Poutine
Often eaten: Typically eaten for lunch or dinner.
Known for: Quebec, especially rural casse-croute and diner traditions
Everyday meal
Photo: Cedric Fauntleroy (Pexels License)
3 dishes to discover
Food of Canada
Canada is known for its diverse and delicious food. From coast to coast, there are special dishes that represent the country's rich cultural heritage. In this topic, we'll explore these exciting foods, when they are eaten, and what makes them unique!
Featured Dishes
Meal Culture
Canadian food is a wonderful mix of flavors from the country’s Indigenous peoples and immigrants from all over the world. People in Canada often enjoy sharing meals with family and friends and celebrating the diversity of their food.
Eating Etiquette
In Canada, it's good manners to say 'please' and 'thank you' at the table. It's also polite to wait for everyone to receive their food before you start eating.
When People Eat It
Maple Syrup
Often eaten: Commonly used as a breakfast topping.
Known for: Quebec and eastern Canada, where maple sugaring traditions are especially strong
Breakfast
Butter Tart
Often eaten: Often enjoyed as a dessert or with tea.
Known for: Ontario, where some of the earliest written butter tart recipes became well known
Dessert
Make It Yourself
👩🍳 Cook together! Always ask a grown-up to help with hot or sharp steps.
PoutinePoutine
Makes 4 servingsIngredients
- 1 lb (450 g)French fries
- 1 cup (150 g)Cheese curds
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml)Beef or chicken gravy
How to Make It
- 1Cook the French fries until hot and crisp (baked or fried).
- 2Ask a grown-up to warm the gravy in a small pot until steaming.
- 3Pile the hot fries into a bowl.
- 4Scatter the cheese curds over the fries.
- 5Pour the hot gravy over everything so the curds get soft and squeaky.
- 6Eat right away — Canada's most famous comfort food.
Maple SyrupSirop d'érable
Makes a small batch (snow taffy)Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 ml)Pure maple syrup
- 1 large trayClean snow or crushed ice
How to Make It
- 1Pack a tray with clean, fresh snow or finely crushed ice and keep it very cold.
- 2Ask a grown-up to heat the maple syrup in a pot to about 235°F (113°C).
- 3Carefully drizzle lines of the hot syrup across the cold snow.
- 4Wait a few seconds for the syrup to turn chewy.
- 5Roll each line of taffy onto a popsicle stick and enjoy 'tire d'érable'.
Butter TartButter Tart
Makes 12 tartsIngredients
- 12 shellsMini tart shells
- 1 cup (200 g)Brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 g)Butter, melted
- 1 eggEgg
- 2 tbsp (30 ml)Maple syrup
- 1/4 cup (40 g)Raisins (optional)
How to Make It
- 1Ask a grown-up to heat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- 2Whisk the brown sugar, melted butter, egg, and maple syrup until smooth.
- 3Sprinkle a few raisins into each tart shell, if you like them.
- 4Spoon the filling into the shells until about three-quarters full.
- 5Bake for 15–18 minutes, until the filling is bubbly and set.
- 6Let them cool so the gooey centers firm up a little before eating.
Vocabulary
How does poutine compare to your school's favorite lunchtime treat? Why do you think it's a Canadian favorite?