Taste is subjective, there’s no doubt about that. Controversial foods exist, that’s a fact too. Now combine them together, and you see some weird food combos landing in people’s stomachs.
This time, we will narrow down our investigation into American cuisine only (despite the fact all countries have their culinary quirks!) to find out what common eating habits and foods confuse non-Americans. Turns out there are many of them!
From super-size meaty breakfasts to cheese spread, these are the most eyebrow-raising American delicacies people in other countries just can’t fathom.
#1
Cookie Dough in a tube, which you guys apparently eat raw, according to the movies. Obviously I have no idea what this stuff tastes like (I can only assume it’s awesome), but the concept just seems strange to my Scottish mind.
Having said that, we consume assorted animal innards, oats and spices in a tube allegedly made from a sheeps bladder (aka haggis), so I admit that we’re on pretty shaky ground to be criticising anyone else’s eating habits.
Image source: anon, Casual Cooking
#2
Sweet potato and marshmallow casserole. What the actual f**k?
Image source: 98thRedBalloon, Kevin Lim
#3
A friend visited me from Italy and wanted to try Krispy Kreme donuts. He took one bite and said, ‘Now I understand why Americans are fat!’ He made me take him back twice for more.
Image source: rekoja3189, Scott Ableman
#4
Aerosol Cheese. Seriously America, what the f**k?
Image source: nicklo2k, Ming Xia
#5
Hersheys chocolate. Honestly tastes like the smell of vomit.
Image source: Cottonmustard, mjimages
#6
Processed cheese. There are so many lovely actual cheese, why eat s***ty fake stuff?
Image source: Magic_Fred, Famartin
#7
American bread. I lived in the states for six months. At one point shortly after moving, I bought a loaf of bread and made a sandwich. To my surprise, the bread was so sweet. I told my housemates that I accidentally bought dessert bread, but nope — it was just regular bread in America.
Image source: goldboldsold
#8
The fact that I ordered one pound of corned beef hash, three eight-inch pancakes with butter and maple syrup, four scrambled eggs with ketchup, six strips of bacon, four sausage links, three pieces of toast, and endless coffee for $12 at a diner. That was my breakfast while visiting the states. I love America.
Image source: Robxxx, karlos346
#9
Lobster is not odd in itself, but seeing “lobster mac’n’cheese” was wierd. Where I’m from, lobster is expensive, exclusive, and considered fine dining, and mac’n’cheese does not exist as a dish you can order anywhere. I love pasta, I love cheese, so pasta with cheese is common in my own kitchen, but that is far away from that “fine dining” lobster.
My first time in the states was a trip to NYC. I was pregnant at the time, and that’s probably why I allowed myself to order lobster mac’n’cheese for lunch at a restaurant, against my husbands comments on how it was a shame for the lobster to be served like that … it was bloody delicious. I still dream about it.
Image source: urgh_eightyeight , Sarah Stierch
#10
The way they eat apple sauce.
Over here in the UK you would have a very small portion of it with some pork. It’s just a condiment.
In the US they would pretty much have an entire bowl of the stuff and would just put spoonful after spoonful of it into their mouthes. It’s like a snack or a meal itself.
Image source: Mac4491, Amy Ross
#11
I’m American but no one can pay me to try/eat Spam.
Image source: janford
#12
Boxed macaroni and cheese. My partner is Swiss, and he is appalled by Kraft Mac & Cheese. He could not believe I was looking forward to ingesting orange powder mixed with noodles.
Image source: jamonjem, Mike Mozart
#13
High fructose corn syrup.
Image source: whitcliffe
#14
Not the food but the sheer size of the soft drinks is off putting and I’m from Canada.
Image source: farside604
#15
The felt obsession with anything deep-fried is unnerving to me. There’s a good few things that are excellent deep-fried, don’t get me wrong, but putting literally anything in batter and frying it seems…wrong.
Image source: MonolGaming
#16
Grits. What the f**k even is grits? It sounds like the most unappetising thing ever. “I had grits for breakfast” WHY ARE YOU EATING TINY ROCKS?
Image source: anon, sashafatcat
#17
Taco Bell.
They tried to open one over here and it lasted about a week. Don’t try to sell Taco Bell to Mexicans. Just don’t.
Image source: cirquedanslarue
#18
Ranch dressing. Why don’t you people want to taste the actual salad you’re eating?
Image source: tigersmadeofpaper, publicdomainpictures
#19
Mayonnaise on everything but French fries — use butter you savages.
Image source: Celeries, Marco Verch
#20
Not exactly *a* food, but breakfasts in general.
When I was there they looked at me like I was a starving child from the woods with my coffee and toast. MY BODY CAN’T DIGEST CHILI CON CARNE IN THE MORNING, I’M SORRY I’M NOT THAT MAGICAL.
Image source: BrownieBawse, Rene Schwietzke
#21
For me, it’s not so much a particular ‘American’ food that I find bizarre, but rather the portion sizes. I’m Australian, and I was raised to eat everything on my plate. I brought that mentality to the US, and I put on 5 kg in over a month. The portion sizes are obscene. I could hardly finish a meal there without feeling ill from eating to much.
Image source: mrphasedance
#22
I had a friend who would get physically sick at any mention of Hamburger Helper.
As an American, I think he’s nuts.
Image source: SleeplessStposter, LWYang
#23
A friend of mine brought back loads of American sweets from holiday. The Hershey’s chocolate kisses were one of the worst things I’ve ever eaten. I thought I was going to be sick.
Image source: CiaranBAC
#24
Chicago style deep-dish pizza. Great for the first two bites, but any more than that and I start to feel like my arteries are about to detonate.
Image source: ChickenInASuit, Олександр Дячук
#25
Pop tarts, or God forbid microwaving your water when you have a cup of tea
Image source: Wild_Hunt, Mike Mozart
#26
Anything sandwiched between donuts or assembled and then fried to finish.
Image source: BanapplePinana
#27
My German brother-in-law lost his mind at the concept of American ‘all you can eat’ buffets. He was like, ‘All of this…all one price? ALL of it?’ He was amazed by it.
Image source: deleted, Rusty Clark
#28
Casseroles made with “cream of” anything soup. Green bean casserole, tuna casserole, mushroom casserole. I know what those Campbells soups are like, we get them over here, and the idea of using them as a constituent ingredient in a main meal makes me shudder just from the idea of the sodium bomb. Especially those casseroles that are suggested to be topped with crushed chips.
Peanut butter and jam (jelly) sandwiches I can get behind. Pumpkin pie was a revelation of awesomeness for a new dimension on what to me is normally a savoury veg. Chicken-fried steak and sausage gravy? Genius.
But the idea of those casseroles make my stomach turn every time.
Image source: InquisitorVawn, Phil King
#29
American desserts. I lived in the states for three years, and the amount of sugar Americans dump into their desserts is mind-blowing. They were beautiful to look at, but they were sweet as hell.
Image source: Ililea
#30
Pumpkin Spice Latte. It was just like REALLY sweet coffee, I didn’t get the craze.
Image source: TheDoorDoesntWork
#31
Granola as a “healthy” breakfast option. It’s basically a dessert.
Image source: tigersmadeofpaper
#32
Those coated hot dogs on sticks. I’ve seen them in movies, they look really weird.
Image source: VeryThoughtfulName, Willis Lam
#33
Multiple Europeans I’ve met have been baffled by the popularity of root beer in America. As they say, it tastes like medicine.
Image source: PacSan300, Steven Miller
#34
I have a British friend who nearly vomited at the smell of Smartfood White Cheddar popcorn…. you know, the kind that comes in the black bag? He said it smells like baby s**t.
Image source: sunshine_orchids, Mike Mozart
#35
My japanese roommate screamed when she saw me eating carrots & celery dipped in peanut butter
Image source: Calicomonster
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