We all have our food preferences: ketchup versus mustard, creamy or chunky peanut butter (if you like chunky, I don’t like you), coffee as opposed to tea, whole wheat against white bread, etc. These debates will never end, as everyone is entitled to their own opinions and likings which form a person’s eating routine.
And then there are some eaters who have the strangest habits of all — the ones that can never fall under any category or “normal” food decision, making all others question how the hell they can enjoy what they put in their mouth or how they even manage to do so.
I asked some fellow Spoon members to share their unusual eating behaviors, and then handpicked the strangest, most obscure, and completely unexplainable food habits. Here are the top 13 for your enjoyment.
1. Ketchup/Mustard as Salad Dressing
Photo by Xinwei Zeng
I’ve used salsa before as a salad dressing replacement, but never any other condiments. That’s actually false — I’ve made salad before using some Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce as dressing. But I do love Heinz and spicy brown mustard, so I would definitely be willing to try these two out. I mean, salad dressings are basically condiments too, right?
2. Dipping Potato Chips in Mustard/Mayo
Photo by Brandon Guild
If this was “dipping potato chips in ranch,” I wouldn’t be surprised at all, because everything can be dipped in ranch. But using mustard or mayo? I mean, pretzels are phenomenal in mustard — but potato chips? And I guess mayo is a universal condiment… and putting potato chips on a sub (with mayo) is delicious… so we may be on to something here.
3. Orange Juice in Cereal
Photo by Courtney Hatfield
Okay, we’ve all thought about it — using orange juice instead of milk is the classic hypothetical combination that we all joke about but never actually try. Maybe it’s time to actually give it a chance. I mean, I bet orange juice goes great with fruity cereal. Is this the gateway to pairing cereal with other drinks, too?
4. Only Apple Jelly in PB&J Sandwiches….
Photo by Lauren Farfel
I guess it’s kind of weird to only use apple jelly. I mean, apple jelly is great and all, but refusing to eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with another kind of jelly is a little strange, but I guess it’s not too unordinary.
…or Sprinkles When There’s No Apple Jelly
Photo by Susanna Tuan
Okay, yeah, there it is. First of all, props to this person for even thinking of using sprinkles to replace jelly on a sandwich. Second, this idea isn’t bad at all, because peanut butter tastes amazing with everything so there’s virtually no risk here. Definitely going to try this one.
5. Honey on Chipotle
Photo by Molly Krohe
Weird food habit? Maybe. It’s definitely out of the ordinary, but this could also be one of the best ideas I’ve ever heard. Uh-huh, honey.
6. Having to Sip Water Between Every Bite
Photo courtesy of minnpost.com
Every. Bite. Imagine that. Imagine how long a meal would take. Does the flavor just get washed down? What if you’re already eating soup or watery fruits? I’m definitely not judging this person, I’m just having a hard time imagining a life without inhaling an entire meal within 45 seconds.
7. Eating Tomatoes Like Apples
Photo by Lynden Orr
Nothing like a big, red, juicy tomato on a hot summer day, am I right? So refreshing!
8. Sweet Potatoes and Curry Ketchup
Photo by Kristen Yang
Don’t knock it until you try it, right? I’m a huge sweet potato fan and supporter, so I would already be willing to give it a try. But curry ketchup? I’ve never even heard of it. The combination of curry and ketchup could be a weird habit on its own, so I’m not so sure about adding a sweet potato to the mix.
9. French Fries Dipped in Strawberry Applesauce
Photo by Abby Wang
Aside from the fact that applesauce isn’t the first dipping sauce for french fries that comes to mind, how is strawberry applesauce even a thing? I’m intrigued by this combination, and even more fascinated by the fact that someone not only knows about strawberry applesauce, but thought of pairing it with french fries.
10. Applesauce and Popcorn
Photo by Kendra Valkema
So apparently applesauce is a good dip for anything. Granted, popcorn on its own is pretty bland and takes up the taste of whatever is put on it, but this person must really love applesauce.
11. Eating Tums as a Snack
Photo courtesy of @shmandersauce on Instagram.com
This habit actually belongs to a personal friend of mine. He’s a very picky eater and claims that when he’s hungry and there’s nothing to eat in the house, he’ll pop a few Tums and snack on those. Those antacids sure do hit the spot.
12. Eating the Middle of a Bagel Before the Outside
Photo by Ashley Hamati
I couldn’t make this list without adding a habit of my own, so here it is: if I am ever eating a bagel without any cream cheese or butter or meat or anything else on it, I always peel off the outside crust and expose the “fluffy” dough in the middle first.
I eat the dough bit by bit, and then save the crunchy outside remains (which are usually covered in seeds because everything bagels are the best) for the end. It’s a tedious processes, but it is so worth it — definitely the best way to appreciate a good bagel.
13. Eating Dry Protein Powder
Photo by Malia Budd
No milk, no water, and nothing to justify the act of eating straight up powder. I mean, you gotta get your protein in somehow, and ain’t nobody got time to mix it with a liquid of choice. Oh yeah, this habit may or may not belong to me, too.
Whether you agree with these habits, want to try them out, or are completely appalled, there’s no denying the fact that food combinations are endless — and they all must be explored.