The conceptual boundaries of the Midwest are both variable and changing as James R. Shortridge has so well demonstrated. Boundaries of cultural regions only coincidentally correspond with those of political units or even geographical zones. Geographically, the Midwest is often thought to be that area between the Ohio River and the Great Plains. Some would include the Great Plains states. Others exclude the nonagricultural northern areas of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Despite the abundance of Midwestern agriculture, much of the region is industrial, which contributed to its early prosperity and to its growth (thanks to the many immigrants who supplied the labor for production). However the region is defined, it is an area of good, hearty eating: meat and potatoes; meals of all-white food; more plain than fancy, given to substantial meat dishes, dumplings, home-baked breads, and pies; the land of casseroles and Jell-O salads. Much of this picture is stereotype, of course, especially in this time of global franchising. But in terms of traditional eating, there is enough truth to legitimate the image. In any case, regional foodways are not just a collection of recipes but also ideas about food, erroneous or not.
