Canadian cuisine

Canadian cuisineconsists of the cooking traditions and practices ofCanada, withregional variancesaround the country.First NationsandInuithave practiced their culinary traditions in what is now Canada for at least 15,000 years. The advent ofEuropeanexplorers and settlers, first on theeast coastand then throughout the wider territories ofNew France,British North Americaand Canada, saw the melding of foreignrecipes,cooking techniques, andingredientswith indigenousfloraandfauna.Modern Canadian cuisine has maintained this dedication to local ingredients andterroir, as exemplified in the naming of specific ingredients based on their locale, such asMalpequeoysters orAlbertabeef.Accordingly, Canadian cuisine privileges the quality of ingredients and regionality, and may be broadly defined as a national tradition of "creole" culinary practices,based on the complexmulticulturaland geographically diverse nature of both historical and contemporary Canadian society.
Divisions within Canadian cuisine can be traced alongregional linesand have a direct connection to the historical immigration patterns of each region or province. The earliest cuisines of Canada are based onIndigenous,English,ScottishandFrenchroots. Thetraditional cuisinesof both French- and English-Canada have evolved from those carried over to North America fromFranceand theBritish Islesrespectively, and from their adaptation to Indigenous customs, labour-intensive and/or mobile lifestyles, and hostile environmental conditions. French Canadian cuisine can also be divided intoQuébécois cuisineandAcadian cuisine. Regional cuisines have continued to develop with subsequent waves of immigration during the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries, such as fromCentral Europe,Southern Europe,Eastern Europe,South Asia,East Asia, and theCaribbean. There are many culinary practices and dishes that can be either identified as particular to Canada, suchfish and brewis,peameal bacon, andginger beef, or sharing an association with countries from which immigrants to Canada carried over their cuisine, such asfish and chips,roast beef, andbannock.
Though certain dishes may be identified as "Canadian" due to the ingredients used or the origin of their inception, an overarching style of Canadian cuisine may be more difficult to define. Some commentators, such as formerprime ministerJoe Clark, believe Canadian cuisine to be a collage of dishes from a variety of cultures. Clark himself has been paraphrased to have noted that "Canada has a cuisine of cuisines. Not a stew pot, but asmorgasbord."Canadian food culture writer and author Jennifer Cochrall-King has said that "there is no single definition of Canadian cuisine. It starts with ingredients that spring from the landscape and with traditional dishes steeped in the region's history and culture."
While the immense size of Canada, and the diversity of its inhabitants, compounds the difficulty in identifying a monolithic Canadian culinary tradition, Hersch Jacobs acknowledges that the lack of a hegemonic definition does not preclude the existence of Canadian cuisine.Lenore Newmanargues that there is a distinctly Canadian creole cuisine, and identifies five key properties that together define Canadian cuisine: its reliance onseasonality,multiculturalism, wild foods, regional dishes, and the privileging of ingredients over recipes.This adaptation, preparation, and emphasis on specific local ingredients is of particular note, and a common theme in Canadian food is the use of foreign recipes, introduced by immigrants and their descendants, that have been modified for use of local products.Tourtière, for example, is a Canadian meat pie of French origin that can be cooked with beef, pork or fish.The sections on regionality and national foods below illustrate this tradition of diversity and emphasis on local elements, such asdulseandlobsterin theMaritimes,deer meatsin theNorthern Territories,salmonandcrabinBritish Columbia, ormaple syrupinCentral Canada.
Indigenous food may be considered uniquely Canadian, and the influence ofMétis culturecan be considered to have played a particularly important role in the origin of a distinct Canadian cuisine. Foods such asbannock,moose, deer,bison,pemmican,maple taffy, and Métisstews, such asbarleystew, are all either traditional Indigenous foods, or originate from Canada with roots in Indigenous cuisines, and are eaten throughout the country.
There are many foods of foreign origin that are eaten commonly and considered integrated constituents of Canadian cuisine.Pierogies(dumplingsofCentralandEastern Europeanorigin) are an example of this, due to the large number of earlyUkrainianandPolish immigrants, while the ubiquity ofroast beefandYorkshire puddingare an example of the heavyEnglishinfluence. As much of Canadian cuisine is coloured by the adaptation and development of dishes brought over by European, and laterAsian, settlers, there is a variety of noteworthy Canadian variations on pre-established templated food and drink, with their own nationally defined particularities, such as Canadiancheddar cheese,whisky,bread,wine,bacon, andpancakes.
In general, much of what is considered to be traditional Canadian cuisine contains strong elements of richness, breads andstarches,game meat, and often stews andsoups.Certain culinary traditions in Canada, such as thefryingofdough, which developed out of the country's voyaging and frontier culture, have seen to both the creation of distinct national foods and the flourishing of a broader national association with certain types of dishes. In the case of frying dough, for example, particular foods originating from Canada would includebeavertails,apple frittersandtoutons, whilst foods such asdoughnuts, cronuts,bannock,bagels, andpancakes, though not physically originating from Canada, have nonetheless developed within a broader tradition of nationally recognized cuisine.
Canadian cuisine has been shaped by the historical and ongoing influences of Indigenous peoples, settlers and immigrants.Indigenous influences remain prevalent in Canada's contemporary food scene, alongside those of the three major immigrant groups of the 17th and 18th centuries: English, Scottish, and French. This diversity has been further expanded by subsequent waves of immigration in later centuries.
The traditional Indigenous cuisine of Canada is based on a mixture ofwild game, foraged foods, and farmed agricultural products. Indigenous peoples are known to gather more than five-hundred plant species for food. They cultivate and forage a variety of plants, hunt a diversity of animals, and use various tools to boil, smoke/preserve and roast their food.Each region of Canada, with its ownFirst NationsandInuitpeoples, utilizes local resources and distinct preparation techniques for their cuisines.
Maple syrupwas first collected and used by the Indigenous people ofEastern Canadaand thenorth-eastern United States, andCanadaremains the world's largest producer.Though the origin of maple syrup production is not clear, the earliest known syrups were made by repeatedly freezing the collected maple sap and removing the ice to concentrate the sugar in the remaining sap.Maple syrup is one of the most commonly consumed Canadian food of Indigenous origin.
Dried meat products such aspânsâwânandpemmicanare commonly consumed by the Indigenous peoples of the plains. In particular, the former was a predecessor for North American-stylebeef jerky, with the processing methods adapted for beef.
In most of theCanadian West Coastand Pacific Northwest,Pacific salmonis an important food resource to the First Nations peoples, along with certainmarine mammals. Salmon are consumed fresh during the spawning season, or smoked dry to create a jerky-like food that can be stored year-round. The latter food is commonly known and sold as "salmon jerky".
Whippedsoapberry, known assxusem(sk-HOO-shum,"Indian ice cream") in theInterior Salishlanguages ofBritish Columbia, is consumed similarly toice creamor as acranberry-cocktail-like drink. It is known for being a kidney tonic, which are calledagutakinArctic Canada(with animal/fish fat).
In the Arctic, Inuit people traditionally survived on a diet consisting of land and marine mammals, fish, and foraged plant products. Meats were consumed fresh, but also often prepared, cached, and allowed tofermentintoigunaqorkiviak. These fermented meats have the consistency and smell of certain soft aged cheeses. Snacks such asmuktuk, which consist of whale skin and blubber is eaten plain, though occasionally dipped insoy sauce. Chunks of muktuk are sliced with anuluprior to or during consumption.
Fish are eaten boiled, fried, and prior to today's settlements, often in dried forms. The so-called "Eskimo potato", (Inuit:oak-kuk:Claytonia tuberosa)and other "mousefoods", are some of the plants consumed in the Arctic.
Foods such as "bannock", popular with First Nations and Inuit, reflect the historic exchange of these cultures with European fur traders, who brought with them new ingredients and foods.Common contemporary consumption of bannock,powdered milk, andbolognaby Indigenous Canadians reflects the legacy of Canadian colonialism in the prohibition of hunting and fishing, and the institutional food rations provided toIndian reserves.Due to similarities in treatment under colonialism, manyNative Americancommunities throughout the continent consume similar food items, with some emphasis on local ingredients.
Settlers and traders from theBritish Islesaccount for the culinary influences of early English Canada in theMaritime provincesandSouthern Ontario(Upper Canada).Cuisines found inNewfoundlandand the Maritimes derive largely fromBritishandIrishcooking, with a preference for salt-cured fish, beef, and pork.Ontario,ManitobaandBritish Columbiaalso maintain strong British culinary traditions. The French settlers ofNew France, who would become theCanadiensandAcadians, account for much of the cuisine of southernQuebec(Lower Canada),Northeastern Ontario, andNew Brunswick.
Seafoodhad an important influence on the early European settlers and explorers ofAtlantic Canada, which continues to be expressed inMaritime cuisineand culture to this day. In the late 15th-century,John Cabot'sjourneyto the shores of what would becomeNewfoundlandbroughtEnglandknowledge of theGrand Banksand their abundance incod. He is reported to have toldKing Henry VIIthat "the sea was covered with fish which could be caught not merely by nets, but weighted basket lowered into the water."Fleets of fishermen from England,France,Portugal, andSpainflocked to Newfoundland to return with fish, filling a market need in Europe and cutting out the necessity of importing fromIceland.The English, Scottish, Irish, and French settlers of what would become the Atlantic provinces frequently built their communities beside the ocean and rivers for easy access, and the fishing industry along the Canadian east coast steadily expanded until it became the region's major industry.Accounts from early settlers list fish that were caught, sold, and incorporated into local meals, such astrout,eels,mackerel,oysters,lobsters,salmon, cod andherring.Meals that incorporated such fish included, and continue to include, fried cod roe, fried or baked cod tongues, stewed or fried cod heads, fish hash, codfish balls, cod sounds, toast and fish, roasted scrawn,fish and brewis, salt fish and potatoes, and boiled rounders, among others.The abundance of seafood and the ease by which it could be obtained made the British and French colonies ofNova Scotia,New Brunswick,Acadia,Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador attractive destinations for settlers.
The influx ofUnited Empire LoyalistsintoBritish North Americain the 18th century, and the subsequent establishment ofUpper Canada, saw the wider expansion of British cooking with indigenous ingredients in the future province ofOntario. These settlers established customs similar to their compatriots inEngland, but with a particular focus on dietary staples, such as meat, bread, andtea.Localforageandgamewere typically incorporated into the cooking of earlyEnglish-Canadiansin Upper Canada, such aswild berries,maple sugar,venison,partridge,waterfowl,maize,pumpkin, andturkey.Meals often contained more meat than was typical in England and were particularly reliant onporkandpotatoesduring early settlement, although these meals began to include beef and mutton as farming became more established in the region.Roastingwas a common method of cooking for Upper Canadians, andScottish immigration, largely onset by theHighland Clearances, brought a wider emphasis on mutton.
TheVictorian erasaw a greater swell of British immigration to Upper Canada, Lower Canada, and the Atlantic colonies, and the urban and rural development that followed encouraged the spread of eating establishments, local cookbooks, and a busier ingredients market. By the mid-19th century, there was atavernevery couple odd miles along the major roads of Upper Canada, and there were reportedly twenty-nine alone along the route betweenHalifaxandDigby, Nova Scotia.The larger urban centres, such asToronto,Kingston, andCoburgin Upper Canada,MontrealandQuebec Cityin Lower Canada, and Halifax in Nova Scotia, saw the opening ofhotelsthat could better serve a burgeoningupper classof Victorian patrons.These hotels, broadly, providedbeef steak, fried pork,buckwheatcakes,roast beefand pork, wild game and fowl, vegetables,pudding, and tea.Cookbooks published during this period includeThe Home Cookbook(1877) andThe Galt Cook Book(1898).Traditions that developed out of the Victorian era in Canada include the Victorian cookingfireplace, which saw continued use in homes and restaurants even after the metalstovewas introduced, andpicnics, which often involvedham, fowl,meat pies,tarts, andcakes.
In the territory ofRupert's Land, the development of communities throughout the 17th, 18th, and early 19th centuries, which centred aroundHudson's Bay CompanyandNorth West Companytrading posts, saw to the intermingling of European (largely Scottish and French) traders, clerks, guides, and canoers with the local Indigenous population.The resulting genesis of theMétisculture saw to the development of cuisine in theCanadian Westwhich combined the culinary traditions of these previously separate groups.
With the arrival of theEarl of Selkirkand his Scottish retinue (people largely displaced by the Highland Clearances), as well as the purchase of forty-five million acres of land in theRed River Valley, many Scottish culinary traditions were brought to the region.These foods includedblack bun,haggis, honey cakes, androwies. Cooperation with the local Métis saw Scottish immigrants hunting buffalo and incorporating game into their meals.The completion of theCanadian Pacific Railwayin the late 19th-century led to a significant influx of not just settlers of British origin, but of also a multitude of different backgrounds, notablyUkrainian,Polish,German,Scandinavian,Belgian,Dutch,Greek,Czech,Slovak,Chinese,American,Mennonite, andJewish.It is in this way that theCanadian Prairies, or the future provinces ofAlberta,Saskatchewan, andManitoba, were a frontier of multicultural community-building in Canada, and the creation of a regional cuisine which absorbed influences from a variety of ethnic, national, and religious backgrounds.
Icelandicimmigration has a particular influence on the cuisine of Manitoba, which, besidesIcelanditself, has a largerIcelandic populationthan anywhere else in the world. One example isvinarterta, a layer cake filled with prune jam and flavoured with cardamom, and a popular Christmas treat in Manitoba. Bakeries in the province often include other pastries brought over and adapted from Iceland, includingkleinur(similar todoughnuts),laufabrauõ(flatbread decorated with patterns),kransakaka(a type of cake withalmonds), andugbraud(arye bread).
Ontario's southwestern regions also have strong Dutch andScandinavianinfluences.
In Canada'sPrairieprovinces, which saw significant immigration from Eastern and Northern Europe in the pre-WWI era,Ukrainian,German, andPolish cuisinesare strong culinary influences. Such examples includeperogies,kielbasa, andbabka. Emigration from Russia to Western Canada in the late 19th and early 20th centuries also established aDoukhoborinfluence, noted in particular for its emphasis onvegetarianrecipes on the cuisine of theBritish Columbia Interiorand the Prairies.
TheWaterloo, Ontario, region and the southern portion ofManitobahave traditions ofMennoniteandGermancookery.
Jewish immigrantsto Canada during the late 1800s played a significant culinary role within Canada, chiefly renowned forMontreal-style bagelsandMontreal-style smoked meat. A regional variation of both emerged withinWinnipeg, Manitoba's Jewish community, which also derived Winnipeg-style cheesecake from New York City recipes. Winnipeg has given birth to numerous other unique dishes, such as theschmoo torte, smoked goldeye and "co-op style" rye bread and cream cheese.
Chinese immigration to Canada, beginning predominantly in the 1850s, saw to the local modification of dishes imported fromQing China. Much of what are considered to be "Chinese dishes" in Canada are largelyCanadianor North American inventions, with Chinese restaurants having tailored theirtraditional cuisineto local tastes, local ingredients, and a largely non-Chinese clientele.This "Canadian Chinese cuisine" is widespread across the country, with great variation from place to place. Examples of such variation are seen in unique regional dishes, including Calgaryginger beef,Montreal peanut-butter dumplings,Newfoundlandchow mein,and Thunder Baybon bons.
The "Chinesebuffet", although found in other parts of North America, traces its origins to earlyGastown,Vancouver,c.1870. This meal format developed from the practice of Chinese restaurateurs providing a steam table on asideboardto serveScandinavianlumberjacks working in local forests and mills.
Japanese-Canadianshave had a profound influence on the cuisines of British Columbia and Ontario. Distinct varieties ofsushi, such as theB.C. rolland theCalifornia roll, originate from theMetro Vancouverregion, whilesushi pizzawas invented in Toronto.Japadogstreet food in Vancouver is also a popular example of Canadian west coast fusion cuisine.
IndianandSouth Asianculinary influences are a relatively recent addition to Canadian cuisine, having gained wider prominence in the country during the post-1960's era of immigration,despite earlier South Asian settlement in British Columbia dating back to the late 19th century.Indian food is particularly popular in Canada, deriving mostly fromNorthern Indiancuisine. It is characterized for its use of bread, curry, and use of yogurt and cream for meat-based dishes; it also draws inspiration fromSouth Indiancuisine in its use of sour and spicy combinations.
UniqueIndo-Canadianfood includes theEast Indian rotiwrap, which gained popularity inTorontoduring the 1980s and 1990s; usingNorth Indian/Pakistanibread and curries as stuffing, local chefs originally drew inspiration from theWest Indian rotiwhich had entered the city's food scene in the 1960s and 1970s after a wave ofCaribbeanimmigration.Also known as butter chicken roti,the dish is served at many Indian restaurants and fast food locations acrossSouthern Ontario.
Other Canadian food unique to theSouth Asian communityincludes "Indian-style pizza" (also known as "Punjabi-style pizza" or "Desi-style pizza")which has gradually gained popularity since originating inGreater Vancouverduring the 1980s.Indian-style pizza has since expanded outside of Greater Vancouver, across other urban centres inwesternandcentral Canadawith largeSouth Asianpopulations, includingCalgary,Edmonton,Regina,Winnipeg,Ottawa,andGreater Toronto,later expanding to other regions.This type of pizza typically includes sauce with mixed spices and toppings such ascilantro,ginger,spinach,cauliflower,tandoori chicken,butter chicken, orpaneer.
Contributions from Southeast Asia to Canadian cuisine includes a style of medium-thick crustpizza Margheritain Toronto. An example offusion cuisine, the pizza is topped with garlic and basil oil topping, combining an Italian pizza with theVietnamesetradition of using herbed oil toppings in food.
While numerous and varied ingredients are commonly found throughout Canada, each region, with its tradition of culinary development, utilizes locally derived ingredients, both wild and agricultural, which are used to define unique dishes. The table below is meant to provide particular examples of regional staples and their key local ingredient.
Wild game of all sorts is still hunted and eaten by many Canadians, though not commonly in urban centres.Venison, fromwhite-tailed deer,moose,elk(wapiti) orcaribou, is eaten across the country and is considered quite important to manyFirst Nationscultures.Seal meatis eaten, particularly in theCanadian North, theMaritimes, andNewfoundland and Labrador. Wild fowl likeducks and geese,grouse(commonly called partridge) andptarmiganare also regularly hunted. Other animals likebearandbeavermay be eaten by dedicated hunters or indigenous people, but are not generally consumed by much of the population.
Seafood is a very common constituent of Canadian cuisine broadly, but particularly in British Columbia and the Atlantic provinces. West Coast salmon varieties includesockeye,coho,chinook(also known as king),chum(also known as dog salmon), andpink, while salmon used on the East Coast can be broadly defined asAtlantic salmon. Freshwater fish, such as thewalleye(also known as pickerel) andlake whitefishare commercially fished in the Great Lakes and are popular in southern Ontario. Both wild-caught and farmedrainbow troutare consumed throughout Canada.
Although the majority of Canada's fish yield is captured wild, about 28% of the country's yield came fromaquaculturein 2018.British Columbia accounts for 49% of the country's total aquaculture production volume, while the Maritime provinces account for 46%. Canada is the world's fourth-largest producer of farmed salmon, and other species, such astrout,Arctic char,mussels,oysters, andclamsare well established industries.
Forage in Canadian cooking can include a variety of berries, mushrooms,Canada riceandherbs. Wildchanterelle,pine,morel,lobster,puffball, and othermushroomsare commonly consumed.Gooseberries,salmonberries,cranberries,strawberries, Saskatoonberries, cloudberries, soapberries,blackberries,blueberries,bilberries,currants, andhuckleberriesare gathered wild or grown.
Albertais renowned for its production ofbeef; in 2016, Alberta's cattle herd accounted for 41.6% of the national total.Alberta beef is thought to have a rich marbled flavour due to the province's nutritiousgrasslandsandbarley. Examples of local recipes that utilize Alberta beef includebeef tartare,bistecca,Roast Beef,Sunday roast,short ribs, ginger fried beef, and grilled steak.Canada ranks among the world's top 10 per capita consumers of beef.
Saskatchewanis often referred to as the "breadbasketof Canada"; it accounts for nearly 50% of Canada's total crop yield and for two-fifths of the country's total field acreage.In 2016,canolaandspring wheatwere the two largest crops,Saskatoon berriesaccounted for over half of the "fruit, berry and nut area", andsweet cornwas the largest field vegetable crop by area.Saskatchewan also produces most of the country's spice yield, particularlymustard, but alsocarawayandcoriander.
Although there are considerable overlaps between Canadian culinary practices and those of theBritish Isles,Franceand the rest of North America, many dishes (or variations of imported dishes) are particular to, quintessential of, or available only in Canada.
There is an abundance of unique pastries and desserts that originate from Canada, as accounted for in the list below. Over twenty-one hundred bakery product manufacturing establishments, and more than twelve hundred retail bakeries, operate in the country.Tim Hortons, a Canadian restaurant chain that specialized in baked goods, maintains the highest number of franchises in the country.
Dairy productsbecame prominent among Central Canadian producers in the 1860s. Ontario's first cheese factory opened in 1863, and by the end of the decade, they had expanded to over two-hundred. The 1860s also saw to the start of a shift from wheat production to dairy and livestock in Quebec, which would become the dominant agricultural sector in the province by the early 20th century. Cream and cheese factory production would begin to increase exponentially in both Central and Eastern Canada by the 1880s.
Canada is currently the 12th largest producer of cheese by tonnage,and is considered to be one of the major cheese-producing countries.Canadian cheeseis mostly "firm", withcheddarandmozzarellabeing the most produced varieties in 2020.Among Canadians, specialty cheese (such ascream cheese,cottage cheese, andparmesan) is the most popular type, with cheddar being the second-most.
Canada is considered one of the topwhisky-producing countries, and is most renowned forrye whisky.Regulation states thatCanadian whiskymust age for a minimum of three years and be kept in oak barrels.Canada houses about thirty whiskydistilleriesacross the country, and produces 54.2 million liters.Canadian whisky is noted for its light and smooth style, and though most of it is blended,single-maltand 100% rye are some of the country's most desired.TheGlenora Inn & Distilleryis the only single-malt distillery in North America.
Canada's wine industry is over two-hundred years old and includes thewine regionsof British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia.Canada's first commercialvineyard, thePelee Island Winery, was established in 1866. There are currently over eight-hundred licensedwineriesin the country, with the most recognized wine-producing areas being southern Ontario (most notably theNiagara peninsula), and theOkanagan valleyof British Columbia.
While most major cities in Canada offer a variety ofstreet food, each region has specialties which reflect local cultural influences.Montrealfood trucks offershish taouk, theMontreal hot dog, and dollarfalafels.  Although falafel is available inVancouver, East Asian-influenced offerings are much more widespread, includingsushi,samosas, Vietnamesebanh misubs orPhosoup, Filipino offerings, and various Japanese and Chinese cuisines. InVictoria, British Columbia, vegan and vegetarian burgers are common, as are various seafood take-aways and Mexican-influenced street food. Since 2007, Toronto has encouraged vendors to sell street food from a wider variety of cuisines.
In Western Canada, a version of the Ukrainian garlic-pork sausage, referred to as "Kubasa" (a corruption of theUkrainian sausage"Kobasa")is widely available and celebrated.The term "smokies" or "smokeys" may refer to Kubasa rather thanfrankfurters.
Fusion cultural foodsare constantly evolving, such as theJapadog, which tops ahot dogwith traditional Japanese ingredients, such as wasabi, teriyaki, shredded daikon radish, or bonito (fish) flakes. Pizza slices are a common street offering.Shawarmais quite prevalent inOttawaandWindsor, whileHalifaxoffers its own unique version of thedöner kebabcalled thedonair, which features a distinctive sauce made fromcondensed milk, sugar, garlic and vinegar.Ice cream truckscan be seen (and often heard due to a jingle being broadcast on loudspeakers) nationwide during the summer months. Winnipeg has a particularly famous line-up of food truck vendors onMain Street.
Lebanese Canadian fast food restaurants such asBoustanoffer their own unique version ofpoutinecalled the shawarma poutine, which featuresshawarmameat on top.
Various street food markets exist across the country. Metro Vancouver offers the "RichmondNight Market", with over two-hundred retail stalls offering predominantly East Asian-inspired food, such as grilled octopus, takoyaki, dumplings, fish sticks, and taiyaki.As well, there is the "Shipyards Night Market" inNorth Vancouver, which is more varied in its offerings and provides more than thirty-five food trucks per week over the course of its annual run.
In Alberta, notable street food markets include the "Calgary Night Market", as well as the "Calgary Stampede Night Market", and Edmonton's "What the Truck?".TheGreater Toronto Arearuns "Market 707", "Adelaide Eats", and "Night It Up!".Market 707 onDundas Streetis of particular aesthetic note given that it is formed out of refurbished shipping containers.Eastern Canada also maintains several street food markets of note, including Montreal's "First Fridays" and Halifax's "Trusk-Side".
Though finding consensus amongCanadiansin determining a national food or dish can prove difficult, there are nonetheless several items broadly recognized as being representative of Canada's national cuisine. Foods typically considerednational dishesof Canada include poutineand butter tarts.Canadian back or peameal bacon, as well as Atlantic or Pacific salmon, are also commonly thought of as representative of Canada.
Published by theStatistaResearch Department, a June 2015 poll asked Canadians, "If Canada were to identify one of the following as official national food, which should it be?" The results revealed Canadian bacon to be the top choice, followed by poutine:
CanCulture Magazine conducted a 2021social mediapoll that sampled from fifty-five Canadians given ten choices. The poll revealed the following results:
According to an informal survey byThe Globe and Mailconducted throughFacebookfrom collected comments, users considered the following to be the Canadian national dish, with maple syrup likely above all the other foods if it were considered:
Canada's most "iconic" foods were named in a survey conducted by theCanadian Broadcasting Corporation, in the summer of 2012, as:
In 2020, Hayley Simpsonidentified the "best signature Canadian dishes" as poutine, Nanaimo bars, butter tarts, beavertails, tourtière, pea soup, Halifax donair, Saskatoon berry pie, and Montreal-style bagels. The following year,Reader's Digestpublished an articlesimilarly listing "10 Must-Try Canadian Dishes" as poutine, Canadian bacon, caesar, beavertails, Canadian pizza, butter tarts, Nanaimo bars, split pea soup, tourtière, and ketchup (namely "ketchup" chips).
As in other countries, Canadian meals are commonly segmented accordingly to their suitability for the time of day.
Breakfasttakes place in the morning and typically consists of a variety of foods, such astoast,biscuits,muffins,scones,pancakes,bacon,bagels,cereals,fruitandeggs, among others. Breakfast condiments are very common and can often include an assortment ofjam,cream cheese,peanut butter,marmalade, ornutella. Typical drinks includewater,juice,coffee, andtea. Breakfast traditionally occurs before work or school on weekdays, or otherwise soon after waking up in the morning. An archetypal French-Canadian meal may contain morestarch-based material, while an English-Canadian meal might consist of moreprotein.
Coffeecustomarily refers to a small meal during a break from labour. This involves the consumption of asnackthat, although it is the typical drink of choice (hence the name), may or may not includecoffee. TheCanada Labour Coderequires employers to provide 30-minute breaks for every five consecutive hours of work.
Lunchgenerally takes place around noon.Sandwiches,soups,fruit,nuts,cheeseand a variety ofsnacksare common foods during this meal. Lunches are usually compact, utilitarian, and/or casual, particularly given that they are often eaten at work, school, or otherwise outside of the home.
Dinnerusually takes place from anywhere between 17:00 to 19:00, and tend to be heartier affairs based around protein andvegetables. Local flora and fauna are most fully realized during dinner; in the Maritimes, dinner may be more likely to include fish, while the Prairies might include more beef.
Variousfood festivalstake place annually across Canada and in accordance with seasonality, often in celebration of a local culinary tradition or industry. The list below is a selection of food festivals by region (giving their location and standard month(s) of occurrence), and is not exhaustive.
British Columbia
Prairies
Ontario
Quebec
Maritimes
North
While an abundance oflivestock breedsand crops originating from other countries are grown and raised in Canada, there is also a variety of unique breeds andcultivarsthat have been developed domestically. Below is a selection of various livestock breeds and cultivars that originate from Canada.
Apples
Due to an influx of grain from the Prairies into British Columbia during the late 19th century, via the advent of theCanadian rail network, the province's grain production became largely redundant. This allowed for the development of specialized produce industries, such as fruit in theOkanagan. As a result, many of Canada's unique apple varieties have been developed in the interior of British Columbia.
Beans
Cattle
Cherries
Pigs
Potatoes
There are over sixty potato varieties that originate from Canada. Many of these were developed byAgriculture and Agri-Food Canada, largely in New Brunswick, but also in Alberta, Newfoundland, Ontario, and Quebec.The following is a small sampling of Canadian potatoes:
Poultry
Sheep
Strawberries
Other berries
Other breeds and cultivars