"You are what you eat." Nutrition experts often use this saying to promote better eating habits. What we put in our mouths does become a part of us. But we can look at this statement another way. What we eat reflects who we are--as people and as a culture. Do you want to understand another culture? Then you ought to find out about its food. Learning about American food can give us a real taste of American culture. 　　

    "你吃什么就成為什么樣子"營養專家經常使用這句話來倡導更好的飲食習慣，入嘴的東西確實成為我們的一部分．但我們也可以從另一個角度來看這句話，我們所吃的反映出我們自己－－不論就人或文化而言．你想了解另一種文化嗎？那么你應該去認識他們的食物．認識美國食物可以讓我們得知美國文化的精髓。        

     What is "American food"? At first you might think the answer is easy as pie. To many people, American food means hamburgers, hot dogs, fried chicken and pizza. If you have a "sweet tooth," you might even think of apple pie or chocolate chip cookies. It's true that Americans do eat those things. But are those the only kind of vittles you can find in America? 　　

    何謂「美式食物」？乍聽之下你可能認為答案容易得很。對許多人而言，美式食物就是漢堡、熱狗、炸雞和披薩。如果你是好吃甜食的人，你可能會想到蘋果派或巧克力片餅干。美國人確實吃這些東西，但這些就是你在美國唯一找得到的食物嗎？        

     Except for Thanksgiving turkey, it's hard to find a typically "American" food. The United States is a land of immigrants. So Americans eat food from many different countries. When people move to America, they bring their cooking styles with them. That's why you can find almost every kind of ethnic food in America. In some cases, Americans have adopted foods from other countries as favorites. Americans love Italian pizza, Mexican tacos and Chinese egg rolls. But the American version doesn't taste quite like the original! 　　

    除了感恩節火雞以外，挺難找到典型的美國食物。美國是個移民之地，所以美國人吃的食物來自許多不同的國家，當人們移居美國，他們也將自己的烹調帶了進來。那也就是為什么在美國你幾乎可以看到所有不同民族的食物。在某些情況中，美國人把外國的食物視為最愛。美國人喜愛意大利的披薩，墨西哥的玉米餅和中國的春卷，但是這些東西的美國版味道卻不很道地！          

    As with any large country, the U.S.A has several distinct regions. Each region boasts its own special style of food. Visit the South and enjoy country-style cooking. Journey through Louisiana for some spicy Cajun cuisine. Take a trip to New England and sample savory seafood dishes. Travel through the Midwest, "the breadbasket of the nation," for delicious baked goods. Cruise over to the Southwest and try some tasty Tex-Mex treats. Finish your food tour in the Pacific Northwest with some gourmet coffee. 　　

    和許多大國一樣，美國有數個截然不同的地區，每個地區都以自己特有的食物夸口。走訪美國南部享受鄉村式的烹調；到路易斯安納州品嘗辛辣的凱郡式料理；走一趟新英格蘭試嘗它美味的海鮮；再到中西部「美國的面包之鄉」品嘗可口的烘培食品；乘船游覽至西南部嘗試一些好吃的墨式德州小吃，最后到太平洋西北岸，啜飲美食家的咖啡，作為美食之旅的句點。        

     Americans living at a fast pace often just "grab a quick bite." Fast food restaurants offer people on the run everything from fried chicken to fried rice. Microwave dinners and instant foods make cooking at home a snap. Of course, one of the most common quick American meals is a sandwich. If it can fit between two slices of bread, Americans probably make a sandwich out of it. Peanut butter and jelly is an all-time American favorite. 　　

    生活在快速步調之下的美國人通常只能「很快地吃幾口」。快餐店提供趕時間的人各種食物，從炸雞到炒飯，應有盡有。微波爐晚餐和實時餐點使得在家燒飯省事又快速。當然，最平常的美式速餐之一就是三明治。任何能夾在兩片土司中間的東西，美國人就可以把它作成一份三明治，花生醬和果醬更是一直都深受美國人的喜愛。          

    Americans on the go also tend to eat a lot of "junk food." Potato chips, candy bars, soft drinks and other goodies are popular treats. Many people eat too many of these unhealthy snacks. But others opt for more healthy eating habits. Some even go "all natural." They refuse to eat any food prepared with chemicals or additives. 　　

    忙碌的美國人也趨向于吃一大堆「垃圾食物」。洋芋片、糖果、汽水和其它好吃的東西都頗受歡迎。許多人吃了太多這類不健康的零嘴，但是其它人則選擇較健康的飲食習慣，有些人甚至選擇「全天然」的食物，他們拒絕吃任何有化學制品或添加物的食物。         

     American culture is a good illustration of the saying "you are what you eat." Americans represent a wide range of backgrounds and ways of thinking. The variety of foods enjoyed in the U.S. reflects the diversity of personal tastes. The food may be international or regional. Sometimes it's fast, and sometimes it's not so fast. It might be junk food, or maybe it's natural food. In any case, the style is all-American. 　　

    美國文化是「你吃什么就成為什么樣子」這句話的好寫照。美國人代表了范圍廣泛的背景和想法。在美國可享受到的各式食物正反映出個人品味的多樣化。這食物可能是國際性也可能是地區性的；有時是快餐，有時也不見得；它可能是垃圾食物，也可能是天然食品。然而無論如何，它們都是美式的。