Traditions reign supreme in Texas. After 175 years of independence, residents of the Lone Star State maintain one of the most unique diets in the nation.

Most states have a state food. Residents of Maine prefer the blue crab as their state fare. Floridians adopted the orange as their state fruit.  Texas, not surprisingly, has gone over-the-top with a state fruit, dish, bread, nut, pepper, pastry, vegetable and snack. Texans have even dubbed the cast iron dutch oven as their state cooking utensil.

Texas’ state foods all make sense. They each reflect a part of the  culture that has helped shape Texas’ unique makeup. The state snack is tortilla chips and salsa, a reminder of its history as a part of Mexico. The sopaipilla, the official pastry also pays homage to Texas’ long and storied past.

The state dish is chili and the state pepper is the jalapeño, both indicators Texas’ unique position in the Southwest. The pecan has been dubbed the state nut, although some argue the title should belong to Jerry Jones.

The wide variety of foods that represent Texas mirror the wide diversity of people that call the state home. It’s no coincidence that none of the official state foods are bland. They are spicy and full of energy, just like Texans.

So as Texas celebrates 175 years of freedom, let’s skip the birthday cake. A sopapailla topped with jalapeño jelly and a slice of Texas Red Grapefruit, the state fruit, makes more sense. After all, it’s tradition.

So as