The dish chosen to represent New Jersey in ‘America’s Potluck’ may surprise you

🔴 New Jersey residents are invited to join the first-ever America’s Potluck on July 5 as part of celebrations for America’s 250th anniversary.
🔴 The statewide event encourages neighbors to gather, share food and connect through community potluck meals.
🔴 America’s Test Kitchen picked an unexpected dish to represent New Jersey — and it’s not pork roll, pizza or blueberries.

As we prepare to mark America’s 250th Anniversary, the New Jersey Historical Commission is inviting residents to take part in the first-ever America’s Potluck on Sunday, July 5.

The nationwide initiative encourages neighbors to gather over a shared meal.

“Hey, it couldn’t be simpler, but it couldn’t also be more meaningful, I think. We all love to come together around food, and one of the important activities we want to all take part in as we mark this great anniversary is to connect with each other,” New Historical Commission Executive Director Sara Cureton said.

ALSO READ: How to visit museums, zoos, and other historic sites for free in NJ 

America's Potluck is coming to NJ on July 5 (Canva/RevNJ)

America’s Potluck comes to New Jersey for America 250 celebrations

The idea of America’s Potluck came from Utah, and the tradition of Sunday dinner serves as the inspiration for the event, encouraging participants to slow down, share food, and engage in conversation, she said.

The potluck, run by the NJ Historical Commission in partnership with RevolutionNJ, is flexible. Residents can host a potluck in their backyard, organize one at a community center, a church or at the beach, or residents can take part in a public community potluck event happening across the state, Cureton said.

To find a community potluck in New Jersey, visit here.

New Jersey residents are also being asked to take a picture of a potluck or share a recipe on social media and use the hashtag #NJPOTLUCK and tag @revolutionnj.

America's Potluck is coming to NJ on July 5 (Canva)

What is New Jersey’s signature food for America’s Potluck?

As part of the potluck fun, America’s Test Kitchen went around the country and picked a signature dish to represent each state.

What food do you think that New Jersey is paying homage to? If you guessed pork roll/Taylor Ham, tomatoes, corn, blueberries, or pizza, you would be wrong.

“America’s Test Kitchen chose the Italian sub sandwich as New Jersey’s signature dish. Hey, you can agree or disagree, but it is all a lot of fun, and one of the great things is that a sub sandwich is a great thing to bring to a potluck,” Cureton said.

America's Potluck is coming to NJ on July 5 (Canva)

Why the Italian sub was chosen to represent New Jersey

The Italian sub grew from Italian immigrants flocking to the state in the early 1900s and delis popping up, she said. The sandwich is filled with cured meats, cheese, and vegetables, and what makes a Jersey sub stand out is the belief that the secret sauce is not a sauce at all, but the bread, according to the organization’s press release.

Participants are invited to highlight New Jersey’s local food traditions by loading up that Italian sub with Jersey Fresh produce like tomatoes, lettuce, and onions.

“Real local products make a Jersey sub truly Jersey. When you choose locally produced ingredients, we honor not only our modern farming families, but also the historic role of New Jersey farmers who have contributed to our state and our nation for generations,” state Secretary of Agriculture Ed Wengryn said.

Could another iconic Jersey food be next?

Cureton said she is so excited to launch the first-ever America’s Potluck in New Jersey featuring the Italian sub, and she's even more curious to see everyone’s uploaded pictures, recipes and invitations.

If the debut is a success, she said she’d love to do it again next year, perhaps paying homage to another favorite Jersey dish.

Report a correction | Contact our newsroom