Montana Loves Chips! (and not just the “cow” variety)

The website Fast Company analyzed restaurant menus in all 50 states to figure out what each state eats way MORE of than average.  And there are a lot of takeaways, but one stands above everything, America LOVES ranch dressing.

Montanan's apparently love their chips with ranch dressing coming in a close second.

Nine of the 50 states have ranch dressing on the menu at 41% of their restaurants or more.  The average state has ranch dressing on one out of four menus.

In other words, the study sounds more interesting than it is.  Because it also tracked random words about how food is prepared and presented . . . like "creamy", "warmed", "dip" and "blended" . . . as opposed to specific favorite state DISHES.

But some states DO stand alone with a unique food.  The winner is New Mexico.  Green chilies appear on 51% of the restaurant menus in New Mexico.  Nationwide it's only 2%.

Here are some of the other states with unique foods.  And keep in mind, the methods behind the study were sort of weird.

Connecticut . . . clams.

Florida . . . grouper.

Georgia . . . grits.

Hawaii . . . ahi tuna.

Louisiana . . . crawfish.

Maryland . . . crab cakes.

Minnesota . . . walleye.

Montana . . . chips.

New Jersey . . . cheesesteaks.  Probably because of all the restaurants in Jersey near Philly.

New York . . . eggplant.

North Carolina . . . slaw.

Ohio . . . banana peppers.

Pennsylvania . . . hoagies.   Because ALL of Pennsylvania digs on hoagies . . . whereas the cheesesteak is more associated with Philly.

Texas . . . Jalapenos.

Wisconsin . . . cheddar cheese.

All three West Coast states got "prawns" . . . Washington, Oregon, and California.  And Maine and New Hampshire both got "haddock."  The two MOST random ones might be "cinnamon" for Wyoming, and "herb" for D.C.

So here it is. The obligatory question: What is your favorite thing to eat here in Montana? Leave your delicious comments below!

(Fast Company)

(Check out a map where you can click on all 50 states here.  Whatever it says for your state, that's supposedly what you eat way more of than the average American.  But it probably won't make sense if you're form there.)