'I went to the US - they have some weird and unusual food in their supermarkets'

Outrageous bumper stickers, pickled sausages and dragon waffles are some of the surprising items to be unearthed in American supermarkets.

The UK and American may have an ocean border and a shared history, but a look inside the average fridge on both sides of the Atlantic makes it clear we've gone far since parting ways in 1776.

Not only is the average US dish bigger (Americans food intake per person is 3,782 calories a day on average compared to Brits' 3,344), our cousins to the east embrace some interesting flavour combinations.

After spending a week in the great state of Alabama and visited stores including Walmart, Dollar General, Piggly Wiggly and Costco, I can present some of the most interesting items for sale.

Dairy

There was a large selection of cheese singles (Milo Boyd)

If you've spent any time in the US, then you've probably had some terrible cheese.

Although there is now a booming artisan industry in the States, the cost of getting high end European dairy over due to taxes and regulations around pasteurisation means fare in the average American supermarket is very different to that in the UK.

When I wandered into the Walmart dairy aisle I found it stacked with dozens of different kinds of sliced cheese, all vibrant orange and yellow colours.

What I thought was a classic block of cheddar was in-fact a deluxe $10 wedge of slices, similar in heft and shape to a duty-free cigarette cartoon, except probably more deadly.

Two years ago potato enthusiasts in the UK were appalled when a picture of a portion of chips crested by a cheese single emerged, apparently sold at Birmingham City football ground for £4.

In the US such barbarism would barely raise an eyebrow, so regularly are the four-sided cow derivative placed on food items including grits (corn slop) and salads.

The buttery options weren't dissimilar from the oil based spread available in the UK, accept they came in tubs roughly three times the average size.

Crisps

Some big tubs of chees puffs were going (Milo Boyd)

Crisps (or chips to our American readers) are a big, big deal in the US.

While the UK feels like a hub of the European crisp industry - boasting as it does Walkers, KP, Kettle Chips and McCoys among its home grown manufacturers - things are taken to another level Stateside.

The supermarket footprint given over to corn and potato based snacks is considerable, with the variety of flavours on offer greater than I have seen anywhere on this side of the Atlantic.

Types of unusual Pringles (dill pickle, honey and mustard, hot diggity dog) comfortably stretch into the dozens, corn chip varieties into the hundred, and vast tubs of cheese balls were on offer for the low price of $7.

Frozen food

Plenty of interesting sweet breakfast options to try (Milo Boyd)

Another area that Americans excel at, along with getting to the moon and crisps, is frozen food.

Your average US supermarket gives as much room over to the freezers as an Iceland, but with a very different selection of goods on offer.

The Hot Pocket is the American version of the Cornish pasty (probably), except in flavours such as ham and cheddar, Philly steak and cheese, and pepperoni pizza.

Hash browns don't come in delightful little triangle-ish shaped wedges, but are shredded and sold in bags like spindly chips.

Coney Island Bagel Dogs seem to be a natural coming together of two American classics, frozen and sold in a box of four for your convenience.

Monkey bread and Texas toast (Milo Boyd)

A big part of American culture involves having desert instead of breakfast.

Where a hungry Brit may tuck into a pancake or slice of toast covered in jam on the occasional morning, breakfast appears to be little more than another opportunity to enjoy some pud over the Pond.

Monkey bread (buttery, gooey dough), Eggos (small thick pancakes), Funfetti (smaller pancakes with sprinkles) and Dragon waffles (unclear) are all staples.

Tinned meat and pickled goods

Pickle shots for exercise purposes (Milo Boyd)

If the UK and US are two countries separated by a common language, then we're two nations brought together by our shared loved of meat in a tin.

Those living in Blighty are used to having plates of piping hot Spam, Fray Bentos Mince Beef and Onion pies and Princes' tinned ham.

The options in the US are far more extensive and include such delights as sloppy joe sauce, corned beef hash, and steak and potato.

Another common love are pickled goods. Both countries enjoy pickled eggs it turns out, although the Americans take things one step further with pickled sausages and shots of pure pickle juice.