Food in the U.S. can be super confusing to foreigners. Some dishes Americans love may seem like a strange choice of ingredients or very artificial. Here’s a list of 18 popular American foods that many international guests find odd or unappealing.
Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches
This is a childhood staple that puzzles many non-Americans. Sweet jelly and savory peanut butter is an odd combination, and some find the texture really off-putting. Paste Magazine says it tastes even better with jam instead of jelly. But despite its popularity in the U.S., this sandwich rarely wins over international taste buds.
Root Beer
Americans love this fizzy beverage, but many foreigners compare its taste to medicine. The unique flavor comes from sassafras root or artificial flavoring, which isn’t common in soft drinks in other countries. Visitors even describe it as tasting like mouthwash or toothpaste.
Cheese in a Can
Spray cheese is another strange one for many non-Americans. This convenient snack item is a uniquely American approach to cheese that doesn’t translate well internationally. Foreigners often question its authenticity and nutritional value as the concept of cheese that comes in an aerosol can seems unnatural and processed to excess.
Corn Dogs
Many foreign visitors also find corn dogs really odd. The textures and flavors are strange to those who haven’t experienced typical fair food. International guests also think corn dogs are too heavy and oily and usually prefer hot dogs or sausages instead, which they’re more used to.
Grits
This Southern breakfast staple confuses many non-Americans. Made from ground corn, grits have a unique texture, and the bland taste and mushy consistency don’t help, either, leaving many visitors wondering why it’s so popular. Without proper seasoning, grits can seem flavorless and unappetizing to many.
Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows
Many foreigners find the combination of sweet potatoes and marshmallows bizarre. This Thanksgiving classic combines savory and sweet in a way that seems excessive to non-Americans. The marshmallow topping, in particular, pushes this dish into dessert territory for many international palates, making it an odd choice for a main course side dish.
Biscuits and Gravy
Non-Americans often struggle with this hearty breakfast dish. The thick, creamy gravy poured over soft biscuits can look unappetizing to them, and sometimes, they mistake the biscuits for scones, expecting a sweet taste. This meal’s heavy, rich nature surprises many international visitors who are used to lighter breakfast food.
Twinkies
Due to their long shelf life and artificial ingredients, foreigners often wonder how healthy Twinkies are and think they taste too fake compared to homemade sweets. The soft, spongy cake and very sweet filling taste strange to people used to fresher desserts.
Miracle Whip
This tangy, sweet alternative to mayonnaise confuses many international visitors. Some think it’s too sweet, while others don’t like its artificial taste. People from other countries often use regular mayonnaise, so they’re surprised by how popular Miracle Whip is in American homes.
Ranch Dressing
Americans love to put ranch on everything, but foreigners find this obsession weird. The creamy, herb-filled dressing doesn’t appeal to many international palates. Visitors often think ranch has a strong flavor and is used too much, and they find it really strange that Americans put it on salads and pizzas.
Red Velvet Cake
Red velvet cake’s bright color often shocks visitors from other countries. They think the red color means it’s full of fake ingredients. The cake doesn’t taste as chocolatey as its intense color suggests, which confuses people trying it for the first time. Many foreigners also think red velvet cake is too sweet.
Pumpkin Spice Everything
The American obsession with pumpkin spice, especially in autumn, baffles many international visitors. This flavor combination, featuring cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, appears in everything from lattes to cereal. Foreigners often find this trend excessive and the taste too artificial, preferring pumpkin in more traditional, savory dishes.
Boxed Macaroni and Cheese
This convenience food staple surprises many non-Americans with its popularity. The unnaturally orange color and powdered cheese sauce seem far removed from authentic pasta dishes. Foreigners often find the flavor too artificial and the texture unappealing, preferring freshly made cheese sauces and pasta.
Ambrosia Salad
Visitors from other countries who expect a healthy fruit dish are puzzled by ambrosia salad. It’s made with canned fruit, whipped cream, and marshmallows, making foreigners think it’s more like a dessert than a salad. People from other places usually find ambrosia salad too sweet and think the ingredients don’t go well together.
Chicken Fried Steak
Non-Americans often struggle to understand this dish’s name and composition. The concept of breading and frying a beef steak like chicken seems unnecessary and unhealthy to many. Covered in gravy, this heavy meal surprises international visitors expecting a lighter beef dish.
Fruit Cocktail
Canned fruit cocktail surprises many non-Americans with its syrupy sweetness and mushy texture. The mix of various fruits in heavy syrup doesn’t appeal to those used to fresh produce. Foreigners often question why anyone would choose this over real fruit, finding the flavor artificial and the concept outdated.
Cheeseburger in a Can
Although not widely consumed, the mere existence of canned cheeseburgers shocks many foreigners. This shelf-stable version of an American classic seems unnatural and unappetizing, and the idea of eating a burger from a can challenges notions of freshness and quality.
Bacon-Flavored Everything
The American tendency to add bacon flavor to unlikely foods, from ice cream to vodka, perplexes many non-Americans. While bacon itself is enjoyed worldwide, the extent of bacon-flavored products in the U.S. seems excessive for many. This trend often seems like a joke to international visitors, who prefer bacon in its traditional form.
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