grits
Cooked ground corn, the South's everyday breakfast bowl.
Also called hominy grits.
Updated September 24, 2026
grits pronunciation
/GRITS/
Meaning
Coarse ground corn (often from hominy) boiled soft and eaten hot, usually with butter and salt. On a rural Southern table it shows up next to eggs, bacon, or country ham. Fancy restaurants dress it up with shrimp or cheese. Farm kitchens mostly keep it simple. Put sugar on it and somebody will give you a look.
How folks use it
- “Mama had a pot of grits going before the sun was up.”
- “You want cheese on your grits, or just butter and salt?”
Origin and etymology
The dish comes from Native peoples in the Southeast, who taught settlers how to cook ground maize. The English word is older: Old English grytt meant coarse meal. Southern kitchens kept both the food and the name. Today the stretch of the South that eats them hardest is sometimes called the grits belt.
Frequently asked questions
Are grits the same as oatmeal?
No. Grits are corn. Oatmeal is oats. Different grain, different taste, and a whole different argument about toppings.