Foods are a way that cultural groups express their way of living. Since the people of the cultures have prepared these foods for many generations they changed gradually over time. When people came to Texas they found out that they couldn't always cook familiar foods as they had in their homelands because they would need ingredients that weren't available in Texas. Some people found other ingredients they could use as substitutes for the ones that weren't available. Many people also created new recipes based upon their traditional ones using ingredients that included the crops that grew in Texas. The many different ways to cook and prepare foods have provided the people of the United States with a varied diet.