Every state in the United States has an official food, such as the country ham in Virginia

Official State FoodsPhoto byReddit Screenshot

Every state in the United States has an official food as a symbol, whether it’s a meat, vegetable, fruit, dessert, or even a snack. The food is either something invented there or a crop grown in abundance.

Click on the websites below to see what the official food is in your state.

• Reader's DigestReader's Digest
• Taste of Home
• Wikipedia

Below are the official foods in the four states where I have lived.

Maryland: Crabs

CrabsPhoto byTaste of Home/Screenshot

It is no surprise that Maryland's official food is the crab. However, it might surprise Marylanders that the Smith Island Cake was adopted in 2008 as the state's official dessert. Smith Island is accessible only by boat and is Maryland’s only remaining inhabited island.

New Jersey: Blueberries

Blueberries are native to New Jersey and were the state’s gateway into the agricultural industry. A fourth-grade class campaigned to the state government to declare the blueberry the official state fruit.

BlueberriesPhoto byBartłomiej JacakonUnsplash

The Garden State is the blueberry capital of our country, so it should come as no surprise that New Jersey has claimed it as the official state fruit. Sandy, acidic soil along the coast is ideal for growing beautiful berries.

New York: Apples

ApplesPhoto byengin akyurtonUnsplash

We all know the Big Apple is the nickname for New York City, but the fruit is the official food for the entire state of New York. Apples were declared the state fruit in 1976, and New York is the second-largest U.S. producer of apples after Washington State. Apples abound in the Empire State. More than a billion pounds of apples are produced each year.

Virginia: Ham

Country HamPhoto byСергей ОрловскийonUnsplash

Country ham is Virginia's official food. The ham is known for its sweetness after being cured and smoked over apple and hickory wood fires. Virginia ham is the most widely recognized ham nationwide. The Old Dominion is happy to be known for its cured country ham that appears on many tables nationwide, especially during holidays.