French Fries Are Not French — And Never Were

The french fry is America's most consumed side dish — and it has never been French. In this video, we trace the real origin of the french fry from a frozen Belgian river in the 1600s to how a World War I mistake turned it into America's most misnamed food. We cover the 1781 Belgian manuscript that proves the fry's real origin, the language misunderstanding that gave it a French name, how Ray Kroc industrialized it beyond recognition, and what the story of the french fry reveals about how America consumes culture — and never looks back. Topics covered: french fry history, french fries origin, where did french fries come from, french fry lie, american food myths, food history documentary, history of french fries, belgian fries vs french fries, ray kroc mcdonalds fries, american food culture history.