The hot dog has been a favorite all-American food for decades.

Some were taken to McDonald's for all-American food.

Hamburgers, roast chicken, meat balls, macaroni and cheese, bread pudding and chocolate layer cake are favorite all-American foods.

And what better way to celebrate freedom from enforced feasting than with another all-American food, pizza.

The all-American food ain't fancy, but it'll stick to your ribs.

But the all-American food is anything but nostalgic or cliched.

All these all-American foods are fantastic and part of our culinary heritage.

Here are 12 all-American foods that lend themselves to taking the calories down a notch, followed by some lightened-up American recipes.

The all-American food, popular in sandwiches and casseroles, was becoming associated with needless killing.

This same chain had transformed the bagel and cream cheese into an all-American food, available from coast to coast.