51 Images Of Awful Meals That Might Make You Want To Revoke These People’s Cooking Privileges (New Pics)
I’ve always believed that everyone can cook. If you think you can’t, you just haven’t been taught. And if you simply refuse to learn, well, that’s a different story. But anyone who can read and assemble ingredients can follow a recipe. And if you watch a few videos and read some tips online, you can easily elevate your culinary skills.
The photos below, however, are beginning to make me wonder if some people should just stay out of the kitchen altogether. We took a trip to the Cooking for Bae Instagram account and gathered some of their most diabolical dishes below. From sandwiches that look carcinogenic to meat that may have been alive moments before it was served, this list is full of culinary crimes. Enjoy scrolling through these disasters, and be sure to upvote the ones you can't help but laugh at!
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Merry Christmas Everyone!
That’s Disgusting
No, Val, it is not! Despite all the "British cooking is bad cr a p" only the US would provide this abomination of whatever it is.
Load More Replies...It's Almost Time Y'all
An A for effort, at least. I'm guessing those are cranberries with the hotdogs?
The idea of cooking for a partner is incredibly romantic. Making food for someone else can certainly be an act of love, and it can be amazing to be taken care of by being served a warm, wholesome meal while you’re encouraged to simply sit back and relax. But we should all know our limits, and if you’re preparing food that looks like the photos on this list, you might want to just order your boo takeout.
The Cooking for Bae Instagram account has been around since 2013 and has shared over 1,400 culinary disasters since then. It’s clearly a popular place, as it has amassed an impressive 159K followers. And it’s a wonderful place to visit for a laugh or to be shocked, but it’s probably not where you want to go to get inspiration for what to make for dinner this week. Unless you want your partner to leave you...
Just Nasty
Someone was asked to bring in food and wants to make sure they are never asked again.
Ah yes, olives, ham, canned vegetables and kiwi in gelitain...the perfect flavors to compliment eachother.
Load More Replies...Several things have gone through my mind, and I still can work it out. Octopus?
Load More Replies...Bae Got Me Right For Sunday Dinner. Who Wants Some?
I believe with chicken, it's very important to make sure it's cooked properly. The flour and pink skin screams trip to the ER.
Let’s not forget the blood crowning around that one piece
Load More Replies...No problem. Just toss them I the hot oil or in the oven, for a few minutes. Nothing a little cooking won't fix
When it comes to getting food poisoning from undercooked chicken, once was more than enough, thanks.
This Gotta Be An Offense
Honestly, the top grey bits look like what my cats throw up..
Load More Replies...As a southerner, I'm deeply appalled and offended by the state of those grits.
With a big ole slice of American "cheese" on top of grits? I don't think so.
Load More Replies...Not just cat food. The stuff you give to elderly or sick cats that's basically just nutrient paste.
Load More Replies...It’s amazing just how terrible some people can be at cooking. Whether they’re finding a way to burn spaghetti, serve eggs with the shells included or bake cakes that are 100% raw in the middle, there are truly no limits when it comes to culinary fails.
But can we really blame these people? Cooking is a skill, and although anyone can learn, it really does have to be taught a lot of the time. If your parents only ever prepared frozen food and never showed you how to use the stove, you might not feel comfortable preparing anything but microwaved oatmeal and buttered toast.
Carb Loading
I had a roomie would loved eating 2minute noodles on bagels, she would eat 3-4 everytime. It was disturbing as, she really really liked it.
Load More Replies...Someone on YT did spaghetti tacos when her kids did the menu planning for the wk
I looked that up. Looks delicious https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaghetti_taco
Load More Replies...Baes First Cookout Was A Success
I Left The Turkey In A Little Too Long Watching That Horrible Halftime Show
I see drops of oil so my guess is a deep fat fryer.
Load More Replies...Breaking News: Black man sings some of his songs on TV, thereby ruining random white family's dinner thousands of miles away, because it made their oven timer malfunction, somehow. More at 11. 🤦♂️
Someone who thought the halftime show was "horrible" would have done this anyway... just found someone else to blame.
Yeah, it's always the people who hated it who seemed to manage to watch every single minute of it...
Load More Replies...Calling the show horrible means you have the turkey you deserve.
If you happen to be a tragic cook that could easily be featured on Cooking for Bae, don’t feel bad. You’re certainly not alone! A 2022 survey from StudyFinds reported that over half of Americans have trouble even making simple dishes. And 59% are embarrassed by the fact that they struggle in the kitchen.
Apparently, pancakes are the most deceptively difficult “easy” dish to make, but plenty of people admit that they can’t get eggs, pasta, mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes right either.
Bae Is Tripping
Yeah, I don't think this is that bad. I'd give it a try
Load More Replies...Cornbread spaghetti is really d**n good. Not taken with the quality of the photography but I bet money you'd clean your plate.
Our Anniversary Was Yesterday. Bae Got Us Right
That one in the middle didn't get circumcised like the rest.
Load More Replies...Char-boooo-terie haha. But bae knew what bae would like, so to each their own
If I'm not mistaken, the condiment with the lid peeled back is garlic sauce from Papa John's pizza.
Or Little Caesar’s. Same artificial cráp, different containers.
Load More Replies...Let's see. Ramen noodles, cheese & crackers, viennas, bread, spam, fruit, pickles, and some kind of smoked sausage. Everything on that platter is quite yummy.
I'm thirsty just looking at this. This is certainly not ideal, but as someone who has lived in poverty for most of my life, I really can't shame anyone about food
A For Effort, But...
I this would be a cute way to introduce your kid to chopsticks and eventually the concept of sushi.
Concept of Sushi sounds like an expensive restaurant.
Load More Replies...What is it? Hot dogs wrapped in something with a dip at either end? Let us know when you post, please.
It’s called a “corn dog” very American but we certainly have them here in Canada and else where. It’s a hot dog dipped in bread batter and then fried. This is cut up evenly instead of one big hot dog shaped piece. The dips are simply mustard and ketchup, typical for hotdogs.
Load More Replies...However, the good news is that most people don’t give up immediately after having an epic fail in the kitchen. StudyFinds reports that most people will attempt a dish four times before finally nailing it or giving up completely. Three quarters of Americans also admit that they are always looking for time-saving shortcuts to help them prepare meals faster, and the same amount would happily buy ready-made ingredients if it would make the whole process easier.
Bae Hooked Up Some Steak For Us
I knew someone who cooked steak like this. They got upset when I asked why they didn't just buy a bag of jerky.
Load More Replies...this looks like the wood chips you put in the grill on top of the charcoal to give your meats a Smoky flavor
Overcooked and sliced with the grain. That's going to be a workout for your teeth.
A sin I grant you, but stick it in some decent curry sauce over night, served with pilau rice, be just fine.
Indeed! Just a little bit of sauce and it's fine
Load More Replies...El Kid and I hit a new meat place up by him and got two gorgeous sirloin yesterday. I contributed to the prep, but at his insistence, once they hit the grill they were in his domain. Nailed a perfect medium well, then sliced and plated. His mom came home while we were eating, took one look at his plate, and says it's undercooked. (not the reason we're divorced, but a contributing factor.) I tell you this not only because I'm proud of my kid but because my ex probably cooked the steak in the picture.
They're Selling Plates Outside Of The Job. Stuffed Burger On Deck
Depending on what it's stuffed with and whether I can add tomato and onion, I'm withholding judgment.
Let's Get The Party Started
That potato salad (?) could be delicious, it's just the presentation that's lacking.
Looks like the party ended horribly and nobody's cleaned up yet!
Bae REALLY went overboard with the pickle juice if that's egg salad. If you're using enough to change the color it's gonna be inedible.
If you’ve finally reached an age where you’ve decided to learn how to cook, that’s wonderful! No matter how hopeless you think you are, you can always improve. And lucky for you, Eater has some tips for absolute beginners that will make the kitchen seem much less intimidating.
First, it’s important to know how to read and pick a recipe. Before choosing what to make for dinner, find a recipe that’s actually possible for someone at your skill level. Don’t pick anything that requires special equipment, hours of your time or complicated techniques. Choose something easy and fail-proof, and read the entire recipe at least once before you begin.
Happy Valentine's Day Everyone. Can't Wait To See You Tonight Bae
Bae Cooked This Sandwich A Little Too Long
Speaking from the experience of my youth, you can scrape a lot of that carbon right off.
I'm Not Even Sure What This Is
I hope that's horseradish, not whipped cream. It's bad enough as it is.
What that is is an act of malicious against all laws of God and man.
You have a weird sense of what dog food looks like
Load More Replies...Another important factor to consider before embarking on a new recipe is when the right time to make it is. I don’t care if the recipe says it will only take 25 minutes. Allot yourself an hour and a half. Especially if you’re a beginner, it may take much longer to chop vegetables, gather and measure ingredients and to get the necessary techniques down. Don’t bake a cake at 10pm unless you can leave it somewhere safe to cool overnight. And if you’re already exhausted after a long day, it’s probably not a great time to try something new.
I Forgot To Post These Yesterday. You Probably Can See Why
I'm not familiar with the type of thing I'm looking at.
Taco Tuesday, Anyone?
No, this is like "Bae just divorced me and took everything" food
Load More Replies...Probably a they had hot dogs but no buns type of thing. And all they had were taco shells.
Those hotdogs might have been cooked on a fork hovering over a gas stove
Bae Hooked Up This German Chocolate Cake
We Germans committed many a ghastly offence toward humanity in our storied history, but in the name of all my countrypeople* I refuse to be held accountable for THAT!! *Except AFD voters/politicians, because eff 'em. Their policies are about as appealing as that cake.
A German chocolate cake was originally made by a guy named German in Texas.
Load More Replies...The irony that German Chocolate cake originated from Dallas, TX in 1957. It is of no German origin.
If you want to start learning how to cook, it’s best to start with some basics. Eater recommends starting out with staples like roasted veggies, a simple stir-fry, greens, rice, beans, stock and soup, pasta and baked goods. Once you start to find the joy in cooking these simple dishes, you might feel inspired to branch out to even more complex recipes!
Straight Up Struggle Meal
Looks like a picky toddler's plate. Some kids just don't want their foods mixed, and some hate melted cheese.
That's exactly what I thought. The only time people cut grapes in half that I know of is when it's for a small child at risk of choking on a whole one.
Load More Replies...This is dumb. Sauté the grape halves. Mix the cheese into the pasta sauce as you heat it. Mix all of it with the pasta. C’mon people…
Poor Chicken
Chicken looks good. The candy corn is a weird topping, but I would just remove it and eat the chicken
Late Night Snack. Thanks Bae
Modern term for "Babe". Means one's sweetheart, male or female. Which one made this culinary travesty, I know not.
Load More Replies...Is this list inspiring you to prepare something extravagant for dinner tonight, pandas? Keep upvoting the pics from cooks that you think deserve jail time, and let us know in the comments below what the worst struggle meal you’ve ever seen was. Then, if you’re interested in checking out even more unappetizing messes, you can find another Bored Panda list featuring the same Instagram account right here!
They Are Selling Plates Outside Of The Job
They can't sell it unless somebody buys it.
Load More Replies...It looks so much better than the garbage I have been 'served' in jail.
Wow it is so much work to open cans. This would make me not want to tip .
I Don't Even Know What This
This is a Puerto Rican meal! Pastele, arroz con gandules, pernil, and macaroni salad ... The only offensive thing here, imo, is that it's all covered in ketchup 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️
Arroz con guandules is yummy! Had it in DR the first time. Still have it occasionally
Load More Replies...Yikes
A girl I worked with tried to make mac and cheese for a potluck. She just mixed up some cooked pasta, shredded cheese from a bag, and some milk. She couldn't understand why it didn't get creamy.
This is more funny than sad, mostly because next time Bae makes it it'll work (assuming Bae is willing to listen to guidance).
Man. What Is This Foolishness?
Stopped using chicken breasts for most chicken dishes because they've become bland, tough and woody. Chicken thighs FTW!
I pre-boil them and then freeze them. When I want chicken sandwiches for a couple of days I thaw one.
Load More Replies...No one can chew those chicken breasts without an extra set of teeth.
Made With Love
This is exactly the kind of love my dog professes to me on my lawn.
Looks like the classic Southern US dish of hamhocks and collard greens, which is actually pretty dang good, but idk what the pale turds are on top... 💀
D**n right it is, especially if those collards are from scratch. (and yes, they're turkey necks.)
Talk About Being Lazy. Omg
Probably will taste better than many other things in this list….
Load More Replies...Fish Friday's Are 🔥🔥
I’d be angry too if you killed me and served me like that.
Load More Replies...WHY DID YOU LEAVE THE HEAD ON YOU PSYCHOPATH NOBODY WANTS THEIR DINNER TO BE LOOKING AT THEM! Let alone like that! *screams and runs out of the room*
I've had food running around or swimming same day served later on my plate. Face and all. This does not phase me. Looks delicious!!!
Sunday Dinner Is Served
I'd eat that, but the lobster and shrimp need garlic butter.
Load More Replies...Shrimp, lobster, biscuit, carrots, and filet of Yog-Sothoth, the Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young. I'm down.
I'm guessing they were trying to make Red Lobster at home. At least they made an effort.
Buffet springs to mind. But it definitely isn't the right word for this abomination.
The Longer You Look, The Worse It Gets
Could be. I see stuffing, ham, macaroni salad, spinach & gravy in the ones on the left & right. But the middle one looks like it has a chicken nugget
Load More Replies...Why Does This Nugget Have A Face On It?
Happy Mothers Day!
This was probably made by a child. There's spinach, potato salad, yams, fries, and I believe, a fish stick. All perfectly edible.
When the fish filet is larger than the bread, you look that gift horse in tge mouth and say thank you.
This would be an OK plate of food for me on a general day (would need hot sauce and tartar sauce for the fish), but not suitable for mom on Mother's Day
Baked Chicken, Red Beans And Rice
If your turds look like that, maybe you should see a mortician.
Load More Replies...That looks yummy!!! Too many spoiled people on here that only eat photoshopped pictures of food and clearly have NEVER been out of their gated communities, much less, out of the country where things are *gasp!!!* different.
Bae Left Me This. No Comment
Title is stupid considering all the packaging and obvious restaurant table.
Compared to other offerings on this list, it's at least edible
Load More Replies...That wouldn't be so bad as a garnish in a bloody Mary. The skewer, I mean, not the eggs and waffle lol.
Bae Is Trying To Do Something Different Today
Canned sardines. I really like them, just not on top of whatever that is
Load More Replies...This Is Candied Potatoes
And is that a slice of crystalized ginger?? Cuz at this point why the heck not
A 10/10 Of What?
I want to say some weird a*s attempt at scalloped potatoes
Load More Replies...This is a Portuguese dish called Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá. It's a casserole of potatoes, cod, olives, onions and olive oil, with sliced hard boiled eggs as garnish. It may not win any beauty contests, but it's fricken delicious!
I Got The Cops On The Phone
Yes this is a crime idd, have no idea what that on the plate is though. 🤔
I think that’s dolma above the rice. And then it looks like cooked okra, possibly sautéed eggplant and red peppers, hummus, and chunky taiztziki sauce, and some kind of meat. Why is this bad?
Load More Replies...From what I can make out it's: some kind of dark (poultry) meat, okra, mashed potatoes, a cucumber salad, risoni, antipasto and dolmades. That's 'fusion' taken to another level.
Some Greek grandma is coming back from the grave to smack you. And just as a personal opinion, okra sucks however you prepare it
The Cold, Wilted Special!! Yummy
This is what your plate looks like when you ask Thanksgiving dinner guests to bring a side dish. Gotta try everything!
First Plate Of The Day
Two big red Things, and a Rice Contraption.
Load More Replies...Dinner's Ready
I went to the link and someone said it's oxtails (which looks right). Now they are pre-cooked put those into a stew and this will be awesome..
Oxtails. Not bad when making soup or broth. But not in this abomination.
Lunch Is Served
I can tell all the folks that have never missed a meal or gone without.
Thanksgiving
I know Thanksgiving's a big US thing, so I'm guessing that this is here because its underwhelming? But, as a meal, I really don't see anything wrong here.
Nothing that wrong here. Although, unlike my Mom... I prefer my peas seperate from my mash but it looks OK.
nothing wrong here. It lloks like a regular thanksgiving meal
Late Night Leftovers. Bae Got Me Right
I know the top right is gravy but I can't look at this and not have my brain jump to "Swansons microwave TV dinner brownie". God, they were terrible. I'd smash a dozen if I had them right now.
We Got Baes Sister This Cake
Half the people I know would find this hilarious. The other half would never speak to you again.
Oh, they added blood to the bandages for realism. How nice of them *pukes*
Don't Quit Your Day Job
Something Is Missing From This Plate
Looks like it needs some seasoning. The contents don't look too bad but the presentation is most unattractive.
I literally stopped reading the post because of all the "bae's" can not stand that (so called) word
I am a meat eater. I even have a stand-alone freezer primarily dedicated to meat. But some of these dishes just make me sad. Animals killed for nothing. I don't mean the awful food that people are still going to eat (I have had a few misses and still ate it), but the things that were intentionally made and are trashed.
What's wrong with food? I could eat almost everything in this post except the burned food. Bit food is food and people should be grateful instead of picky
I need to post pics of my pickle dogs next time i make them. Take a full dill pickle of your brand of choice and cut a shaped cutout out of the center then put heated hotdog inside like a bun and add condiments and enjoy. The mixture of cool and hot is a tastey sensation
I literally stopped reading the post because of all the "bae's" can not stand that (so called) word
I am a meat eater. I even have a stand-alone freezer primarily dedicated to meat. But some of these dishes just make me sad. Animals killed for nothing. I don't mean the awful food that people are still going to eat (I have had a few misses and still ate it), but the things that were intentionally made and are trashed.
What's wrong with food? I could eat almost everything in this post except the burned food. Bit food is food and people should be grateful instead of picky
I need to post pics of my pickle dogs next time i make them. Take a full dill pickle of your brand of choice and cut a shaped cutout out of the center then put heated hotdog inside like a bun and add condiments and enjoy. The mixture of cool and hot is a tastey sensation
