JERSEY SHORE — When New Jersey residents think about the foods that bring back summer memories, a familiar Shore favorite tops the list: boardwalk saltwater taffy.
A new survey of 3,011 people found saltwater taffy ranked as New Jersey’s most nostalgic summer food, finishing ahead of pork roll and the classic Jersey tomato sandwich.
The survey was commissioned by A Mission for Michael and conducted by Cherry Data Signals to examine which regional foods are most closely associated with comfort, childhood memories, home and summer traditions.
For generations of Shore visitors, saltwater taffy has been closely tied to days spent walking New Jersey boardwalks, visiting amusement piers and stopping inside candy shops before heading home. The brightly wrapped candy is sold in dozens of flavors and is often packed into boxes that become part souvenir, part snack.
That connection helped push taffy into the No. 1 spot in New Jersey.
Pork roll ranked second. The New Jersey staple is commonly served browned on a griddle and paired with egg and cheese on a roll, making it a familiar breakfast stop at diners, delis and Shore-area restaurants before a day at the beach.
The Jersey tomato sandwich came in third. Made simply with ripe summer tomatoes, bread, mayonnaise and salt, the sandwich is closely associated with backyard gardens, local farm stands and the height of New Jersey’s tomato season.
The findings suggest those foods are tied to more than taste.
Across the survey, 26% of respondents said their favorite summer comfort food was most strongly connected with happiness, while 22% associated it with a feeling of home and 20% linked it to childhood memories. Another 15% cited comfort and reassurance, while 10% connected their favorite foods with family.
Overall, 84% said eating a familiar summer dish improved their mood.
Food also proved to be a powerful reminder of home. About 68% of respondents said they had tried to recreate a summer dish because they missed home or someone close to them, while 70% said they craved foods from their home state while away. Fifty-seven percent said their family had a summer recipe passed down through generations.
More than half said they would travel at least 11 miles to get a summer food that reminded them of home.
Elsewhere around the country, regional favorites included peach cobbler in Georgia, crawfish boils in Louisiana, New England clam chowder in Massachusetts, burnt ends in Missouri, chicken-fried steak in Oklahoma, pulled pork barbecue in Tennessee and maple creemees in Vermont. Alabama and Mississippi both selected fried catfish.
A Mission for Michael Executive Director Anand Meta said the results highlight the emotional role familiar foods can play by connecting people with places, relatives and earlier periods in their lives.
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