This Independence Day weekend will see families across America cracking some cold ones, lighting fireworks, and bar-b-queing outdoors. It’ll also see plenty of proud displays of the ol’ Red White and Blue.

The etiquette of flag display has changed dramatically over the past 50 years.

Activist Abbie Hoffman was famously arrested in 1968 for wearing a shirt that resembled the flag.
 

“I only regret that I have but one shirt to give for my country.” - Abbie Hoffman
 
By contrast, today no one seems to have any problem with selling or wearing adult footie pajamas emblazoned with the stars and stripes.
 

I got these bad boys right here.
 
Pretty much anything that’s mass-produceable by cheap foreign labor can be purchased with a flag on it. From dog capes, to thongs, to pillows, to door mats, to trash cans, it seems that Americans now enjoy a very relaxed standard of flag etiquette.

But one burning question remains: is it OK to eat the flag?

Specifically is it bad form to create foodstuffs in the image of Old Glory? And then eat them and presumably poop them out at a later time?

The Free-Times newspaper put the question to Mike Buss, flag expert and deputy director of Americanism at the American Legion. In Buss’ expert opinion:

We appreciate people celebrating their patriotism by putting images of the flag out for their celebrations! It’s not like they will string a rope up on that cake and run it up a flagpole.  At least, we hope no one will.

However, he adds, using an actual flag for a tablecloth or for any other function other than a flag is not something that the American Legion recommends or encourages. I suppose those door mats aren’t sanctioned either.

Here’s a gallery of flag inspired dishes, some of which look quite appetizing, if you’re into vexillophagy.
 

 

 

 

 
More patriotic foodstuffs after the jump…