Join the Fun!

35 Weird Foods That We Now Know Are Edible, But It’s Surprising How Our Ancestors Found That Out, As Pointed Out By Folks Online Coffee. Can’t eat the beans as-is; gotta roast ‘em first. Whoops, not yet; gotta grind ‘em. Hmm, not quite right yet, let’s pour water over them and drink the water. Hmm .. let’s try using *hot* water. Perfect!

OriginallyFromNYC , WordRidden Report

Final score:

179points

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Lorrie Rothstein 2 years ago

What about the coffee thats pooped out of an animal? Who thought of that?

38points

35 Weird Foods That We Now Know Are Edible, But It’s Surprising How Our Ancestors Found That Out, As Pointed Out By Folks Online Puffer fish; only a small part of the fish is edible and the rest is deadly poisonous, so how did they find out which bit was edible.

Michael_Stone_UDA , rjp Report

Final score:

175points

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TheQueenZ 2 years ago

A lot of ancestors died Russian roulette style here.

110points

35 Weird Foods That We Now Know Are Edible, But It’s Surprising How Our Ancestors Found That Out, As Pointed Out By Folks Online Lobsters. “Well this looks horrifying, i think I’ll taste it. “

aquoad , Adrian Scottow Report

Final score:

164points

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alwaysMispelled 2 years ago

People first ate lobster because they were starving.

100points

35 Weird Foods That We Now Know Are Edible, But It’s Surprising How Our Ancestors Found That Out, As Pointed Out By Folks Online The fruit of the gympie-gympie plant. It is also known as the suicide plant because its sting is so painful that there have been reports of people and animals taking their own life to escape the pain, which can last for days or even years. The sting is delivered by tiny hairs that cover the whole plant, yet someone was able to discover that if you painstakingly remove each hair from the fruit, it is edible.

__hey__its__me__ , Udo Schröter Report

Final score:

148points

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KitFrey 2 years ago

Is it worth it though?

124points

35 Weird Foods That We Now Know Are Edible, But It’s Surprising How Our Ancestors Found That Out, As Pointed Out By Folks Online Chili peppers.

Like imagine finding this pepper, taking a bite, and then feeling your entire mouth feel like it is on fire. Then you decide it's actually really good though and start including it into dishes to add spice.

-eDgAR- , amanderson2 Report

Final score:

135points

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Nathaniel 2 years ago

Surely the after effects to the bottom hole would put everyone off?

52points

35 Weird Foods That We Now Know Are Edible, But It’s Surprising How Our Ancestors Found That Out, As Pointed Out By Folks Online Bread! Like how did someone put all the ingredients together to make the bread!! I think about it all the time.

delpheroid , stu_spivack Report

Final score:

125points

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Thea 2 years ago

Its water and flour fermented, probably some dough for some flat bread went bad and they were like well lets bake it amyway, and surprise it was a new taste :D

74points

coconut-greek-yogurt , Alabama Extension Report

35 Weird Foods That We Now Know Are Edible, But It’s Surprising How Our Ancestors Found That Out, As Pointed Out By Folks Online Honey. When something is guarded by swarms of easily pissed off insects with poisoned a*s darts, you would think that would be enough of a deterrent that nobody would f**k with it.

Final score:

124points

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Raven Sheridan 2 years ago

Probably from watching bears and other animals, risking a shitload of stings to get some of the good stuff!

112points

35 Weird Foods That We Now Know Are Edible, But It’s Surprising How Our Ancestors Found That Out, As Pointed Out By Folks Online Some mushrooms that require special preparation. Eat it raw or cook it like most other shrooms and you end up dead. Boil it 3-5 times however, and it’s fine.

Edit: An example of a mushroom requiring this procedure is Gyromitra esculenta.

anon , Marco Verch Report

Final score:

120points

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Paul Pierokowski 2 years ago

The best mushrooms are the ones that make you see God.

92points

Leoninus Fate 2 years ago

I guess you can say all "poisonous" mushrooms can make you "see god"

17points

MediumPimpin 2 years ago

The Elk God is real. I've seen him. He told me not to trespass in his domain until I was sober of everything else. Since then I've only seen the jesters. They aren't nice.

3points

Babyoda42 (he him) 2 years ago

Or rainbows

3points

Nicely 2 years ago

The best mushrooms are the ones that make you see god, and then *come back again*

1point

Markus Weiler 2 years ago

Not when you are an atheist

1point

MonicaChicagoGal 2 years ago

YES!!!

1point

Midnight Fox 2 years ago

Hahaha 🥲

1point

kitteh floof lover 2 years ago

um, i saw flying cockroaches, hundreds of them, ick

1point

Marian Moore 2 years ago

LOL!

0points

Falicity Humdinger 2 years ago

You're not wrong!

0points

T. 2 years ago

All mushrooms are edible, some even more than once.

19points

Christof Irran 2 years ago

The amanita phalloides is probably the most horrific of mushrooms. It's not toxic to other animals or insects (well, rabbits get sick the first time they eat it, but never again thereafter), so it might, at first glance, look eatable. When eaten raw or cooked you'll find that it's the best tasting mushroom, ever. And it takes eight hours, after the mushroom is fully digested, for the first of the two toxins to generate symptoms (uncontrollable, unending, copious vomiting and machine-gun sh!tting). you'll get over that in about four days. In the meantime the other toxin dissolves all your bodily organs, starting with the liver, kidneys, etc., and when you are finally dead by day ten, the ME will not be able to identify a single organ during your autopsy because it's all just one bloody mush. If you want to learn more about the full horror of your demise following the ingestion of the amanita phalloides, watch this video - it's only 19 minutes long: https://youtu.be/SwnYfFQSyZM

10points

I’m A Black Cat 2 years ago

And the mean fact is that it kinda looks like a champignon, especially when young. There are stories of entire families' demise

2points

Jihana 2 years ago

Another funky mushroom is the common ink cap. It's perfectly edible (and delicious) but if you drink alcohol a few hours prior or after eating it, it's poisonous.

9points

Greta Kolding 2 years ago

It's the same effect as antabuse, a medicament prescribed to alcoholics to prevent them from drinking.

1point

Alex Ribeiro 2 years ago

A typical dish from northern Brazil made with cassava leaves needs 7 days of boiling to become edible. Mushrooms are child's play.

5points

Sand Castle 2 years ago

First 3 people to try mushrooms: 1. well that was tasty! 2. Oh. Kevin just died. 3. I've seen fluffy worms wearing wellington boots flying like pretty little fairies

4points

KitFrey 2 years ago

I think a lot of edible mushrooms were discovered from our ancestors trying to get high off them

2points

Philly Bob Squires 2 years ago

Can you imagine the people that first ate mushrooms they found and just had to go through the trial and error of like, this one tastes like beef, this one killed Brian immediately and this one makes you see God for a week?

1point

Christina B 2 years ago

Shrooms ;)

1point

IndigoViolent 1 year ago

This is the kind of thing that I find most bewildering. Because I can well believe that people will eat just about anything as long as they don't know it's dangerous - they don't even have to be starving, we all knew that one kid who'd eat anything for five bucks. And I can also buy that we started with something edible and made incremental discoveries of how to improve it, like with coffee. It's the ones where it's like, well, we *know* this thing will kill you if you eat it raw. Or cooked. Or dried. But we figured out if you take only this one small part, pee on it, bury it in mud for six weeks, smoke it over a fire, then boil it six times, it's actually pretty tasty. It's like...how many people did you go through to figure that one out?!

0points

Tim Crowhurst 1 year ago

Coprinopsis atramentaria (common ink cap) is only toxic if combined with alcohol.

0points

Rob Williams 2 years ago

Ah yes, the discovery of mushrooms…this one tastes like beef, this one killed Kevin in ten seconds, and this one had me talking to god for three weeks.

0points

Anastasia Redmond 2 years ago

Every mushroom is edible, once.

0points

Laura Carney 2 years ago

All mushrooms are edible at least once

0points

Asher Tye 2 years ago

Would have loved to know the reaction of the guy who first found psychedelic ones.

0points

Monika Lachova 2 years ago

Well, if you're about starve to death, you would probably see some options to survive in food scarce area or after your crop is all damaged...

0points

Cybele Spanjaard 2 years ago

You can boil poison mushrooms 3-5 times and they won't kill you? Not bothering to try that. the water would be suss!

0points

Mosheh Wolf 2 years ago

WAgain, why do people assume that humans were all dumbasses in prehistoric time and popped entire unfamiliar mushrooms into their mouths? You watch animals, and you try things a little bit at a time. WHen people learned that boiling changes food, they start experimenting.

0points

Indosidius 2 years ago

Just imagine: Trial and error. This one tasted meats. This one makes you feel trippy. Don't eat that one, it kille Bob...

0points

Gina Westbrook 2 years ago

I think all mushrooms are way too scary to eat.

0points

Deb Dedon 2 years ago

So eat only those known to be non-poisonous or, better yet, don't eat them at all.

0points

Pittsburgh rare 2 years ago

Figuring out which ones were edible at all was already a mushroom roulette

0points

#10

35 Weird Foods That We Now Know Are Edible, But It’s Surprising How Our Ancestors Found That Out, As Pointed Out By Folks Online Snails. Our ancestors must have been friggin' starving!

anon , David Short Report

Final score:

115points

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TheQueenZ 2 years ago

Absolutely, end-of-life-no-other-choice starving, I agree!

57points

#11

35 Weird Foods That We Now Know Are Edible, But It’s Surprising How Our Ancestors Found That Out, As Pointed Out By Folks Online The cassava...

"However, cassava is poisonous unless it is peeled and thoroughly cooked. If it is eaten raw or prepared incorrectly, one of its chemical constituents will be attacked by digestive enzymes and give off the deadly poison cyanide. As little as two cassava roots can contain a fatal dose."

nuovi , Thomas Quine Report

Final score:

110points

POST

Bukola Ola 2 years ago

I still wonder how garri was discovered

22points

#12

35 Weird Foods That We Now Know Are Edible, But It’s Surprising How Our Ancestors Found That Out, As Pointed Out By Folks Online Castoreum. A sweet-tasting exudation that comes from glands near a beaver's a*****e. "Damn this beaver a*s smells great, wonder what it tastes like?"

BCProgramming , Marie Hale Report

Final score:

110points

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Chucky Cheezburger 2 years ago

I wouldn't be surprised if alcohol and/or some kind of drugs were involved.

69points

#13

35 Weird Foods That We Now Know Are Edible, But It’s Surprising How Our Ancestors Found That Out, As Pointed Out By Folks Online Yogurt and cheese. It's like first of all they start drinking cow juice from cow titties. Then they save some for later. It goes off. Voila cheese

Ncscam , Ace Armstrong Report

Final score:

101points

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M O'Connell 2 years ago

I imagine yogurt may have come from someone who was off chasing butterflies when they should have been churning butter.

44points

#14

35 Weird Foods That We Now Know Are Edible, But It’s Surprising How Our Ancestors Found That Out, As Pointed Out By Folks Online chayne108 said:

Blue cheese.

Your-Evil-Twin replied:

Yes! This! Like who looked at a piece of mouldy cheese and was like ‘this is some seriously gourmet s**t!’

chayne108 , Stef Smulders Report

Final score:

100points

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Chucky Cheezburger 2 years ago

Someone was hungry, went to get some cheese, found it moldy and said eff it, Im gonna eat it anyway.

66points

#15

35 Weird Foods That We Now Know Are Edible, But It’s Surprising How Our Ancestors Found That Out, As Pointed Out By Folks Online Hákarl

Usually poisonous, unless prepared thus:

"The traditional method is by gutting and beheading a Greenland or sleeper shark and placing it in a shallow hole dug in gravelly sand, with the now cleaned cavity resting on a small mound of sand. The shark is then covered with sand and gravel, and stones are placed on top of the sand in order to press the shark. In this way the fluids are pressed out of the body. The shark ferments in this fashion for 6–12 weeks depending on the season. Following this curing period, the shark is then cut into strips and hung to dry for several months. During this drying period a brown crust will develop, which is removed prior to cutting the shark into small pieces and serving."

msvivica , Audrey Report

Final score:

99points

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Jihana 2 years ago (edited)

I tried it 2 weeks ago. It is not as repulsive as it sounds, and the smell is much worse than the taste. That being said: it's still disgusting. It has a rubber like texture, at first it tastes sharp and salty, then you are hit with the ammonia taste. I am proud of myself that I tried it, but once in a lifetime is more than enough.

104points

#16

35 Weird Foods That We Now Know Are Edible, But It’s Surprising How Our Ancestors Found That Out, As Pointed Out By Folks Online Poke Salad

The Pokeberry/Pokeweed plant that grows in the southern US has edible leaves. Sort of.

If you eat them raw they contain a nerotoxin that will make you extremely sick or more likely kill you. If you cook them the toxin will still kill you. If you boil them, the toxin will still kill you.

So basically someone died after eating this stuff and their friends went "Well maybe if we boil it one more time" died and someone else went "Third times the charm?"
However, if you boil them, discard the water, boil again, discard the water, then boil one last time and discard the water again the left over cooked plant is sort of edible.

Kulladar , jjspirko Report

Final score:

97points

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KitFrey 2 years ago

What di you mean "sort of"

70points

#17

35 Weird Foods That We Now Know Are Edible, But It’s Surprising How Our Ancestors Found That Out, As Pointed Out By Folks Online Maple syrup. "Let's poke a hole in this here tree, collect the sap, boil it for three days and see what happens"

lovelyb1ch66 , Pete Jelliffe Report

Final score:

96points

POST

Paul Pierokowski 2 years ago

Canadians had a lot of time for experiments before the introduction of hockey.

128points

#18

35 Weird Foods That We Now Know Are Edible, But It’s Surprising How Our Ancestors Found That Out, As Pointed Out By Folks Online Rice, who looked at a piece of thicc grass and thought: "yeah, I'll dry it out, bash it about then polish it and boil it just before it turns into a sloppy mess"

snortypuff , JoslynLM Report

Final score:

93points

POST

Raven Sheridan 2 years ago

A billion Chinese people can't be wrong!

51points

#19

35 Weird Foods That We Now Know Are Edible, But It’s Surprising How Our Ancestors Found That Out, As Pointed Out By Folks Online Artichoke.
Hmm, that purple thistle looks good...

Sidmesh , 305 Seahill Report

Final score:

90points

POST

DuchessDegu 2 years ago

It looks so pretty, I'd try to eat it!

20points

#20

35 Weird Foods That We Now Know Are Edible, But It’s Surprising How Our Ancestors Found That Out, As Pointed Out By Folks Online Durian! It's super spiky, it seems like it'd be tough to open (though I'm not 100% sure) and apparently it smells rank.

yirao , Amy Ross Report

Final score:

86points

POST

Chucky Cheezburger 2 years ago

"Hmmmm...this demon looking thing smells like the last fart of someone who's guts literally rotted out. Let's see what it tastes like"...

78points

ThePeasantKingM , Paul Asman and Jill Lenob Report

#21

35 Weird Foods That We Now Know Are Edible, But It’s Surprising How Our Ancestors Found That Out, As Pointed Out By Folks Online Nopales, a kind of cactus, and it's fruit have been a staple in Mexico for millennia. I've always wondered what went through our ancestors' heads. "That plant and it's fruit is covered in thorns...I bet they're delicious".

Final score:

85points

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Stephanie Did It 2 years ago

And they are! I love nopales with breakfast eggs, with a good steak,and on hot sandwiches. We make jelly from the "apples."

38points

#22

35 Weird Foods That We Now Know Are Edible, But It’s Surprising How Our Ancestors Found That Out, As Pointed Out By Folks Online anon said:

Truffles

ElectricErik replied:

If the pigs are eating it, it must be f*****g delicious

anon , Scott Darbey Report

Final score:

84points

POST

Nimues Child 2 years ago

Lobster and truffles as pig food...they had good taste!

30points

#23

35 Weird Foods That We Now Know Are Edible, But It’s Surprising How Our Ancestors Found That Out, As Pointed Out By Folks Online cranberries. If I had tasted a cranberry without any knowledge of the berry, I would be certain it was poison.

ctophermh89 , Selena N. B. H. Report

Final score:

81points

POST

Nimues Child 2 years ago

NGL, raw cranberries are nasty. But apply your cooking skills and they are yummy!

29points

Dutch Swimmer Goes Viral For Super Revealing Trunks During 2024 Olympics: “Is This Legal?”

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#24

35 Weird Foods That We Now Know Are Edible, But It’s Surprising How Our Ancestors Found That Out, As Pointed Out By Folks Online Onions: "hmm, wonder if I can eat this bulb... OH MY GOD MY EYES! WHAT'S THAT SMELLL???"

dogsolitude_uk , Mike Mozart Report

Final score:

80points

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Jihana 2 years ago

Onions as we know them are the result of centuries of selective breeding. While it is not known what kind of wild plant is the ancestor it is pretty mush a given that it was much smaller and mush milder.

42points

#25

35 Weird Foods That We Now Know Are Edible, But It’s Surprising How Our Ancestors Found That Out, As Pointed Out By Folks Online Chocolate

Skitzcordova , Alice Seba Report

Final score:

77points

POST

Raven Sheridan 2 years ago

To whomever discovered this, you have my eternal gratitude. ❤

126points

#26

35 Weird Foods That We Now Know Are Edible, But It’s Surprising How Our Ancestors Found That Out, As Pointed Out By Folks Online Lye fish. Or "Lutefisk"... Don't get me wrong, I love the stuff but man..

First you go get a fish. Then you let it hang on a stick for months to dry out. Then you put it in water for a couple days. Then you put it in water with lye for another couple days. Then you put it in pure water again and then you cook it and eat it.

anon , Ole Husby Report

Final score:

74points

POST

Raven Sheridan 2 years ago

I think this was discovered after somebody lost a bet and the winner chose the most disgusting combination of ingredients he could think of for the loser to eat. 🤔

46points

#27

35 Weird Foods That We Now Know Are Edible, But It’s Surprising How Our Ancestors Found That Out, As Pointed Out By Folks Online Noodles. Like who thought of swinging the dough to make em stringy.

buzzbuzzwakeup , Devika Report

Final score:

71points

POST

TheQueenZ 2 years ago

Delicious, tho!

26points

Woman Put A Water Fountain With A Camera In Her Yard, Here Are 24 Photos Of Regular Visitors (New Pics)

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#28

35 Weird Foods That We Now Know Are Edible, But It’s Surprising How Our Ancestors Found That Out, As Pointed Out By Folks Online Sea urchin

Miryaa , tomoko_hori Report

Final score:

70points

POST

Nimues Child 2 years ago

Same with eel. So good, but not appealing to look at.

24points

#29

35 Weird Foods That We Now Know Are Edible, But It’s Surprising How Our Ancestors Found That Out, As Pointed Out By Folks Online Heart of palm

"Ugh, i'm bored... I'm gonna eat this tree now"

Cracked_Emerald , David Brossard Report

Final score:

70points

POST

Benita Valdez 2 years ago

Well I'm glad they did. It's delicious

22points

#30

35 Weird Foods That We Now Know Are Edible, But It’s Surprising How Our Ancestors Found That Out, As Pointed Out By Folks Online Acorns. How hungry one must be to figure out to pound them to powder and leach out the tannins. Three times!

Mobiusteph , The Paessel Family Report

Final score:

69points

POST

Sue From Michigan 2 years ago

I didn't know people eat acorns.

71points

#31

35 Weird Foods That We Now Know Are Edible, But It’s Surprising How Our Ancestors Found That Out, As Pointed Out By Folks Online Ackee. It's a fruit, and most of it is poisonous, though part of it is edible. In Africa, where it's most common (as far as I know) it's generally not eaten, but in Jamaica it is. It's eaten a lot. Our **national dish** is ackee and saltfish, and our national fruit is ackee.

xero-theory , Ralf Steinberger Report

Final score:

62points

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Paul Pierokowski 2 years ago

Isn't this the fruit that turns you into an actual zombie if you eat it wrong?

18points

#32

35 Weird Foods That We Now Know Are Edible, But It’s Surprising How Our Ancestors Found That Out, As Pointed Out By Folks Online Caviar, I imagine them say yum fish eggs and eating them, and then selling the to rich people.

jack28415 , Dmitry Khvatkov Report

Final score:

61points

POST

Sally Kerr 2 years ago

Caviar used to be paupers food (as did Oysters). Clever marketing.

41points

50 Of The Most Incredible Shots That Were Submitted To The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

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#33

35 Weird Foods That We Now Know Are Edible, But It’s Surprising How Our Ancestors Found That Out, As Pointed Out By Folks Online Not even 'ancestors' - how did drinks like guinness or coke become a thing?
"Bro try this" "uh, no. That drink is black." "Yeah good call"
Vegemite is the same principle but in that case it was *literally* created as a prank from brewery waste products but then the prankee went "it's not bad tho".

Actually, I think I just answered the question. They did it on accident or were tricked/goaded into trying it, they did, and when it didn't kill them the consumable caught on.

Zeruvi , dion gillard Report

Final score:

58points

POST

Shane Clark 2 years ago

The caramel coloring was used to hide imperfections in the batches during the early days of soda or pop I believe.

41points

_thatsmeinthecorner_ , Kevin du Plessis Report

#34

35 Weird Foods That We Now Know Are Edible, But It’s Surprising How Our Ancestors Found That Out, As Pointed Out By Folks Online Olives seem like they could be poisonous IMO. Don’t @ me

Final score:

49points

POST

Angela Darling 2 years ago

olive oil comes from pressing olives - they're not poisonous.

13points

SuccessfulFailure9 , Peter Kaminski Report

#35

35 Weird Foods That We Now Know Are Edible, But It’s Surprising How Our Ancestors Found That Out, As Pointed Out By Folks Online Fugu; like how did they find out that only a specific part of a blowfish wasn’t poisonous when correctly cut?

Final score:

48points

POST

Nathaniel 2 years ago

Technically it is still poisonous, just not enough poison to harm you, enough to give you a light high.

17points

Woman Moves Out Of Parents' Home After They Asked Her To Give Her Space To Brother, They Freak Out

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Sonya Harris is a Content Writer at Bored Panda and a multi-platform artist and storyteller currently based in Madrid, Spain. She is a graduate of the University of Washington and has worked in Audio Production for Seattle NPR station KUOW. With a passion for storytelling in podcasting, Sonya is also an avid lover of tea, watercolors, photography, and film. She considers herself a voracious learner and seeker of the peculiar, whimsical, and inspiring.

Read less »

What do you think ?

POST

kathryn stretton 2 years ago

A lot of these are because of 'either try this or die of starvation '. After that, it was 'that killed him, try this, gonna die anyway.'

20points

Nicole Weymann 2 years ago

That's what I thought. In that case the question could easily be asked about animals as well: How do they know to eat/not to eat it? More baffling to me are the things that have to be prepared in a very specific/complicated way, like that leaf salad.

6points

Emily M 2 years ago

I teach middle schoolers and I am happy to report that all adolescent brains seemed to be hardwired to lick or chew things that are not food. I bet adolescents figured a lot of these out LOL.

8points

Mary Jeffries 1 year ago

Awesome reply.

0points

Mistouko Les 2 years ago

I think some people don't have a clue of what real hunger is. 😞

5points

BannedFromABoatShow 2 years ago

Who first looked at an alligator and said, well let’s eat that! I’d like to think it was revenge. You ate one of my family, so I’m gonna eat you.

5points

May light defeat the darkness 2 years ago

Kiviak, Balut and Ortolan Bunting.

4points

Mama Panda 2 years ago

I would like to add one to the list. It's called a Geoduck Clam. I have never had one before but I have heard they are tasty. I am not sure if I want to try it or not. I just can't imagine the person that found it and thought it would be good to eat. There are videos on YouTube on how to prepare it. It's kinda scary. Geoduck_he...e8eb16.jpg

3points

karl briggs 2 years ago

Looking at the image, yes... I wonder who would see something that resembles a phallus and think "yes, I'd like to eat that". Probably George, such a George thing to do! Haha

3points

AwesomeLeoWife 2 years ago

We should add Lionfish to this list.

2points

H M 2 years ago

None of it is hard...if you are really hungry you will eat anything, even dead rats...

2points

Angry little sheep 2 years ago

Dragon fruit

2points

Sean Sean 2 years ago

Moreton Bay chestnut seeds. The contain a poisonous compound is as yet unknown and produces vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhoea. Yet someone still figured out a way to eat it. First you shell them, then cook them. Then slice them into thin wafers and let them sit in running water for at least 3 days. Then you can cook the wafers again and eat them.

2points

Viktor Feurer 2 years ago

Single word answer: famine. The modern people do not know what does it mean to "being hungry". I mean not just not eating all day because it was too busy, but being hungry, really, when your can feel the end coming.

2points

joop 2 years ago

What I don't understand is how rabbits in the wild know what to eat. If you give the wrong stuff to a house rabbit, it's dangerous.

3points

LynzCatastrophe 2 years ago

Honestly, my favourite to this day is milk. Yes we all had it as babies, so did our ancestors, and many animals, but I always imagine that someone who discovered milk from a cow had to come up with an excuse of HOW he made that discovery 😆

1point

Greta Kolding 2 years ago

And what kind of cow did that first milk come from? Did humans keep cows for the meat before they drank milk? If the cow was wild how did they get it to stand still while they milked it? Oh well, maybe we should ask a Masai.

1point

Blarrg 2 years ago

Pepper. Somebody ate a peppercorn, gagged because it is so disgusting, but thought, "Yeah, but if I grind it up and sprinkle just a little..."

1point

Emma S 2 years ago

I've always wondered about salt. Who decided to boil some sea water and then sprinkle the end result on your food. 🤔

1point

Greta Kolding 2 years ago

Salt is vital to all creatures- you will die without it. Wild deer always know where to find salt.

1point

DuchessDegu 2 years ago

I suppose it's instinct to put everything in our mouths (as toddlers do), right after that was literally the case of what doesn't kill you make you stronger!

1point

Greta Kolding 2 years ago

And humans are curious and love to experiment: This tastes ok but a bit bland. I wonder what will happen if I mix it with some of that other stuff.

1point

TheDivineMsM 2 years ago

I wonder about the anthropology and history of food a lot. Like almost everything we eat was something someone one day said "hey, im going to try this and see what happens" "oh, that was good" "don't try that!" A lot of brave people out there. Even water--- some prehistoric figure looked at water and said, "we should swallow that with other stuff we chew and put in our mouth."

1point

Heliocracy 2 years ago

no one decided to drink water. It's instinctual in us as much as all of our land animal ancestors.

1point

OneHappyPuppy 2 years ago

I thought about this the other day and wondered about popcorn. So someone accidentally left a corncob to dry, got p*ssed it was dry and tossed it into the fire, it popped much to the surprise of the dude and then... He dexided to eat it? What? Why?

1point

Ivy at Eve 1 year ago

There is a primitive potato in Peru that is poisonous, except when it has been frozen. I wonder sometimes about that one. I get the hunger and trial and error thing, but why trying something you know will kill you (painfully as in some cases mentioned) and then figuring out why it didn't kill you ... Some legends and myths refer to observing animals re food and and shelter but that doesn't explain the cooking 3 times part...

0points

Via Hawk 2 years ago

Eggs. Who tf decided “I’ll eat this thing that came out of a birds a*s” and the shell? And who decides “let’s put b******e meal over a fire and chomp it”

0points

Brenda 2 years ago

What eggs? Someone followed a chicken and said "I'm gonna eat the next thing to come out of its butt."

0points

marianne eliza 2 years ago

Don't forget to take into account that before we were humans we also needed to eat. A lot of things were eaten then and are eaten now. Preparation and seasoning improvements came along gradually by trial and error or just a flat out mistake that turned out well.

0points

T5n 2 years ago

What about milk or chicken eggs?

0points

Lorrie Rothstein 2 years ago

What about tripe and haggis? How about cows tongue,pig feet,frog legs and chicken feet?

0points

LoudMansLover 2 years ago

Zero waste. If you need food you can't throw away parts of animals if they're edible so you find a way to make them palatable. But this is just cultural, too - you think "ewww, cow tongue" but a lot of cultures think peanut butter is absolutely disgusting!

12points

KitFrey 2 years ago (edited)

Milk, who the hell was drinking from a cow tit, and then thought:I feel like throwing up, but it tastes good so what the hell!

0points

Jaden Alexander 2 years ago

This comment has been deleted.

2points

POST

kathryn stretton 2 years ago

A lot of these are because of 'either try this or die of starvation '. After that, it was 'that killed him, try this, gonna die anyway.'

20points

Nicole Weymann 2 years ago

6points

Emily M 2 years ago

I teach middle schoolers and I am happy to report that all adolescent brains seemed to be hardwired to lick or chew things that are not food. I bet adolescents figured a lot of these out LOL.

8points

Mary Jeffries 1 year ago

Awesome reply.

0points

Mistouko Les 2 years ago

I think some people don't have a clue of what real hunger is. 😞

5points

BannedFromABoatShow 2 years ago

Who first looked at an alligator and said, well let’s eat that! I’d like to think it was revenge. You ate one of my family, so I’m gonna eat you.

5points

May light defeat the darkness 2 years ago

Kiviak, Balut and Ortolan Bunting.

4points

Mama Panda 2 years ago

3points

karl briggs 2 years ago

Looking at the image, yes... I wonder who would see something that resembles a phallus and think "yes, I'd like to eat that". Probably George, such a George thing to do! Haha

3points

AwesomeLeoWife 2 years ago

We should add Lionfish to this list.

2points

H M 2 years ago

None of it is hard...if you are really hungry you will eat anything, even dead rats...

2points

Angry little sheep 2 years ago

Dragon fruit

2points

Sean Sean 2 years ago

2points

Viktor Feurer 2 years ago

2points

joop 2 years ago

What I don't understand is how rabbits in the wild know what to eat. If you give the wrong stuff to a house rabbit, it's dangerous.

3points

LynzCatastrophe 2 years ago

1point

Greta Kolding 2 years ago

1point

Blarrg 2 years ago

Pepper. Somebody ate a peppercorn, gagged because it is so disgusting, but thought, "Yeah, but if I grind it up and sprinkle just a little..."

1point

Emma S 2 years ago

I've always wondered about salt. Who decided to boil some sea water and then sprinkle the end result on your food. 🤔

1point

Greta Kolding 2 years ago

Salt is vital to all creatures- you will die without it. Wild deer always know where to find salt.

1point

DuchessDegu 2 years ago

I suppose it's instinct to put everything in our mouths (as toddlers do), right after that was literally the case of what doesn't kill you make you stronger!

1point

Greta Kolding 2 years ago

And humans are curious and love to experiment: This tastes ok but a bit bland. I wonder what will happen if I mix it with some of that other stuff.

1point

TheDivineMsM 2 years ago

1point

Heliocracy 2 years ago

no one decided to drink water. It's instinctual in us as much as all of our land animal ancestors.

1point

OneHappyPuppy 2 years ago

1point

Ivy at Eve 1 year ago

0points

Via Hawk 2 years ago

Eggs. Who tf decided “I’ll eat this thing that came out of a birds a*s” and the shell? And who decides “let’s put b******e meal over a fire and chomp it”

0points

Brenda 2 years ago

What eggs? Someone followed a chicken and said "I'm gonna eat the next thing to come out of its butt."

0points

marianne eliza 2 years ago

0points

T5n 2 years ago

What about milk or chicken eggs?

0points

Lorrie Rothstein 2 years ago

What about tripe and haggis? How about cows tongue,pig feet,frog legs and chicken feet?

0points

LoudMansLover 2 years ago

12points

KitFrey 2 years ago (edited)

Milk, who the hell was drinking from a cow tit, and then thought:I feel like throwing up, but it tastes good so what the hell!

0points

Jaden Alexander 2 years ago

This comment has been deleted.

2points