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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.
This post may include affiliate links.
#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.
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#2
Sweet potato and marshmallow casserole. What the actual f**k?
#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.
#4
Aerosol Cheese. Seriously America, what the f**k?
#5
Hersheys chocolate. Honestly tastes like the smell of vomit.
Dave Van Beurden 1 year ago
Well, it does. it has Butyric acid in it (it was added to make the milk last longer in the olden days), and vomit also has butyric acid. Dairy farms in Europe were closer to the chocolate factories, so there it was not needed. And now they just keep it in as Americans are used to the taste.
Andreas Deml 1 year ago
That americans are used to the taste of vomit explaines a loooot!
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Laura Kaye 1 year ago
Yeah I hate Hershey. Tastes like dung. It sucks that American Cadbury is made with Hershey Chocolate since British Cadbury is sooo good
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Rens 1 year ago
And once you've tried chocolate from Germany Belgium or the Netherlands you will wonder why you ever thought that Cadbury's was good x
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Miss_H84 1 year ago
So I'm the only one who likes Hersheys chocolate? It's not my favourite but I buy it quite often.
Jef Bateman 1 year ago
I love Hershey's. I like European chocolate, too, but the unique subtle sourness of Hershey's is special. I think it's funny that if European food tastes off or Asian food tastes rotten (kimchi - I'm looking at you), then people encourage you cultivate your tastes so you can enjoy these foods with a more sophisticated palate. On the other hand, if American food has a strange taste that takes a while to get used to, then you are a churlish rube for thinking that it's good. (PS--I love kimchi. It was just surprising at first.)
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Maureen Rouse 1 year ago
It may or may not...It isn't in my hand long enough for me to smell it!
Silre 1 year ago
I don't know where people are getting this idea that Hersheys smells like vomit. HerSHEys is amazing and im going to have some right now.
Pamela Blue 1 year ago
That's because it's what you are used to so you think it's just fine.
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Someone Important 1 year ago
It's still way better that the cheap to mid range chocolate in Europe.....at least Hershey's tastes like chocolate.
Talitha Jansen 1 year ago
It tastes like butter with cocao powder. It doesn't taste like chocolate to me, but I'm spoiled with really good Dutch and Belgian chocolate.
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margaret carradus 10 months ago
I was once bought some as a gift. It remained in my desk with one square taken out for years. Urgh!
Ourania Walker 1 year ago
US citizen, there are way too many way better chocolates to choose from then to settle for Hershey.
POLITIMICOST 1 year ago
plus, American chocolate pretty much sucks compared to European. And now that we know about the lead and cadmium in dark chocolate......nope
DragonflyGreen 1 year ago
This I don't get. I think it's amazing. Guess ai never tasted real chocolate.
Natalia Allen 1 year ago
I have never tried this before and thanks to that description ingrained in my mind I likely never will....
Marianne Reynolds 1 year ago
I am American and like several popular American chocolate candy bars,, but regular Hershey bars have always tasted nasty to me.
Marianne Reynolds 1 year ago
I am American, and there are several popular American chocolate candies I like, but regular Hershey bars have always tasted awful to me.
Shannon McGill 1 year ago
I have never thought this. Although Cadbury produces a more delicious product, for the price Hershey is a fine alternative. I would eat it every day if I could find it where I live now.
Pamela Blue 1 year ago
Agreed. Americans who think Hershey is good chocolate haven't tasted GOOD chocolate. Hershey's is disgusting (made using Butyric Acid=vomit) and, as Dave said, Americans are used to it, so they don't notice. The rest of us who eat real chocolate can really tell the difference.
Thomas Hunt, Jr. 1 year ago
Been hooked on Russian chocolate since 96 after a student exchange program....haven't touched Hershey's since.
EarthGrowl 1 year ago
My pet rats go nuts over a piece of Hershey bar. If one is hiding and they hear that wrapper crinkle they will come running. They would try to live of Hershey if I let them. It works great for a training treat.
William Teach 1 year ago
It's not that bad, but, it's not good. I buy bars from Lidl, they are fantastic
DonnerDinnerParty 1 year ago
I am an American and good lort, Hersheys chocolate is disgusting! Any of their chocolate bars and also their liquid chocolate (for chocolate milk or ice cream topping) is so foul 🤢🤢🤮
Chantal Guyatt 1 year ago
Hershey's is awful. I find Dave Van Beurden's comment fascinating; I did not know that but boy does that make a lot of sense. Cadbury and Lindt are far superior for mass -produced, mainstream chocolate.
Mary Kelly 1 year ago
hersheys chocolate IS vile...unless, of course, it's wrapped around reese's peanut butter...and then it is a thing of beauty....good chocolate just doesn't play as well with the peanut butter
#6
Processed cheese. There are so many lovely actual cheese, why eat s***ty fake stuff?
#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.
#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.
#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.
Tahar Taggle 1 year ago
Lobster is a bit less fancy in north America than in Europe. Until last century, it was deemed a poor man's meal, because it was abundant along the east coast and not very healthy (due to poor understanding on how to preserve and cook it). That's why it has been kept in informal recipes like lobster sandwich or the above.
#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.
#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.
Fora Nakit 1 year ago
Mac & Cheese is so easy to make from scratch, I could never understand why to buy it as a premade meal made with dubious powder that you need to cook the same amount of time as the original dish.
#14
Not the food but the sheer size of the soft drinks is off putting and I'm from Canada.
#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.
#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?
Brittania Kelli 1 year ago
It's like porridge but made with cornmeal. Very cheap and was a staple food fed to African slaves.
#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.
#18
Ranch dressing. Why don't you people want to taste the actual salad you're eating?
#19
Mayonnaise on everything but French fries — use butter you savages.
#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.
#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.
Brittania Kelli 1 year ago
Many foreign visitors aren't aware of the doggy bag. It is completely common place to not finish your meal and ask the restaurant to box the leftovers for you to take home. When I visit family in the states one restaurant meal is really 2-3 meals.
#22
I had a friend who would get physically sick at any mention of Hamburger Helper.
As an American, I think he's nuts.
Heather Resatz 1 year ago
This stuff looks exactly the same going in as coming out! Pure grossness
#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.
morticia_b85 1 year ago
Yeah, American chocolate has an acid added to it that is also found in vomit. Not even joking.
#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.
#25
Pop tarts, or God forbid microwaving your water when you have a cup of tea
#26
Anything sandwiched between donuts or assembled and then fried to finish.
Kathryn Baylis 1 year ago (edited)
Luckily, Fair/Boardwalk Food isn’t a staple of anyone’s diet. It’s just a treat you have when you go to the State Fair or the beach.
#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.
Auntriarch 1 year ago
I don't know a country that doesn't have all you can eat buffets. Including Germany
#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.
Emily Ward 1 year ago
Try the green bean casserole. You will change your mind. The others can be iffy
#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.
Greenmantle 1 year ago
I have an American friend who complains that Australian's don't add sugar to whipped cream.
#30
Pumpkin Spice Latte. It was just like REALLY sweet coffee, I didn't get the craze.
#31
Granola as a "healthy" breakfast option. It's basically a dessert.
#32
Those coated hot dogs on sticks. I've seen them in movies, they look really weird.
Brittania Kelli 1 year ago
Corn dog. A hot dog covered in batter made with cornmeal, but thick so it's almost like corn bread. The UK batters sausages in greasy chip shop batter, the US batters hot dogs in a savoury/sweet corn batter and puts it on a stick.
#33
Multiple Europeans I've met have been baffled by the popularity of root beer in America. As they say, it tastes like medicine.
Brittania Kelli 1 year ago
They've clearly never tried the British Dandelion and Burdock soda. Tastes like some poisonous potion concocted in the 1800's by a group of hedge witches. Vile.
#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.
Moomin from Denmark 1 year ago
Cheddar or parmesan on popcorn - smells like baby-sh1t and dirty feet - but tastes absolutely won-der-ful!!!
#35
My japanese roommate screamed when she saw me eating carrots & celery dipped in peanut butter
What do you think ?
Christos Arvanitis 1 year ago
Here we go again. There are a lot of ridiculous foods in the US. There are a lot of amazing foods in the US. If you feed yourself here only by going to gas stations, fast food joints, country fairs, Walmart and Aunt Millie's for dinner, this is what you'll see FFS. The generalizations are just dumb.
Jo March's Red Fox 1 year ago
Ah yes. The BP "how to bash Americans today" post. Can we at least get something NEW?
Eastendbird 1 year ago
Agree. Not an American but I am a bit fed up of all the "Look, Americans are weird and awful" lists on BP.
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Genesis Angel 1 year ago (edited)
American here and I hate nearly all of the foods listed. Too much sugar. Too much grease. Too many artificial colors and so forth. The three things I am guilty about are the applesauce, mint flavored things, and rootbeer.
Cerridwn d'Wyse 1 year ago
I miss real root beer. Can't stand the stuff they make today
Load More Replies... Rocco MZ 1 year ago
I'm so tired of these anti American lists. Most fellow Americans I know don't indulge in most of this c**p. It's just a bunch of snobbish people trying to make themselves look better than us. You just sound stupid. And way to buy into stereotypes. I'm sure ever country has it's fair share of s****y food. I would just never think to post a list of everything I hate about another country. Get over yourselves and find something else to talk about. And I bet the people on this list are the shittiest tourists ever.
Beruthiel45 1 year ago (edited)
And Brits are evil colonising slavers with appalling cuisine and terrible teeth. Welcome to the "this country sucks" club.☹️
Load More Replies... Nitka Tsar 1 year ago
What a bummer. At first I thought it was something about Non USA for a change
Zedrapazia 1 year ago
A friend of mine went to the US for business reasons like two years ago, and she said the servings you'd get in a restaurant were so big that she could split one plate with her assistant and they'd both be full.
Genesis Angel 1 year ago (edited)
The original idea was to get your money's worth and have enough for a meal there and then one to take home to eat later. However, in this day and age people just eat it all. Part of the reason why most americans (me included) are all shaped like spheres.
Load More Replies... Donkeywheel 1 year ago
Cute, but that’s not meant to cover and justify junk food.
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Tugg Ster 1 year ago
I can definitely appreciate that some American foods seem strange to visitors from other countries.... but that definitely goes both ways... I have traveled abroad quite a bit and can say with earnest people are eating some weird and nasty sh** in other regions of the globe! I guess it's all just what your used to. Italy is the best though. Can never go wrong with Italian food :-)
PolymathNecromancer 1 year ago
But never forget that tomatoes are indigenous to the Americas
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Upstaged75 1 year ago
This topic is SOOOOOOOOO old and been done ad nauseum. Can we make fun of English and Irish food now?
Leo Domitrix 1 year ago
There are ridiculous foods everywhere. Also gross ones. Humans, y'know? So how about "ridiculous foods of the world"? I'll start: Kinder Surprise/Eggs. Plsatic inside chocolate.... And I can't recall where, but in one country you can get a sheep head (or is it a goat?) as a take-out food. Soooo.... what's ridiculous to one is normal to another.
Rick Seiden 1 year ago
I love root beer. My sister wants to puke at the smell of it. Hard root beer was a disappointment, as it really did taste like NiteQuil.
Kenny Kulbiski 1 year ago
I like just about everything on this post , except maybe granola. If you don't like it don't eat it. And shut the f**k up.
tabithapaquette98 1 year ago
Please stop picking on the US. I have only been on bored panda for about a month. And in that time, I have seen at 5-7 post about us that are far from flattering. And I've never seen any other country besides US! Wtf?
Mimi M 1 year ago
Ha - welcome to BP. It's frustrating and we try to ignore it, but it def seems they don't care. But the other posts are nice enough that we come back anyway. I wish there was another site that had nice posts without all the bashing.
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Molly Whuppie 1 year ago
The one that I never understand is Cool Whip, which seems to be in a lot of US recipes that I come across. What even is that? The main ingredients seem to be water, oil and corn syrup. Doesn't sound tasty.
tabithapaquette98 1 year ago
Oh, it's good. On ice cream, pies, cake even cookies.
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Hanna 1 year ago (edited)
The thing with this "food" is that's not even food for me. But I'd like to belive it's just things you may get in shops and when you hungry, you simply cooking/buying healthy meal. Deep fried food is good, but maybe once a month? Same with pizza/hamburger. Or anything that contains unhealthy amounts of salt, sugar or fat. But... I live in the middle of Europe and my national cuisine is also gross. I barely ever eat anything of that. It's full of fat and carbs. Also chocolate in my country is bad, too. I buy german chocolate, waaaay better.
Christos Arvanitis 1 year ago
Here we go again. There are a lot of ridiculous foods in the US. There are a lot of amazing foods in the US. If you feed yourself here only by going to gas stations, fast food joints, country fairs, Walmart and Aunt Millie's for dinner, this is what you'll see FFS. The generalizations are just dumb.
Jo March's Red Fox 1 year ago
Ah yes. The BP "how to bash Americans today" post. Can we at least get something NEW?
Eastendbird 1 year ago
Agree. Not an American but I am a bit fed up of all the "Look, Americans are weird and awful" lists on BP.
Load More Replies... Genesis Angel 1 year ago (edited)
American here and I hate nearly all of the foods listed. Too much sugar. Too much grease. Too many artificial colors and so forth. The three things I am guilty about are the applesauce, mint flavored things, and rootbeer.
Cerridwn d'Wyse 1 year ago
I miss real root beer. Can't stand the stuff they make today
Load More Replies... Rocco MZ 1 year ago
I'm so tired of these anti American lists. Most fellow Americans I know don't indulge in most of this c**p. It's just a bunch of snobbish people trying to make themselves look better than us. You just sound stupid. And way to buy into stereotypes. I'm sure ever country has it's fair share of s****y food. I would just never think to post a list of everything I hate about another country. Get over yourselves and find something else to talk about. And I bet the people on this list are the shittiest tourists ever.
Beruthiel45 1 year ago (edited)
And Brits are evil colonising slavers with appalling cuisine and terrible teeth. Welcome to the "this country sucks" club.☹️
Load More Replies... Nitka Tsar 1 year ago
What a bummer. At first I thought it was something about Non USA for a change
Zedrapazia 1 year ago
A friend of mine went to the US for business reasons like two years ago, and she said the servings you'd get in a restaurant were so big that she could split one plate with her assistant and they'd both be full.
Genesis Angel 1 year ago (edited)
The original idea was to get your money's worth and have enough for a meal there and then one to take home to eat later. However, in this day and age people just eat it all. Part of the reason why most americans (me included) are all shaped like spheres.
Load More Replies... Donkeywheel 1 year ago
Cute, but that’s not meant to cover and justify junk food.
Load More Replies... Tugg Ster 1 year ago
I can definitely appreciate that some American foods seem strange to visitors from other countries.... but that definitely goes both ways... I have traveled abroad quite a bit and can say with earnest people are eating some weird and nasty sh** in other regions of the globe! I guess it's all just what your used to. Italy is the best though. Can never go wrong with Italian food :-)
PolymathNecromancer 1 year ago
But never forget that tomatoes are indigenous to the Americas
Load More Replies... Upstaged75 1 year ago
This topic is SOOOOOOOOO old and been done ad nauseum. Can we make fun of English and Irish food now?
Leo Domitrix 1 year ago
There are ridiculous foods everywhere. Also gross ones. Humans, y'know? So how about "ridiculous foods of the world"? I'll start: Kinder Surprise/Eggs. Plsatic inside chocolate.... And I can't recall where, but in one country you can get a sheep head (or is it a goat?) as a take-out food. Soooo.... what's ridiculous to one is normal to another.
Rick Seiden 1 year ago
I love root beer. My sister wants to puke at the smell of it. Hard root beer was a disappointment, as it really did taste like NiteQuil.
Kenny Kulbiski 1 year ago
I like just about everything on this post , except maybe granola. If you don't like it don't eat it. And shut the f**k up.
tabithapaquette98 1 year ago
Please stop picking on the US. I have only been on bored panda for about a month. And in that time, I have seen at 5-7 post about us that are far from flattering. And I've never seen any other country besides US! Wtf?
Mimi M 1 year ago
Ha - welcome to BP. It's frustrating and we try to ignore it, but it def seems they don't care. But the other posts are nice enough that we come back anyway. I wish there was another site that had nice posts without all the bashing.
Load More Replies... Molly Whuppie 1 year ago
The one that I never understand is Cool Whip, which seems to be in a lot of US recipes that I come across. What even is that? The main ingredients seem to be water, oil and corn syrup. Doesn't sound tasty.
tabithapaquette98 1 year ago
Oh, it's good. On ice cream, pies, cake even cookies.
Load More Replies... Hanna 1 year ago (edited)
The thing with this "food" is that's not even food for me. But I'd like to belive it's just things you may get in shops and when you hungry, you simply cooking/buying healthy meal. Deep fried food is good, but maybe once a month? Same with pizza/hamburger. Or anything that contains unhealthy amounts of salt, sugar or fat. But... I live in the middle of Europe and my national cuisine is also gross. I barely ever eat anything of that. It's full of fat and carbs. Also chocolate in my country is bad, too. I buy german chocolate, waaaay better.
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