For Unbeatable Southern Food, Hit Up The Grits Belt

Before European settlers arrived in the Southeastern states of what would become the United States, grits were already a part of the diet of the area’s Muskogee Native Americans. These tribes taught the settlers how to grind dried corn until the texture was small, coarse, and gritty, and then how to properly cook it to soften the texture. Filling, abundant, and affordable, grits became a staple food among settlers in the New World. Today, they are a common part of breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the South. Although they naturally have an underlying flavor of corn, plain grits are somewhat tasteless, which is why they are so adaptable to other flavorings and toppings.

While in the Grits Belt, expect to find dishes like chicken-fried steak, eggs, biscuits, and a side of grits with a pool of melted butter in the middle for breakfast. Lunch might be a bowl of ham and white cheddar grits. And while many in the South might balk at the mention of preparing grits with anything other than water, milk undoubtedly makes them richer. Many classic Southern dinners that you’d find in the Grits Belt include this corn staple, like shrimp and grits, fried pork chops or chicken with grits on the side, and country ham slices over a pool of bacon-flecked grits. Think of it this way: In the Belt, grits are essentially the equivalent of the potato side dish up north. They simply come with everything.