At the holidays, Minnesotans want Christmas cookies. In Wisconsin — it's taco dip

Maybe we are what we eat, but we're also what our online searches say we are.

And Minnesotans are Christmas cookies.

That's the word from food giant General Mills, which aggregated nationwide seasonal data from recipe searches on several of its websites, including BettyCrocker.com and Pillsbury.com.

Then its elves assembled a map of what residents in each state searched for most often when it comes to holiday entertaining.

Which festive food took top honors in Minnesota? Christmas cookies.

Washington and Michigan came close to the holiday spirit with sugar cookies, but leave it to Minnesotans to specify "Christmas."

What did our neighbors most search for?

Iowans pride themselves on presenting a platter of sliders.

North Dakotans searched most often for pinwheels. You know, those appetizery bites made with flour tortillas rolled around all sorts of fillings? (Salmon and spinach are so festive.) Pinwheels also were top searches in Kansas and Missouri.

South Dakotans? Keeping it real with ham.

What does it all mean?

Not too much, except that our search engines may be the new magic mirror on our wall, telling us who are the hungriest creatures of them all.

Kim Ode • 612-673-7185