If you search the internet, you’ll find a lot of Americans talking about how strange food from other countries can be. However, I’m not sure we should be making any accusations because there is some pretty crazy food here too. These are some of the weirdest foods we have in the U.S:
25. Chicken-Fried Steak
Photo courtesy of @rfung8 on flickr.com
What it is: Fried steak with lumpy gravy on it.
This food made the list solely because the name is misleading and incorrect. There is no chicken in this dish.
24. Twinkies
GIF by Thomas Sireci
What it is: (Gross) It’s a sponge cake with a cream filling.
I’m not gonna lie. I was overjoyed when this country briefly got rid of the atrocity that is the Twinkie.
23. Tator-Tot Casserole
Photo by Tiare Brown
What it is: Just your run of the mill casserole except it has tater tots, beef and Worcestershire sauce in it.
Have I mentioned America’s general feeling toward the arteries?
22. Spray Cheese
Photo by Steven Depolo
What it is: Chemical cheese.
The act of putting cheese in a can is inherently wrong.
21. Peanuts in Coke
Photo courtesy of stitching under oaks on flickr.com
What it is: Peanuts and coke mixed together.
I refuse to try this one for myself. It’s like someone said “Soda isn’t unhealthy enough. We need to add salt.”
20. Poor Man’s Gravy or Red Eye Gravy
Photo courtesy of Tom Ipri on flickr.com
What it is: Soda in gravy.
Have you ever been eating gravy and thought this could use some soda? Don’t worry the inventor of Poor Man’s Gravy has your back.
19. Southern Fried Rattlesnake
Photo courtesy of Kimberly Vardeman on flickr.com
What it is: Fried rattlesnake.
Do we really need to fry everything here?
18. Garbage Plate
Photo courtesy of RoadFood.com
What it is: Garbage plates are quite intricate. On the base there are fries or home fries. Next there is a layer of macaroni salad and/or baked beans. On top of that is the choice of two: cheeseburgers, hamburgers, red or white hots (hot dogs), Italian sausages, chicken tenders, haddock, fried ham, grilled cheeses, or eggs. And finally on top of all of this are onions, mustard and Nick’s signature hot sauce — which is a spicy ground meat sauce.
I’m pretty biased on this one because garbage plates were invented in my hometown so personally I don’t find them weird.
17. Frito Pie
Photo by Steven Labinski
What it is: It’s basically Fritos and chili.
I’m just trying to wrap my head around the fact that people willingly eat this.
16. Fried Chicken Gizzards
Photo courtesy of Ron Dollete on flickr.com
What it is: Gizzards are a part of the stomach in some animals that help to further break down digested food. Personally, I am not a fan.
Foods like this must be stopped at all cost.
15. KFC’s Double Down
Photo courtesy of Michael Saechang on flickr.com
What it is: Cheese and bacon in between two pieces of chicken AKA fat on sodium on fat on sodium.
Wikipedia refers to it as a “pseudo-sandwich” and I can’t say I disagree.
14. McRib
Photo courtesy of @Ruocaled on flickr.com
What it is: A saucy riblet on a bun with pickles and onion.
If you ask me, this is one of the worst food-related things to happen to the U.S.
13. Pickled Pig Feet
Photo courtesy of John on flickr.com
What it is: Pigs feet that have been soaked in brine.
Who did this????
12. Burgoo
Photo courtesy of wikipedia.com
What it is: While some people make it differently, a traditional burgoo can have squirrel, possum, game bird, raccoon or venison in it.
I think I’d actually try this one.
11. Reindeer Hot Dogs
Photo courtesy of Wally Gobetz on flickr.com
What it is: A hot dog made out of reindeer meat.
This makes me think of Christmas in the worst possible way.
10. Deep-Fried Butter
Photo by Irvin Mai
What it is: butter covered in breading and then deep-fried.
We hate ourselves…and our arteries.
9. Panhaas or Scrapples
Photo courtesy of Sharon on flickr.com
What it is: Pork scraps and trimmings, cornmeal and flour, which is then loafed, sliced and pan-fried to make this basically fried meatloaf.
I’m amazed that this actually has a food holiday.
8. Donut Burger
Photo courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org
What it is: A burger with a donut bun, usually glazed.
The combination of excessive amounts of sugar and grease makes this is the most aggressively American food I’ve ever seen.
7. Pickled Turkey Gizzards
Photo courtesy of theladysrevenge on flickr.com
What it is: Turkey gizzards soaked in brine.
I’m officially starting the #StopGizzards2016 campaign and the first one on the list will be pickled turkey gizzards.
6. Spam
Photo by Mike Mozart
What it is: Canned meat.
It’s like bologna but worse on every level. It’s also the weirdest food I’ve ever encountered.
5. Rocky Mountain Oysters
Photo courtesy of Wally Gobetz on flickr.com
What it is: Bull, sheep or pig testicles.
It’s all fun and games until you find out that you’re eating an animal’s testicles.
4. Chitterlings or Chitlins
Photo courtesy of HumanitiesWritLarge on flickr.com
What it is: Chitlins are fried pig intestines and yes they smell as bad as you imagine intestines smelling.
This is the grossest food I have ever had the misfortune of encountering.
3. Turducken
Photo by Dan Walsh
What it is: It’s chicken put into a duck, which is then put into a turkey.
I’m shocked that this was invented at all but completely unphased by the fact that it was in America.
2. Koolickles
Photo courtesy of I believe I can fry on flickr.com
What it is: Pickles soaked in Kool-aid.
Just thinking about the possibility of Kool-aid and pickles being combined makes me ill.
1. Jell-O Salad
Photo courtesy of @amy_buthod on flickr.com
What it is: Jell-O with various types of salad in it. The worst one was macaroni salad.
I don’t want to live in a country that thinks this is edible. *Packs bags.*
Go try these foods and see how weird they really are. But please don’t eat any Jell-O salads.