Food is one of those things people might find themselves arguing over. Not because it’s akin to politics, religion and music, but because it’s a matter of taste—quite literal one, in fact.

But sometimes, you have foods that you don’t even need taste buds to understand that it’s just flat out horrible. Either that, or it begs the question of why? And how? And probably many others. Just like it did this time. Except, it was a question for non-Americans about disgusting American food.

#1

Canned things that probably don’t need to be canned.

Looking at you Whole White Potatos in Water.

Image credits: nuclear_cyanide

#2

Sweet Potato Casserole recipe topped with pecans and marshmallows “traditional side at Thanksgiving table”

u/DonSmo replied:
Marshmallows on sweet potatoes is so gross and foreign to me.

Image credits: pixgarden

#3

Mac and cheese where it does not belong. I’m looking at you pizza and burgers.

Image credits: HeyNow646

So, there was an AskReddit question asked of non-Americans about American food. Specifically, food that they thought was disgusting, whether visually, based on taste or didn’t roll well on a conceptual level.

While by Reddit standards the post got a modest amount of upvotes, clocking in at nearly 4,000 upvotes, it generated a conversation of over 6,600 comments, and that’s definitely something.

#4

Spray… cheese??

Image credits: spudboy226

#5

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 there twice. Not that I minded going 😛

Image credits: rekoja3189

#6

Corn syrup everywhere.

u/yugosaki replied:
The prevalence of high fructose corn syrup in EVERYTHING. Unfortunately, being in Canada, it’s bleeding over the border as a lot of products here are manufactured in the USA.

Image credits: Smart_Pumpkin_8928

And, you gotta admit, some food is just flat out eww. No, it doesn’t have to be solely of any nationality. Everyone is guilty of it. With no disrespect to anyone, there ain’t many people who genuinely like haggis or surströmming or vėdarai. And these are honestly some of the milder options in the global cuisine.

#7

I’m sorry but those slices of American cheese have always tasted so fake and plastic to me personally.

Image credits: weyamav220

#8

Ambrosia Salad. Yuck.

Image credits: NerdyMom79

#9

Whatever sick f**k decided we needed to batter and deep fry sticks of butter needs their mental health checked

Image credits: Beneficial_Trainer_5

Now, it’s hard to draw a definitive line of what food is universally considered disgusting. You can argue that anything with excessive amounts of [insert any ingredient here] or an extreme lack thereof could constitute disgust. Others might argue that if it looks like something you’d fish out of the Mariana Trench. And yet others think eating bugs and fire is probably not something you should do in general.

No, it’s mostly subjective, and there’s actually a test for that.

#10

Coffee creamer. It’s wild that’s even a thing. Just pour some milk in there.

Image credits: anon

#11

Sloppy joes. The thing I find least appealing about burgers is when the filling falls off.

Image credits: oogeej

#12

Twinkies. Wtf is it even made of? In my mind it’s just pure sugar

Image credits: Huhu107

In fact, it’s not just necessarily personal experience—like mother forcing us to down fish oil because “it’s good for you” but it has the smell, taste and consistency of used and marinated bathwater—but also cultural.

If you grew up at the seaside, freshly-caught fish and seafood might be commonplace to you. If you were, however, raised vegan from the get-go, you might find raw meat stomach-churning. Maybe you didn’t grow up in a culture that fosters culinary traditions of fermentation and preservation.

#13

When they introduced me to Chicago pizza, something in me died. That should not be called pizza — it’s just a devil fat pie.

Image credits: 2019Loser

#14

The chocolate out there is FOUL.

u/mostlikelynotasnail replied:
Ghirardelli, Guittard, Dove, Scharffen Berger, and hundreds of smaller companies are fine. Pretty much just avoid anything you would find near the register at a grocery store.

u/TomomiimomoT replied:
I tried a big-name American chocolate brand once but couldn’t eat it due to the vomit smell and taste.

Image credits: lcg25

#15

I remember a lime jello tuna salad ring made in a bundt pan by a distant relative. We told her with her work schedule, she shouldn’t bother with bringing food to potlucks.

Image credits: DefrockedWizard1

It’s not to say it can’t be particular, mayhaps even more personal, instances where food left a bitter taste in your mouth. Everyone experiences flavors, dishes, and textures in their own unique way. As such, you just might not like how things taste.

And sometimes it’s even deeper than that, biologically speaking. We have a self-preservation mechanism, after all. Because of this, our brain might not let us enjoy food that might make us ill because it contains uncomfortable levels of bacteria, mold or flat out insects.

#16

American bread. I’m sure you can get good bread somewhere in the US, but the generally available, sugary, long-shelf-life bread is so appalling.

Now, of course, your export of fast-food restaurants has nothing to do with haute cuisine, but any burger would be so much better if at least you used acceptable bread.

Image credits: UhtredTheCold

#17

Ranch dressing. I once had a pizza in America, and it had ranch dressing on it. Ranch dressing doesn’t really exist in Europe, and it’s this weird, salty, fatty, mayo-like sauce — and it certainly does not belong on a pizza…or inside a human body for that matter.

Image credits: No-Vehicle6028

#18

I find biscuits and gravy to be absolutely disgusting.
But I’d like to counterbalance that by adding how delicious cornbread is and why on earth hasn’t it become a staple here in Europe? It’s SO yummy!

Image credits: FifiLaFifi

Heck, neuroatypical people are often sensitive to certain sensory input. Eating food is no exception. Things like vegetables can even trigger this and ruin them forever.

To top it all off, associative experience might also kick in, and if you got dumped while eating at McDonald’s, then that particular thing might just ruin the McDouble with a large coke and fries for you. Or if you got the kids meal, it’s good-bye to Angry Birds.

#19

grits. tried it a few times and I don’t hate it anymore but it’s weird. very weird.

Image credits: dewali5580

#20

Pb&j had me confused for a while but when i took a bite i loved it. Not judging any other non-americans for not trying this because peanutbutter and jelly aren’t put together in most countries outside of america.

Image credits: mastercubez

#21

Twizzlers, they look like plastic. And tv dinners.

Image credits: Neph88

Now, having a heritage or experience that dictates taste, preference, what you have is all fine and dandy. What is not cool, however, is gatekeeping and judging. No doubt, whenever the topic of disgusting foods arises, you’re likely to find folks who go at it in the comments, saying “how can you eat this?” and “you’re disgusting.”

Sure, having the right mind in terms of food—especially if it’s washing and cooking it properly, avoiding cross-contamination and whatnot, but bashing someone for honoring their culture (and maybe genuinely liking rotten salted fish) leaves a bad taste.

#22

Those huge big gulp sodas.

Nobody needs that much soda.

Image credits: anon

#23

Orange circus peanuts. What are they? How do they have so much sugar but taste so horrible? What science experiments created them?

Image credits: me047

#24

Four loko. It’s banned here in Canada and I can understand why.

Image credits: AT1787

Now, much to your delight—or disgust—there’s a Disgusting Food Museum in Malmö, Sweden. It exhibits 80 dishes that are by many considered some of the most disgusting in the world. This includes cuy, roasted guinea pigs from Peru, casu marzu, maggot-infested cheese from Sardinia, hákarl, well-aged shark from Iceland, among all of the other iconic classics.

#25

Apparently foreigners aren’t aware of our truly weird s**t, like chitlins and raccoon. Also, the amount of dishes that involve a can of Campbell’s Cream o’ Something.

Image credits: weyamav220

#26

As an Australian, I would like to know what in the flying firetruck a “Bloomin’ Onion” has to do with anything, let alone the rest of Outback Steakhouse’s menu.

Image credits: weyamav220

#27

My parents are immigrants, they always say the desserts (grocery store cupcakes and stuff) has so much sugar it feels too gritty and uncooked to them.
Also soft baked things, like chewy chocolate chip cookies they thought were weird in the beginning, like the cookie was undercooked. I love soft baked cookies though so I baked them all the time, they’ve come around to liking them haha.

Another one I hear a lot is the food coloring. My mom is often perplexed and grossed out by very saturated unnaturally colored foods. (Usually frosting or candy) She tells me it just LOOKS unhealthy and is unappetizing.

Also, my mom is low key traumatized from twizzlers LOL. She said the first time she saw it she wondered why people were chewing on plastic. She then tried it and said it also tasted like plastic. Haha.

Image credits: DaburuKiruDAYO

The museum takes visitors on a bit of an experience, allowing folks to sample some of the “finer” foods out there—and hopefully providing a vomit bucket because a journalist took an adventure there and had to upchuck multiple times.

Currently, there’s also a temporary dangerous food exhibit that includes meals made from naturally toxic organs, containing chemicals like cyanide and which are naturally dangerous to eat unless you let it cook properly. Nobody wants an octopus to come alive whilst ingesting it.

#28

I’m American. But I have one. I grew up along the “Bible belt” and I’ve always wondered what is up with Americans and putting raisins in places they don’t belong.

Image credits: Great_Lady_Renatta

#29

Americans tend to like their bacon crispier. As a Canadian, I say chewy bacon for the win.

Image credits: AstralCat69420

#30

Minnesota salads. like WTF America! crushed pineapples and marshmallows are not ingredients that belong near a salad.

Image credits: Yalaeinhorn2704

So, what are your thoughts on any of this? What are some of your disgusting food takes? Share your opinions and stories in the comment section below!

And if you feel like grossing yourself out even more, then buon appetit!

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