Celebrate Canada Day with some foods we’re known for

Like all countries, our nation has some foods that are quintessentially Canadian. Why not include some national dishes in your Canada Day festivities?

Poutine

Not exactly a heart-healthy dish, nor is it kind to the waistline, but indulging in poutine once in a blue moon is fine, right? After all, who can resist a pile of French fries topped with squeaky cheese curds melted by warm, rich gravy? Not us.

Nanaimo bars

You have to balance the salty poutine with something sweet! And what better than the no-bake dessert, Nanaimo bars? These sugary treats are indeed named after the West Coast city, from where they hail.

Butter tarts

Perhaps battling the Nanaimo bar as the all-Canadian sweet treat is the butter tart. We love these pastry tarts, with their rich filling of nuts, sugar and sometimes raisins, as a breakfast treat with our morning mug of coffee or our afternoon tea.

Fiddleheads

We love fiddleheads for their unique, furled little fronds, as the curled-up greens make a great visual impact on any plate due to their one-of-a-kind appearance. Not that they taste too shabby either, and they contain essential fatty acids. The bad news, though, is that they’re only available in the spring, so you likely won’t be able to find them around Canada Day. (But next spring, be sure to snap ’em up while you can!)

Maple syrup

Doesn’t just about anything taste better with a drizzle of maple syrup? Celebrate this amber sweetness this Canada Day by roasting salmon with a maple glaze as your main course, or drizzle it on bacon that you bake for an addictive, savoury side dish.

Tourtiere

Although more of a winter dish, we think tourtiere is just as delicious in the summer. After all, this tasty meat pie (usually made with finely minced pork and beef, sometimes veal, and spices and herbs mixed in) might be considered a winter dish simply because winter dominates our weather! Pair it with a green salad, and you’ve got a yummy all-Canadian meal for Canada Day.

Related links

5 Canada Day BBQ recipes
The perfect summer patio menu
Try something new on the BBQ this summer