in the past about the world were great. That’s an unfair generalization.

However, it’s slightly fairer to say that a higher percentage of people become cranky as they get older.

The chronic pain and physical ailments that people often get when they’re older are known to turn otherwise even-keeled people into chronically cranky people.

7: Financial Worries Are Gone

Some people retire with a comfortable nest egg to their names; many others don’t.

According to the Social Security Administration, approximately 25% of retirement-aged households depend on Social Security benefits for 90% or more of their income.

Given that Social Security checks are significantly smaller than what a person was earning before retirement, they can be challenging to live off of, especially if a person still has a mortgage or other debt when they retire.

8: You’re Done Working

Many of us are guilty of believing when we’re younger that retirement is the end of having a job. But as many retirees will either loathingly or happily tell you, that’s not always so.

According to one study, 48% of retirees who chose to go back to work did so because they needed more money to survive.

In contrast, 57% of retirees report wanting to continue working in some form, with the social aspect of having a job being a common reason.

9: Motivation Dissipates

Just because retirees no longer have a boss breathing down their backs about deadlines doesn’t mean they suddenly lose all motivation.

While the things that motivate retirees may change during retirement, motivation is still a common denominator among people 65+ years old.

Retirees might be motivated to help take care of their grandkids, beat their best tennis score, or give back to their community via volunteering.

10: Golf and Pickleball Only Sports

Did you notice that we chose tennis instead of golf or pickleball in the previous example?

There’s nothing wrong with these sports being a favorite among many retirees. But they’re far from the only sports people partake in during retirement.

While you might not see local football leagues abounding with retirees, there are plenty of low-impact and moderate-impact sports that increase a retiree’s heartbeat without being as risky on the injury front.

11: Grave in Sight

Believing that retirees are on the brink of passing away is yet another retirement stereotype that young adults are more apt to believe.

As one enters their 30s, 40s, and 50s, it becomes blatantly (and thankfully) clear that’s not true for most retirees.

Even though life expectancy dropped to 76.4 years as of December 2022 data, that still offers retirees many years before their grave comes knocking.

12: No Grasp of Technology

If we had written this article a decade ago, the idea that many retirees don’t have a good grasp of technology would have held a bit more truth.

However, the fact is that many people retiring today frequently use technology at their office and can hold their own when using social media (whether they want to use it is a whole different discussion).

13: Cruise Vacations

Some people have retirement pictured as people shifting from road trips and planning their own international vacations to taking their excursions exclusively via cruises.

While data support that cruise trips heavily leaned toward the 65+ crowd, that’s no longer the case.

As of 2018, the average age of cruisegoers was 46.7 years. Thirty-two percent of passengers were 65+ years old, meaning that the majority of people taking cruises were of non-retirement age.

14: Refusal to Change

“Because that’s the way it’s always been done” is a phrase that some people have heard from older generations.

But pegging all retirees as not being willing to change how they think or live their lives is a mentality that younger people need to drop.

Case in point? Retirement itself is a change. Even though retirement is something that most retirees dreamed of, it requires changes to one’s habits and lifestyle.

15: Unproductive Days

Just like retirement for many people doesn’t mean sitting around in a rocking chair waiting for life to pass by it also doesn’t mean not getting things done.

Retirees often still have houses that need cleaning, families to tend to in some form, and commitments that require their time.

I’d even argue that it’s more common to hear retirees comment on how they don’t know how they used to manage their jobs and personal lives, given how packed their days are during retirement.

16: No Value to Add

Although older people are often a source of valuable wisdom, some people view entering retirement as a person losing their contribution to society. That’s simply not true.

A job is only one aspect of who a person is, and some retirees never liked their job defining them.

Value comes in many different forms, and given that retirees have extra time to devote to things they love, some may feel that they provide more value to society in their golden years than when they had a job.

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Baby boomers are no strangers to criticisms from younger generations, and some youngins are stuck wondering why they won’t retire. But when broken down, it makes sense why boomers are forgoing retirement during their golden years.

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