Grits are a Southern U.S. food made from ground corn, usually cooked into a creamy porridge or side dish. They’re often served for breakfast or alongside shrimp, eggs, cheese, or butter.

In plain English

What Americans call grits is basically:

  • Coarsely ground corn.
  • Cooked with water, milk, or broth.
  • Eaten soft and creamy, a bit like a savory porridge.

How they differ

  • Not cornmeal: cornmeal is usually finer and used more for baking.
  • Not polenta, exactly: polenta is similar, but it usually uses a different kind of corn and has a different texture.
  • Hominy grits: some grits are made from corn treated with an alkaline solution, then ground.

What they taste like

Grits taste mildly like corn and take on the flavor of whatever you cook them with, such as butter, cheese, salt, shrimp, or sausage.

Quick takeaway

If you hear an American say “grits,” think creamy ground-corn porridge , especially associated with Southern cooking.