Food is one of the methods of celebration among the Amish. Sharing a meal or a snack is a great way to fellowship.
Drop in to visit an Amish family and they'll quickly invite you to share some popcorn and ice cream. It might be pretzels or chips. One always has to have something salty with ice cream. It's really special if it's hand cranked.
Share a meal and you won't go away hungry. If you do it's usually your fault. The foods are rich and tasty. Many of the vegetables are grown in their gardens. It helps to have your own produce when you have lots of kids. Meat often comes from the animals they butcher on the farm. It's a community tradition to butcher together, especially when doing a hog. Often they can their meat to preserve it since they don't have large freezers or refrigerators.
Most meals are topped off with desserts. They can range from a layered jello dessert to cake to ice cream to homemade pies. The sweet tooth reigns in Amish communities. Many of the recipes that are a hit with the visitors are improved by the addition of sugar while they are being made.
An Amish meal is usually served with water to drink. If you're from a different culture you may be used to having a variety of things to drink with your meal from ice tea to milk to coffee. Its water for the Amish. But don't forget to have a cup of coffee after dessert while you sit around to chat. Meadow tea is also a favorite. The mint is picked from the garden and boiled to bring out the flavor. Then water is added to weaken the brew and it makes a great refresher for the afternoon.
There are several foods that originate or have found their home in the Amish communities. One of the favorites is the peanut butter spread found in many local restaurants. It's made of peanut butter and marshmallow spread. Another is apple butter. Its eaten on the freshly baked bread or spread on cottage cheese for a treat. Try scrapple some time with apple butter for another traditional favorite.
If you're not from this area or another Amish community you might think that cheese is the orange plastic stuff individually wrapped that you find in your supermarket. Not here! There are so many cheese houses and varieties of cheese. One of the cheeses originating here is Baby Swiss Cheese. In case you haven't heard yet, it was made to go together with Trail Bologna, made in Trail between Walnut Creek and Winesburg.
Food and fund raisers go together in Amish communities. Money is raised for someone facing medical expenses or other kind of financial strain. There are also benefits for parochial schools. You may smell chicken being grilled. It called barbequed chicken but it is basted with a butter, vinegar and salt mix rather than a tomato based sauce. It's done if you can twist the bone and have the chicken fall off. Another favorite is called a hay stack meal. You may know it by another name. It starts with rice. Pile on chips, beans, shredded cheese and other condiments then top it with a special tomato based sauce.
Amish Door Restaurant
Boyd & Worthman
Broad Run Cheese
Heinis Gourmet Market
Heinis Cheese Chalet
Coblentz Chocolate
Guggisberg Cheese
Hershberger Farm & Bakery
Miller's Dry Goods
Sugar Valley Meats
FAQs
Grains, dairy, and locally sourced meats play a pivotal role in the Amish diet. These ingredients are staples cultivated, harvested, and processed within their communities. In a world where farm-to-table is a luxury, for the Amish, it's simply a way of life.
Can Amish eat pizza? ›
The Amish Have No Dietary Restrictions
Having no dietary restrictions means they can eat whatever their heart desires. While many Amish stick to a traditional Pennsylvania Dutch diet, we've seen Amish dine at Olive Garden and take their buggies through the Burger King drive thru line.
Do the Amish breast feed? ›
After giving birth, Amish mothers breastfeed their babies for as long as possible. It's believed that this helps strengthen the bond between mother and child, which is important in this close-knit culture. It also gives them the nutrients they need to grow strong and healthy.
Why don't Amish have mirrors? ›
They don't live without mirrors. However, they use mirrors differently from many other people. The Amish use mirrors for purely practical reasons. For women, this includes making sure that their head covering is pinned securely, and for men, it's primarily about helping them shave their moustaches.
Can Amish drink coffee? ›
If you're from a different culture you may be used to having a variety of things to drink with your meal from ice tea to milk to coffee. Its water for the Amish. But don't forget to have a cup of coffee after dessert while you sit around to chat. Meadow tea is also a favorite.
Can Amish eat bacon? ›
Are the Amish Allowed to Eat Pork? Because there are no food restrictions, or notions of pigs being unclean, the Amish can eat pork.
Do Amish eat ice cream? ›
Often they can their meat to preserve it since they don't have large freezers or refrigerators. Most meals are topped off with desserts. They can range from a layered jello dessert to cake to ice cream to homemade pies.
What do Amish like to drink? ›
Many Amish people enjoy beer or wine at feasts or even at home, and some even produce their beers. It's a part of their Germanic heritage and as such is seen as part of their culture. Therefore, it's not unusual for Amish men to turn one of their barns into a space for creating community craft beers.
Do Amish eat potato chips? ›
Snack foods include homemade cookies because there are usually some around. They also like potato chips and pretzels, and a lot of popcorn is made.
Do the Amish bathe every day? ›
In summer, conservative Amish tend to bathe at least twice weekly to eliminate dirt and sweat. The women may bathe more frequently and keep the home clean as well. New Order Amish may bathe more frequently than the Swatzentruber order, taking advantage of running water for showers or baths.
While the Amish are governed by the law, they don't want to have social security numbers. However, they do get one when they join the church as an adult. Because the Amish come from the Anabaptist tradition, they believe that you should be baptized as an adult when you're fully able to consent.
Do Amish use toilet paper? ›
Amish Response to Modern Sanitation
While mainstream society quickly embraced toilet paper's convenience and hygiene benefits, many Amish communities continued using traditional materials like leaves, rags, or corn cobs for personal sanitation.
What is traditional Amish food? ›
They practiced preserving their foods and growing their own meat. Their resources shaped their diet, which is why we still see delicious bread, hearty vegetables, creamy potatoes, and large variations of meat in their traditions today.
Do the Amish eat a lot of sugar? ›
The Amish do use sugar. It's a common ingredient in their meals, and not only the sweet treats.
What kind of meat does the Amish eat? ›
Meat, eggs, and dairy products are integral to the Amish diet. They raise chickens, cows, and pigs for food. Pork is a favorite because of its affordability and availability in local markets.
Do the Amish drink alcohol? ›
Alcohol consumption isn't prohibited in all Amish communities, and neither is it encouraged. It doesn't play a big role in Amish youth culture, either. However, it often becomes more of a feature during Rumspringa.
