top ten most eaten foods in the US

Numerous studies have been done on the most common foods eaten in the U.S. Some focus on prepared foods and meals and cite fast foods such as hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza, and fried chicken as a few of the most consumed foods in America. Since prepared food consumption is difficult to track, the USDA has also studied the most commonly purchased foods in America, implying that those foods are also the most often consumed.

Milk

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Americans purchased and consumed an average of almost 30 gallons of milk yearly from 1950 to 2000. The USDA also cited significant sales of nonfat dry milk, condensed milk and evaporated milk. Along with drinking plain milk as a beverage, one of the reasons milk is such a common purchase is its natural pairing with cereal, a daily breakfast for many Americans.

Cereal

Marion Nestle of What to Eat places ready-to-eat cereal as one of the top-five most consumed foods in the U.S. The term "ready-to-eat" can encompass all dry cereals and may also include prepared, packaged cereals such as quick oats, instant oatmeal and others. The frequency of cereal purchases in the U.S. helps explain the presence of two beverages on the top-five list, milk and bottled water, which are most often served with and used to make ready-to-eat cereal.

Bottled Water

All Business cited yearly purchases of bottled water at 22.5 gallons per American in 2006, almost double the amount of 10 years previous. Part of the explanation for high bottled-water sales may be that the beverage is the drink of choice for business meetings, lecture halls and large-group gatherings. Large amounts of bottled water are also used for outdoor activities, restaurant preparations and cooking.

Soft Drinks

Americans drank nearly 50 gallons of carbonated soft drinks per person in 2006, nearly double the amount for water or milk. Due to the large amounts of sugar in many soft drinks, a Harvard School of Public Health study was able to link consumption of sugary soft drinks with a heightened risk of childhood obesity.

Bread

Bread is one of the most common forms of grain eaten in America and is served at every meal of the day in many facilities. The most common sandwich breads eaten in the U.S. are white and wheat, and most Americans buy pre-made breads from their local grocery stores rather than choosing bakery bread or making their own loaves.