Changing demographics is changing our taste buds
MIAMI (AP) — Salsa overtaking ketchup as America's No. 1 condiment was just the start. These days, tortillas outsell burger and hot dog buns; sales of tortilla chips trump potato chips; and tacos and burritos have become so ubiquitously "American," most people don't even consider them ethnic.
As immigrant and minority populations change American demographics, the nation's collective menu is reflecting this shift, as it always has.
With Hispanics making up more than a quarter of the U.S. population today — and growing fast — experts say this change is dramatically flavoring the American experience. A consumer research firm says Hispanic foods and beverages were an $8 billion market in the last year. By 2017, that number may reach $11 billion.
EDITOR'S NOTE _ "America at the Tipping Point: The Changing Face of a Nation" is an occasional series examining the changing cultural mosaic of the U.S. and its historic shift to a majority-minority nation.
