[1] Pizza tops the list (photo © Jordan Nix | Unsplash).

[2] Runner-up: ice cream (photo © Carrefour).

[3] In third place: chocolate/candy bars (photo © Webstaurant Store).

[4] Hamburgers are #4. Beer is #6. French fries are #8 (photo © The Palm | NYC).

[5] Fried chicken is #6 (photo © Volpi Foods).

[6] Sodas are #9 (photo © Andrey Ilkevich | Unsplash).

[7] “Other candy” is #10, shown here with a can of #9 (photo A.I.).

July 21st is National Junk Food Day. What are America’s favorite junk foods? The answers follow, but first:
 
 
WHAT IS JUNK FOOD?

The term “junk food” is part of our everyday parlance, but it’s not formally defined by most U.S. government or healthcare agencies. However, both government entities and public health organizations use functional definitions to identify foods high in certain unhealthy components and low in nutritional value.
 
 
“Junk food” typically refers to processed or ultra-processed foods that are:

 
 
Per The USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

The USDA does not officially define “junk food,” but it cautions against “discretionary calories” or “empty calories” (see the difference in the *footnote below).

These are foods and beverages high in solid fats and added sugars with minimal essential nutrients, such as candy, soda, fried snacks, and pastries.
 
 
Per The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Similarly, the CDC has no “junk food” definition, but uses terms like “unhealthy foods,” “low-nutrient foods,” or “foods high in sodium, added sugar, and unhealthy fats.”

It warns that consumption of these foods contributes to obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic illnesses.
 
 
Per The FDA (Food and Drug Administration)

The FDA doesn’t label foods as “junk,” but it regulates the Nutrition Facts labels and definitions for terms like “healthy” and “low fat.”

It also sets limits for daily values of sugar, sodium, fat, and calories, which help guide what is considered excessive.
 
 
Per The World Health Organization (WHO)

WHO often refers to “energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods” and highlights the risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) from high intake of candy and confectionery, fast food, processed snacks, and sugar-sweetened beverages.
 
 
Per The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

The AND defines “junk food” as “foods high in sugar, salt, and fat that provide little nutritional benefit.”

That’s easy to understand!
 
 
AMERICA’S FAVORITE JUNK FOODS

Here are the Top 10 Most Popular “Junk Foods” according to the 2025 Hims Survey†.

We don’t know the methodology, because some of the items on this list provide legitimate protein (fried chicken, hamburgers).

But, it seems to have nailed the main culprits: chips, chocolate candy, and soda. (We would have added baked sweets—cake, cookies, donuts, pie, etc.)

 
 
EMPTY CALORIES: ANOTHER WAY TO KEEP TRACK
 
While they don’t provide definitions for “junk food,” here are the top 10 sources of empty calories in the typical American diet, based on research from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
 
 

[8] Chart created by ChatGPT, 2025-07-21.
 
The key offenders in these foods are:

 
Some foods on this list do contain some nutrients (like cheese or pizza, and the burgers and fried chicken on the Top 10 list).

But they contribute a disproportionately high number of calories from fat or sugar without enough nutritional benefit to offset them—especially when consumed in large quantities.
 

[9] So delicious, but a minefield of empty calories (photo © Brooke Lark | Wesual | Unsplash).
 

*Empty calories are bad calories (from sugar and fat, no nutrients). Discretionary calories are extra (unused) calories from your daily food intake which you may use on small indulgences, including empty-calorie foods. All empty calories are discretionary calories, but not all discretionary calories are empty calories.

†This was an online consumer study conducted by Hims & Hers Health, Inc., a U.S.-based telehealth company. While their core business is in healthcare, the company also conducts lifestyle and health-related surveys to gauge public attitudes and behaviors.

The survey was conducted in recognition of National Junk Food Day (July 21) and asked participants to name their favorite indulgent or “junk” food. The exact methodology was not made available, i.e., we don’t know exactly how the question is asked—open-ended or choose from a provided list.

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If you’re a fan of goat cheese—chèvre, in French—you’ve likely come across flavored varieties. It’s pretty easy to find blueberry in the summer, cinnamon in the fall, cranberry for the holidays.

Wisconsin-based LaClare Creamery is a goat cheese specialist with the most impressive (and delicious) assortment of flavors we’ve seen. The choice of 4-ounce logs (also referred to as “cheese bars”) is daunting: We want them all!

But because four ounces is a small enough bite, we can content ourselves with three or four different flavors, and hopefully not finish them all in one day. (See the anecdote in the footnote*).

 
Plus, of course:

 
When you have customers demanding 15 flavors of goat cheese in addition to the original, you know you’re doing something right.

The latest to debut is Lemon Bar Goat Cheese, a bright, sophisticated treat that’s as wonderful as an hors d’oeuvre, a salad cheese, a member of the cheese plate, or a dessert in of itself.

LaClare conceived it as a play on the nostalgic American lemon bar—without the shortbread crust.

But wait: We have a recipe for you goat cheese lemon cheesecake bars with a shortbread crust (below).

And if you don’t want to bake, just serve shortbread cookies with the cheese log.
 
 
TASTING LEMON BAR GOAT CHEESE

This citrus-forward twist on creamy chèvre is elegant enough to make guests feel that you made a special effort, yet easy enough for everyday breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.

It’s the first lemon goat cheese we’ve ever tasted, and it does not disappoint! Vibrant and zesty, it’s flavored with fresh lemon peel (zest) and lemon oil (from the peel), with a subtle hint of vanilla.

Smooth and spreadable, yet firm enough to slice into rounds atop a salad, burger, pasta, sandwich,__ Adaptable: Easy to incorporate into sweet and savory dishes

The flavors pair beautifully with sparkling wines (Moscato, Prosecco) and lighter beers like Kölsch, wheat ales, or pale IPAs.

Following the recipe for Lemon Cheesecake Bars, we have many more suggestions on how to enjoy it.
 
 
RECIPE: LEMON CHEESECAKE BARS

You can substitute all goat cheese in the cheesecake layer (replacing the cream cheese) for a tangier bar.

Meyer lemons, available fall through spring, will provide a slightly sweeter and floral lemony flavor.
 
Ingredients For 16 Bars

Total time is 4 hours, including chilling.

For The Shortbread Crust

 
For The Cheesecake Layer

 
For The Lemon Curd Topping

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8″x8″ baking pan with parchment, leaving overhang on two sides.

2. MAKE the shortbread crust. In a bowl, mix flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter, two forks, or fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

3. PRESS the crust firmly into the bottom of the pan and bake for 18–20 minutes or until lightly golden. Let cool slightly.

5. PREPARE the cheesecake layer. Reduce the oven to 325°F (160°C). Beat cream the cheese, goat cheese, and sugar until smooth. Add the egg, vanilla, and lemon zest. Mix just until combined and pour over the cooled crust and smooth the top.

6. BAKE for 20–25 minutes, or until set but slightly jiggly in the center. Cool to room temperature, then chill at least 1 hour.

7. MAKE the lemon curd. In a small saucepan, whisk together the yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and zest. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until thick enough to coat a spoon (about 6–8 minutes).

8. REMOVE from the heat and stir in the butter until melted and smooth. Optionally, for a silky texture, strain the curd through a fine mesh sieve.

9. LET the curd cool slightly, then spread it gently over the chilled cheesecake layer. Chill for 2–3 hours or until fully set.

10. GARNISH as desired. Cut into 16 chilled bars using a sharp, warm knife. The bars are best served cold, and will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
 
 
RECIPE #2: CANDIED LEMON ZEST
 
Use this recipe to make any candied citrus. The difference between candied zest and candied peel is that zest is a thinner strip.
 
Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. WASH and pat dry the lemons. Use a vegetable peeler or paring knife to remove long strips of zest, taking care to minimize the amount of bitter white pith. (You can scrape the back of the peel with a knife to thin it.)

2. SLICE the peel into fine julienne strips. You’re now ready to blanch the zest. Some people skip this step, but if you have the time, you’ll eliminate any bitterness. You can also make the zest a day or so in advance, if that’s more convenient.

3. BRING a small pot of water to a boil. Add the zest strips and boil for 1 minute. Drain and repeat once more to remove any bitterness. Pat dry with paper towels.

4. CANDY the zest. In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar. Bring to a simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add the zest and simmer over low heat for 10–15 minutes, until translucent.

5. DRY the zest. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the zest to a wire rack or parchment paper. Let it cool and dry for 30–60 minutes. Then, optionally toss it in a bowl with granulated sugar to achieve a sparkly coat (you can eliminate this step, but we like the sparkle).

SAVE the lemony syrup for cocktails, lemonade, tea, flavored club soda, baked apples, etc.

6. STORE the candied zest in an airtight container for up to 1 week at room temperature. If sugared, keep it in layers separated with parchment to avoid clumping.

[1] The newest of 15 goat cheese flavors from LaClare Creamery: Lemon Bar goat cheese (photo by A.I).

[2] Blueberry Vanilla goat cheese (all photos © LaClare Creamery except as noted).

[3] Everything Bagel goat cheese.

[4] Cranberry Cinnamon goat cheese.

[5] Lemon Goat Cheese Cheesecake Bars (photo by A.I.).

[6] Maple Bourbon goat cheese.

[7] In front, a Nubian goat, with her friend, a Saanen goat, behind. Ladies, thanks for all the great cheese.

[8] Chipotle Honey goat cheese.

[9] Candied lemon zest (photo by A.I.).

 
Plus:

 
 
________________
 
*LaClare posted these tips to keep the goat cheese fresh, “in the rare occasion you don’t finish the entire log in one sitting.” LOL: We would never have any leftovers. The only thing left over is our wanting more. But here are the tips:

1. Peel back film to only expose what you are going to use.
2. Use a clean utensil to cut your desired portion. Avoid using your hands.
3. Place the film back around the log and wrap the log tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate.
 
 

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[2] Salmon cucumber is a popular temaki. Avocado is often substituted for the cucumber (photos #2, #3, and #4 © Maki Maki NYC).

[3] Shrimp tempura handroll with a squeeze of Kewpie mayonnaise (Japan’s favorite). Yes, you can still dip your temaki in soy sauce.

[4] The only thing better than uni-shiso (sea urchin and perilla leaf) is three uni with the shiso.

[5] Pressed sushi, formed in a wooden box, was the forerunner of nigiri and maki sushi. If you want to make sushi at home easily, get a mold and try it (photo © Irashai Store).

[6] Next came nigiri (top) and maki sushi (photo © Dev Litoon | Unsplash).

[7] Taco holders no doubt inspired the first taco-style sushi (photos #7 and #8 © Sebastian Lucrecio | Nami Nori | NYC).

[8] Phancy Philly: the original Philadelphia Roll will never be the same.

[9] We’re guessing that the cylinder-shaped hand roll was an inspiration to a sushi chef who didn’t want to cut up a regular maki (photo © Harrison Chang | Unsplash).

July 6th is National Hand Roll Day, one of our favorite fun foods. The Japanese word is temaki. As a sushi item, it arrived much later than the ubiquitous nigiri—slices of fish atop pads of rice.

But it’s equally delicious and easier to make. The history of the hand roll follows, but first:

> The year’s sushi holidays are below, along with other Japanese food holidays.

> Sushi Glossary: a photo glossary of the different types of sushi and sashimi.

> The history of sushi.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF THE HAND ROLL

Scholarship can’t determine when the earliest people on the island of what is now Japan—the hunter-gatherers of the Jōmon Period—had access to wild rice. We do know that grains of it have been dated to the 11th century B.C.E.

Evidence does show that the cultivation of rice in Japan began approximately 2,800 years ago, about 775 B.C.E.

While the island is surrounded by waters full of fish, the first hard evidence we have of salted fish served with cooked rice dates to 700 C.E.—1,474 years after rice cultivation began.

But the sushi trail is easier to follow after that. First we jump to:

 
For consumers:

 
 
THE “NEW” TEMAKI

You may have noticed two recent developments in temaki: taco-style sushi (photos #7 and #8) and the cylinder or cigar shape (photos #9 and #10).

We can’t pin down who created the taco-style sushi, although it was pretty recent and seems to have emerged organically from the fusion cuisine movement.

In 2024, Alvin Zhang, owner of Engawa Fusion in Sacramento, created the restaurant so he could have Japanese and Mexican cuisine in one dish. The sushi taco was a big hit.
 

[10] It’s negi-hamachi (yellowtail-scallion, but it’s not a cut roll. It’s a new style of hand roll, and it doesn’t even have an official name. We call it the cigar or the cylinder hand roll (photo © Kuidaore Handroll Bar | Oakland, California).
 
 
THERE IS NO “FRESH SUSHI” IN THE U.S.

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has specific regulations requiring that most fish intended to be eaten raw—sushi, sashimi, ceviche, or tartare—must be frozen prior to serving to kill parasites.

Freezing is not about bacteria: Proper handling is still crucial. Freezing is specifically to eliminate parasites, which would normally be destroyed by heat in cooking.

Per the FDA Food Code, unless the fish is specifically exempt, it must be frozen by one of the following methods:

 
Restaurants are typically required to keep records or supplier certifications to verify proper freezing or exemption.

Many states and municipalities adopt the FDA Food Code, and some may impose stricter rules.
 
Exemptions From Freezing

Certain fish do not need to be frozen before serving raw if they meet the following conditions:

 
 
THE YEAR’S SUSHI HOLIDAYS

 
Plus:
 
JAPANESE FOOD HOLIDAYS

*Edomaezushi, referring Tokyo-style sushi, is a broader category that includes nigiri. Even before nigiri appeared, all the fish used in pressed sushi and other styles were caught in Tokyo Bay (Edo is the old name for Tokyo and mae means front, as in waterfront). Edomaezushi was created in the 1820s to meet the need for fast food (grab-and-go). It includes specific preparation methods like aging, curing, and marinating fish.

Nigiri is a subcategory of edomaezushi. It was a revolution in format: hand-shaped rice patties topped with fish, instead of rice molded in a box (photo #5). It’s the most common form of edomaezushi today.

**Modern sushi includes nigiri (a slice of fish on a pad of seasoned rice), maki (roll, or cut roll, made in regular and large [diameter] sizes), and temaki, hand roll. A maki is usually wrapped in a sheet of seaweed (nori), but specialty versions are wrapped in a thin, crepe-like omelet, in soy paper, in thinly cut, continuous cucumber wrap; and in shiso (perilla) leaf.

Other forms considered part of modern sushi include:

> Chirashi, scattered sushi where sashimi and other toppings are served over seasoned sushi rice in a bowl, rather than formed into individual pieces.

> Inari sushi, a sweet, seasoned deep-fried tofu (bean curd) pouch stuffed with seasoned sushi rice. This style became popular in the Edo period along with nigiri.

> Gunkan-maki, literally, “battleship roll” because the nori is rolled around an oval-shaped pad of rice (the battleship) and topped with loose ingredients like ikura (salmon caviar) or uni (sea urchin), that could not be held in place atop nigiri. This style wasn’t invented until the 1940s by Imada Yoshiaki, the founder of a famous Tokyo restaurant, Ginza Kyubey.

> Uramaki is an inside-out roll: rice on the outside of the sheet of nori on the inside. It is an American sushi innovation (like the California roll, Philadelphia Roll, spicy rolls, and scores of specialty rolls like dragon rolls, rainbow rolls, volcano rolls, and countless others).

> Sashimi, while technically not sushi (since it lacks the seasoned rice), is logically grouped with modern sushi styles.

**National Matcha Day is celebrated on February 6th in Japan.

†Poke, pronounced poe-KEH, is a raw fish and vegetable dish initially served as an appetizer or salad course in Hawaiian cuisine, but now popular as a main course like chirashi sushi. Although not called as such, it’s a variation of sashimi of chirashi sushi (and a relative of ceviche, crudo, tartare, and tataki) that was created in Hawaii. Here’s more about it.

††Why is there a Fresh Poke Day? Isn’t poke always fresh? Well…poke can be purchased frozen and thawed, as can sushi, and often it is pre-made in grab-and-go sushi in certain markets. Also, the fish can be pre-sliced, waiting to be mixed. So this holiday emphasizes the freshness front and center: You order it and it is sliced and mixed for you. “Fresh” signals an elevated experience, with fish that’s just been cut, and is vibrant and bursting with flavor (exactly how poke was meant to be!).
 
 

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We brought this dish (photo #1) to a July 4th party and quite a few people proclaimed their preference for it over the coleslaw, and asked for the recipe. We love good coleslaw, but this is a more refreshing (and much less caloric) change of pace.

Serve it as a side (from a sandwich to including anything off the grill). Add a protein to turn it into a main course. We even top it with our frequent lunch go-to, a jar of flavored Tonnino tuna.

Instead of mayonnaise or vinaigrette, this slaw†† has heat and sweet notes.

Why is it called “Khmer?”

The Khmer people are native to Cambodia, where they comprise more than 95% of the population. The Khmer people have a long and rich history. The magnificent Hindu-Buddhist temple complex of Angkor Wat is a testament to the achievements of the Khmer Empire.

The contributor of this recipe, Hannah Heavener of Texas, spent her childhood in Cambodia, where it’s a favorite breakfast food. Hannah loves it as a side for lunch or dinner, “especially,” she notes, “with chicken satay.”

Thanks to Hannah and the Taste of Home Test Kitchen, which shared this recipe with us.

Because Hannah mentioned chicken satay as a perfect pairing, we include a recipe (photo #4).

We also took the liberty of garnishing our own version of the salad with roasted peanuts. Those who like more heat can choose spicy peanuts (photo #3).
 
 
KHMER PICKLED VEGETABLE SALAD

If you can’t find daikon (pronounced DYE-con) radishes, use any other radish—you don’t need to peel it. Daikon in particular (photo #6) is peeled because its skin can be slightly tough and sometimes bitter.

Daikon means “big root” in Japanese. Native to East Asia, its a member of the high-antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic Brassicaceae family.
 
Ingredients For 16 3/4-Cup Servings

For The Salad

 
For The Dressing

 
Garnish

 
Preparation
 
1. PLACE the salad ingredients in a large nonreactive† bowl.

2. COMBINE the vinegar, sugar, and salt in a 2-cup or larger glass measuring cup; microwave until warm, 2-3 minutes. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.

3. TOSS the dressing with the salad. Refrigerate, covered, at least 1 hour before serving for the flavors to meld.
 
 
SUGAR IN SOUTHEAST ASIAN DISHES

You may have noted that Southeast Asian cuisines—Cambodian, Malaysian, Thai, Vietnamese—use sugar in savory dishes. For example:

Vietnamese pho (noodle soup consisting of broth, rice noodles, and meat, often garnished with fresh herbs, bean sprouts), Thai pad thai (rice noodles, scrambled eggs, tofu or shrimp (or both), bean sprouts, and peanuts), or Malaysian char kway teow (flat rice noodles stir-fried with prawns, cockles [a type of clam], Chinese sausage, eggs, bean sprouts, and Chinese chives).

This tradition is primarily to achieve flavor balance rather than to make sweetness the dominant taste. The culinary philosophy centers on harmonizing five fundamental flavors: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami (or spicy in some traditions).

Sugar acts as a balancing agent that rounds out sharp, acidic, or salty elements, e.g. fish sauce, soy or tamarind.

 
It should be noted that sugarcane originated in New Guinea and Southeast Asia, and was used for its sweetness by humans as long as 10,000 years ago. Before India first refined cane juice into crystallized sugar circa 350 C.E.**, many of these flavor principles developed using palm sugar, coconut sugar, or other less processed sweeteners.

The Western perception that it’s “a lot of sugar” often comes from cultural differences. Western palates may be more sensitive to sweetness in savory dishes.

In Western cooking, recipes might call for a pinch of sugar, for example to balance the tomato acidity in marinara sauce. But Southeast Asian cuisines apply this principle more extensively and systematically.

By the way, the first sugar cane planted in the new world was brought by Christopher Columbus to the Dominican Republic in 1493.
 
 
> The history of sugar cane.

> The history of sugar.

> The different types of sugar, a photo glossary.

> The history of cabbage.

> 30 delicious cabbage recipes.

> The year’s 9 cabbage holidays.

[1] Crunchy,tangy, and refreshing, with as much heat as you’d like, serve this recipe over the summer and beyond (photo © Taste Of Home).

[2] If you can’t find Thai chiles (prik kee nu, also called bird’s eye chile, you can easily substitute serrano chiles. See the footnote‡ for more options.

[3] We added our own garnish of crunchy roasted peanuts. If you like heat, use spicy peanuts. Here’s a recipe if you want to make your own (photo © Frank’s Red Hot)..

[4] A recipe for chicken satay with peanut sauce (photo © The Big Man’s World).

[5] Sugarcane grows from 6 to 20 feet tall (photo courtesy Genetic Literacy Project).

[6] Daikon, the Japanese radish (photo © Good Eggs).

You can tell by looking at the stalks (photo #5) that sugarcane and bamboo are related. They are both members of the grass family, Poaceae, which includes other important plants such as corn, rice, and wheat (all of the cereals are grasses).

Sugarcane’s genus and species are Saccharum officinarum, while bamboo belongs to a subfamily, Bambusoideae, and comprises numerous genera and species. Saccharum has additional, wild, species, but the one cultivated for consumption is Saccharum officinarum.
 
______________

*While this may seem like a lot of sugar, the rest of the ingredients are so low in calories that a 3/4 cup is 99 calories. Coleslaw also contains some sugar, and a 3/4 cup serving of coleslaw made with mayonnaise typically contains between 200 and 280 calories.

**Granulated sugar, as a common household item, became prevalent in Europe during the 18th century. While sugar available earlier, it was a luxury item for the wealthy. The increased production from sugar plantations established in the Caribbean and Brazil, coupled with advancements in refining techniques, led to a significant price drop and wider availability. By the 1800s, it was becoming a staple on most tables.

†A nonreactive bowl is one made from materials that do not interact with food, particularly acidic ingredients like tomatoes, citrus fruits, vinegar, and wine. This prevents the food from developing a metallic taste.

Nonreactive materials include ceramic/enamel, glass, plastics [those sold for food preparation], and stainless steel. Always use these materials when preparing or serving citrus-based desserts, guacamole, salad dressings, and sauces with acidic ingredients.

Reactive materials to avoid include cast iron and aluminum.

††Slaw is a type of salad, typically made with shredded cabbage and a creamy or vinegar-based dressing. While all slaws are salads, not all salads are slaws. Salads can have a wide variety of ingredients, dressings, and toppings, while slaw generally indicates a salad with shredded cabbage as a primary component.

‡The heat component of chiles, capsaicin, is contained in the seeds and the ribs.

Medium: Serrano peppers: If you’re looking for a less heat, Serranos typically range from 10,000 to 25,000 SHU. The green chiles are milder than the ripe red ones.

Hot: Bird’s eye chilies, a type of Thai chile, typically measure between 50,000 and 100,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU) on the Scoville scale.

Hotter: Chiltepin peppers, while innocent-looking tiny rounds, can reach up to 100,000 SHU. Habaneros are significantly hotter, ranging from 100,000 to 350,000 SHU.
 
 

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[1] The #1 July 4th food search: American flag cheesecake. Here’s the recipe—and it’s no bake (photo © Colby Troy).

[2] It’s easy to make a trifle. If you don’t have a glass bowl, you can borrow one. Anchor Hocking has a nice pedestal bowl for $26. Here’s the recipe (photo © The Girl Who Ate Everything).

What special foods are Americans seeking to add to their July 4th feasts?

Here’s the scoop from Google Trends, based on U.S. search data sourced from May 24 to June 24 2025.

Not surprisingly, Americans sought red, white, and blue recipes to grace their Independence Day tables.

 
 

[3] The second-most-searched was an American flag charcuterie board. Here’s the recipe (photo © The Denver Housewife).
 
> The history of July 4th holiday.

> 60 more July 4th recipes.

> 80 more cheesecake recipes.

> The history of cheesecake.

> The year’s 16 cheesecake holidays.