This concoction sounds awful from the get-go. But it became somewhat of a cult classic after a 2012 New York Times article. The peanut butter and pickle sandwich isn’t some new-fangled nonsense. It wasn’t mainstream either, for obvious reasons.
But many grandmothers who lived through the Great Depression ate peanut butter and relish. So, in theory, sweet peanut butter and sour pickle could be a good combination. But it is decidedly not for P.B. & J purists or the less adventurous among us.
"P.B. & Cheese" Does Have a Nice Ring to It
A peanut butter and cheese sandwich sounds like a signature college dorm dish. But it doesn't sound that bad if you think about it. Gooey cheese? What's not to love? Peanut butter? Delicious. Put the two together, and there's potential for magic.
What could make or break the dish? The kind of cheese and peanut butter used. The classic P.B. & J can be a bit more on the sweet side. Please don't come at us.
Sweet Like Strawberry Summers
We know what you're thinking. So what? Why would you go and ruin a classic? Trust us. Strawberries with sour cream and brown sugar are a revelation — the dessert you didn't know you needed. Fresh, juicy strawberries, tangy cream, and soft brown sugar.
Perfection! These aren't chocolate-coated strawberries, where you need to do everything beforehand. It's more like a rustic, less elaborate fondue. The key is to use small strawberries and roll them around lightly in sour cream and sugar. Eat immediately!
When Someone Insists on Being a Tart
This concoction sounds awful from the get-go. But it became somewhat of a cult classic after a 2012 New York Times article. The peanut butter and pickle sandwich isn't some new-fangled nonsense. It wasn't mainstream either, for obvious reasons.
But many grandmothers who lived through the Great Depression ate peanut butter and relish. So, in theory, sweet peanut butter and sour pickle could be a good combination. But it is decidedly not for P.B. & J purists or the less adventurous among us.
Let's Shake Things Up a Little Bit
Ask someone who's ever fasted during Ramadan, and they might tell you that breakfast is usually dates and a glass of 7-Up and milk! Sure, soda and milk might seem an unholy combination, but don't knock it till you try it.
In countries such as Pakistan, doodh-soda (or milk soda) is a thing – both at home and in the markets where dairy bars serve up gallons of it during Iftar. It is allegedly a refreshing fizzy drink, even better than lassi. We will take people's word for it, but we aren't sure if we have the stomach to try.
Nan May Not Know Best
Pork and apple taste incredible, and so does duck with orange. By that logic, strawberries and cold meat should go well together, too. So, why does it sound so wrong? The fruit usually pairs well with savory stuff like vinegar or cheese.
We're not sold on pairing it with meat, however. This one is a dish we might try on a whim, but we don't see ourselves going back to it.
Spice Up Your Life, Boys and Girls!
Ice cream and hot sauce. Gross or insanely good? Depending on the kind of sauce and how you combine the flavors, it could go either way. Some people use chili as an ingredient while making ice cream. Others prefer drizzling hot sauce over ice cream.
The latter might be the way to go if you're starting. Fruit-based hot sauces taste excellent on ice cream. However, if you're sick of standard ice cream flavors and need to spice things up, this one's worth a try.
A Salad That's Not Rotten to the Core
We don't see anything wrong with this combination. Crunchy apples in tuna salad sound delicious. But it depends largely on what else goes into the salad and, of course, the dressing. A light dressing with mustard, low-fat yogurt, and honey would bring everything together beautifully.
Perhaps you could add a little lettuce or onion. Since the apples make everything fresh and crunchy, there's no need to go overboard with the vegetables.
Our Ancestors Are Judging Us
Our first instinct was to run away. Still, it turns out that grape jelly in a sandwich isn't completely unnatural. In 2020, a deli in New Jersey went so far as to craft a special sandwich with bacon, egg, cheese, and grape jelly.
Besides, a lot of other people do it. The sweetness of the grapes supposedly pairs well with the savory flavors. Of course, combining sweet and salty isn't new. But this sounds like sandwich sacrilege.
Look, It's an Abominable Sandwich!
Someone has too much time on their hands. Did we flinch when they came for the classic P.B. & J? Okay, maybe we did a little. Even then, we embraced new flavors and combinations in the interest of keeping an open mind.
But it's too soon to mess with the avocado toast. It's quite the new low. Nothing about this makes sense. These ingredients are beautiful on their own. They do not belong together.
Toss This in the Pile of Bad Things
Are there any Doctor Who fans in the house? In the show, the 11th Doctor relished a dish of Fish Custard after his regeneration. As such, the dish has a special meaning for the fandom.
But it might be best for this oddity to remain in the Dr. Who universe. Fish with custard is a bizarre combination, even for the English. We think the only way this would be palatable is a total re-imagination of the dish.
Is Aggressive Facepalming Still a Thing?
Here's how you make a banana and tuna sandwich. First, take a banana or two and slice it into bite-sized pieces. Next, eat the banana slices. Finally, go ahead and make a tuna sandwich. We're all for experimentation, but banana and tuna?
The thought makes us shudder. Tuna and bananas have solid and distinct flavors as it is. This sandwich doesn't work anyway we see it – texture or taste. Can you imagine the unholy stench?
Maverick Genius or Just Plain Mad?
Is it pasta? Is it a sandwich? No, it's just today's edition of "why do people do this?" Just because you CAN make a macaroni and cheese sandwich doesn't mean you have to.
A bologna sandwich is a bomb; few things are as comforting as macaroni and cheese. So why take two perfect dishes and completely ruin everything? Macaroni does nothing for a sandwich – no texture, crunch, or flavor. Just double the carbs.
Butter on Everything, Please!
Don't go by appearances for this one. Terrible picture aside, butter on Graham crackers is a seriously underrated snack. It's delicious and inexpensive, and anyone can whip it up.
While at it, try slathering butter on Marie Biscuits — better known as Goya Foods in the United States. The buttery biscuits go best with a cup of lemon tea or coffee on a rainy evening — the perfect indulgent pick-me-up.
Would You Pine for This?
Cottage cheese with pineapple is an excellent combination. It's not as wild or unusual as it seems at first glance. The combination of sweet pineapple and creamy cottage cheese works well.
It makes a perfect salad for lunch or a low-calorie breakfast staple. If you feel the dish needs extra zing, chopped jalapenos will do the trick. A dash of cayenne pepper, chili flakes, or paprika would work just as well.
Fusion Food Like Never Before
When you combine two of the healthiest cuisines in the world, the results are bound to be magical. We love the idea of a sushi roll with Mediterranean flavors. Seaweed, olive, and feta cheese — why have we not thought of this before?
It's a rare but inspired snack, bite-sized, healthy, and full of flavor — better than reaching for an unhealthy pack of crisps or a candy bar. This snack is worth a try.
An Inside Out Upside-Down Sandwich
People add chips to a sandwich all the time. It's the same concept, only flipped inside out. But the pairing makes sense if the taco shell enhances the tuna sandwich, giving it more taste and texture.
Unfortunately, the taco shell doesn't work as a bread replacement. While the idea behind this sandwich is solid, the execution is terrible. Biting into it could get incredibly messy and a bit confusing for the senses.
Show Me the Honey!
The hot honey on pizza rage began in the early 2000s, thanks to a guy named Mike Kurtz. Kurtz first discovered hot honey on pizza during a trip to Brazil. Then, he began experimenting with recipes back home.
Kurtz later apprenticed at Brooklyn pizzeria "Paulie Gee's," where the owner loved Kurtz's recipe for hot honey. The result? Paulie Gee's signature pie – the Hell Boy. Since then, hot honey on pizza has become a national phenomenon, featuring in home kitchens and the best pizzerias in the country.
Rice Is Nice, But Maybe Don't Throw This My Way
Chefs and food purists, you'd best skip this one. If most of us can relish buttered noodles, buttered rice with cheese and soy sauce could be a level-up.
The flavors in the dish pair well together, provided the quantities are correct. However, we're not so sure about the overall texture of this dish. Nevertheless, it could still make for a hearty meal, especially if you're a broke college student.
Genius or Gross? You Decide
Love or hate it, a slice of cheese on apple pie has a long history in the United States. Cheddar on apple pie is a culinary tradition dating back to the early 1800s.
Sharp cheese contrasts the sweetness of the apples — an unusual, delicious twist to an iconic dessert. Along with a buttery, flaky crust, the interplay of flavors is brilliant. Things to remember: the key is in balancing out the flavors. Don't go overboard with the cheese!
Say Double Cheese
There's no reason why the dish shouldn't work. It's a spin on the classic mac and cheese, only elevated with extra flavor and texture. More cheesy goodness in our mac and cheese? Yes, please! Who would have a problem with that?
Cheezits taste even better when baked into the dish until slightly crispy. The result is mac and cheese packed with flavor and extra bite. Add some onions, shredded chicken, or green veggies to make the meal more wholesome.
Salty Cereal, Anyone?
We know some Himalayan countries enjoy a cup of salty butter tea – which, it turns out, is a delicious beverage. So, Cheez-Its and milk don't sound insane – a bit like savory cereal.
But, unlike cereal, Cheez-Its could get soggy faster and ruin the overall appeal of the dish. That said, this is a weird combination. Perhaps it's worth a try when you're feeling experimental but not one of those dishes you'd go back to often.
The Snack You Didn't Know You Needed
Hear us out before you leave. Hot Cheetos with creamy hummus is a cracker dish! Visualize the crunchiness of the Cheetos with the smoothness of the dip — the finest example of balance and harmony.
The key is in selecting a hummus and Cheetos pairing that works. Forget the flavored hummus this time. Peri Peri or beetroot hummus won't work here. Instead, opt for classic, creamy hummus with Spicy Cheetos for a party in the mouth.
Nutella Makes Everything Good
Nutella pastry puffs exist. Cheese puffs dipped in Nutella are almost the same thing. Almost. This could be the perfect snack for some of us with questionable baking skills — a delicious pick-me-up for anyone without the time or inclination to whip up something in the kitchen.
However, the texture of those grainy cheese puffs might not be ideal for dipping. So it might be best to stick to cheese sticks instead.
A Crime Has Been Committed
A hard pass. SPAM and Cheerios combined are so horrific, but we can't stop looking at them. Why anyone would do this is beyond us, and we have many questions.
What happened here? How did things come to this? Was there no rice or noodles at home? Was cooking rice or pasta out of the question? Did they consider bread? Glorious bread that requires zero effort and can help you stay full for longer?
Food Choices Ought to Be Relationship Dealbreakers
"Psycho" is kind of harsh, but one might be a bit crazy, for sure. We're sorry, but we have no choice but to empathize with the boyfriend. When people tell you to pair sweet and savory stuff together, they do not mean this.
Corn dogs and yogurt are wrong on so many levels. However, we can still get behind corn dogs dipped in a delicious yogurt-based sauce with spices and herbs, a la Indian cuisine.
When Things Are Far From Pear-Fect
Don't get us wrong. We love mayonnaise. We just don't think it necessary to add mayo to everything, especially with fruit. Experimenting with food is great, but you have to draw a line somewhere.
Pear with cheese is divine. No charcuterie board in the country is complete without this classic combo. We can even see ourselves relishing a pear salad with some mayonnaise in the dressing. Canned pears with mayo and cheese, however? Why?
Did Our Mothers Come Up With This?
Steamed broccoli dipped in mayonnaise is a delicious combo. Please don't knock it till you try it. Mayonnaise instantly jazzes up a nutritious but otherwise uninspiring side dish.
If you like Asian flavors, add a little soy sauce and sesame seeds to your mayonnaise. The dipping sauce will be creamy and salty, with the right amount of umami flavor. A side dish of broccoli never sounded so good!
Snacks That Make You Sing
Takis is the ultimate, indulgent salty snack — fried corn discs with a hint of lime rolled in a fiery red powder. Chef's kiss! What's more, Takis come in several flavors ranging from milder guacamole to the spicy Fuego.
Sour cream goes brilliantly with every Taki flavor, regardless of personal preferences. Takis dipped in creamy ranch dip also taste incredible. Any dipping sauce that mellows out the spiciness is a good choice.
The Horror!
So, you're saying someone voluntarily made and ate a bagel cheeseburger with strawberry cream cheese? It's hard to imagine eating this monstrosity. We're having a tough time just looking at it.
But how much is too much when it comes to weird foods? Feel free to experiment and try all sorts of unusual combinations. Put a little more thought into it, that's all. If you want to innovate, do it well.
We've Always Said Hot Sauce Fixes Everything
It truly is a revelation. The spices and salt in the hot sauce bring out the sweetness of the watermelons. Trust us — it's a party for the senses!
If you think that's crazy (crazy good, we mean!), try grilling the watermelon and then add a dash of hot sauce. It's the same concept as grilled pineapple and equally delicious. Any brand of hot sauce will work wonders — from tabasco and sriracha to the fiery habanero.
Reimagining Guacamole
Few things taste as divine as fresh, homemade guacamole. While we love the classic combination of tomato-jalapenos-onion-and-lime, a few tweaks now and then can't hurt. Pomegranate seeds instead of tomatoes in guacamole are inspiring, elevating the dish to new heights.
The pomegranate brings sweet bursts of flavor with every creamy bite. It's also a superfood known for excellent anti-inflammatory properties. We love how the red seeds add extra freshness and color against the green of the avocado.
This Man's Seen Some Terrible Things in Life
We're good passing up on "that life" if it means having to eat a mayonnaise and jelly sandwich. That life sounds horrendous. A bizarre universe where everyone has lost their minds and is seemingly out of sandwich ideas.
The pairing is unforgivable — even when your pantry stock runs a little low. If all else fails, why not stick to the basics? Put together just a mayo sandwich or a jelly sandwich.
Who's Calling Whom Vanilla?
First things first, we need to stop hating vanilla ice cream. Sure, there are thousands of other "exciting" flavors in the market, but are any as versatile as vanilla? Some people say boring. We see endless possibilities! It's high time we reclaim the word "vanilla."
Case in point, vanilla ice cream and honey – delicious, unique, and healthier to boot! Sprinkle some pecan nuts on top, and this dessert is hard to beat. A winner in our books.
Weird, Maybe. We Don't Know About "Wonderful"
Hear us out before dismissing us completely! The recipe may sound strange, but many people swear by it. All the disparate flavors combine in unique ways, and it's nothing you would expect.
The origins of this peculiar peanut butter sandwich are in New Orleans. Some people even use the same ingredients on crackers. Although it sounds odd, the flavors are reportedly wonderful and worth a one-time try.
Apples and Peanut Butter? So 2000 and Late!
Salt and spices on fruit is a popular combination IN several Asian countries. It is something people do because it's so good! All you need are some sliced apples or any other fruit.
Bananas, grapes, oranges, and pineapples work well too. Sprinkle salt, pepper, lime juice, and cayenne pepper if you like spice. Mix well and enjoy! Think of it as the ultimate fruit salad or snack – incredibly delicious and healthy all at once.
Things Are Progressively Getting Out of Hand
Okay, so we can really guess what you're thinking. Orange juice and Oreo cookies? Disgusting, right? We admit this was one of the most unusual meal pairings ever, but it tastes great.
The acidity of the orange juice makes the icing and chocolate cookie taste better overall. If you're an experimental eater, you should try this out rather than sticking to the usual milk-and-cookie pairing.
We Have Mixed Feelings
Some parents swear by this. Kids love it as a snack. We think the quality of the avocado and honey will determine how good the dish tastes — organic and local, all the way.
The recipe is as simple as it sounds. Cut the avocado, scoop, and mash the pulp lightly. Drizzle honey and mix well. Some lemon juice might kick things up a notch. For a more substantial meal, have this as a dip with crackers.
People Are Either Crazy or Crazy Creative
Have you ever tried an Oreo with a piece of pickle on top? Although it may sound like an odd pregnancy craving, Oreos with pickles is the pairing your taste buds need! We love Oreos, but they often taste dry — leading us to reach for a glass of milk. That's where the pickle comes in.
The juiciness from the pickle counteracts the sweetness of the Oreo. The result? A crunchy, sour, creamy, and sweet treat — all at once! Who knows? It might just become your new favorite snack.
When You're All Out of Oatmeal Recipes
Rolled oats are excellent and infinitely better than cereal. Oats are flavorful, filling, and healthy. That said, an oatmeal breakfast can get boring after a while. Enter sweet porridge topped with feta. We're not sold on a sweet porridge, however.
A savory oatmeal with feta and some seasoning (salt and black pepper). Adding some sweetness might sound like a good idea, but we don't see the flavors going well together.
There's a Cereal Killer on the Loose
They say you should try everything once. Pairing flaming hot Cheetos with milk even became a trend on TikTok recently. Many TikTok users said the milk mellowed the spice in the hot Cheetos. Once the milk neutralized the spice, it was like cereal and "more palatable."
More palatable, they said — which tells us everything we need to know. This one might be better off as an online challenge or something you whip up as a broke grad student.
This Breakfast Is Not What You Expect
Are you looking to break some breakfast rules? Replace the same old pancakes and crepes with something unusual – eggs with jelly. Consider it a sweet egg breakfast instead of savory.
Whether scrambled or as an omelet, spreading a little jelly on eggs makes your breakfast taste like a dessert soufflé. If that's not your thing, substitute the jelly with preserves, marmalade, or curd. A jelly omelet is a dinner phenomenon in some places in the United States.
You're Either a Ketchup on Everything Person or Not
Some people say why not? If we can put ketchup on fries, burgers, and eggs, why can't we enjoy it on popcorn? The tangy-sweet ketchup should work well with popcorn kernel, in theory.
Still, ketchup-flavored popcorn dusted with some spice seems like a much better idea than drizzling ketchup over popcorn. The ketchup on top seems messy and looks a little offputting. So we'll stick to the classic butter or caramel popcorn, thank you very much.
Always Pair the Right Cereal and Milk
Everyone eats cereal—toddlers, kids, adults, and college students. But are you doing everything you can to maximize the potential of your go-to meal — especially with the different kinds of milk available these days?
Frosted Flakes are a universal fan-favorite. Pair them with regular milk to bring out the taste of this sugary classic. If you must have chocolate milk, try it with Cocoa Puffs instead!
In Case You Need More Reasons to Love Doritos
Have you ever stuffed Doritos inside a sandwich with peanut butter and jelly? It's not as bad as it sounds. We're only adding Doritos inside the sandwich instead of munching on them on the side. Cheetos with PBJ is already a thing.
PBJ with Doritos takes it to the next level. Nacho cheese Doritos and soft bread are a match made in heaven — only the nacho cheese flavor, however. Any other Dorito flavor will bomb spectacularly.
And You Thought Salted Caramel Was Amazing
It may seem like a weird pairing, but soy sauce ice cream became the hottest craze not that long ago. The interplay of flavors is bold enough without going overboard – the perfect amount of creamy, sweet, and savory.
Ice cream parlors everywhere have been experimenting with it. We love the Japanese-inspired version with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of umami-packed soy sauce caramel. A bit like salted caramel, only better.
Sometimes, Butter Is Enough
A butter and sugar sandwich sounds incredible, even if the picture isn't the best and does no justice to an otherwise indulgent snack. It's similar to the jam and butter sandwiches most grew up eating. The sandwich was and probably still is the ultimate comfort food.
We love a generous amount of butter on hot toast with a sprinkling of sugar. Utter perfection! On the other hand, the sandwich pictured here seems on the verge of collapsing. Moderation and balance, folks.
Life Is Just Better With Different Kinds of Grilled Cheese
Sounds yummy if you add apple sauce to the cheesy bread. Apple sauce on the side as a dipping sauce makes no sense. We're thinking sourdough bread, sliced cheese, and homemade apple sauce.
Gooey, rich cheese, sour bread, and sweet sauce combined? We can't fault this tasty variation of traditional grilled cheese sandwiches. Forget pregnancy cravings — this sandwich is perfect for welcoming autumn and the delicious nip in the air.
Please, Could We Have Some More?
Far from crazy, green grapes and olives sound delicious. It's the sweet-sour combination we didn't know we needed. It probably works better as a tasty snack in between meals. As fresh and healthy as this seems, dinner ought to be more substantial and, ideally, a hot meal.
Some cheese on the side could elevate this dish. Without it, the midnight hunger pangs will inevitably kick in, and we can see ourselves making a beeline for the pantry.
Savory Cookies for the Win
Why, you ask? Why not? You don't know what you're missing. Sauerkraut cookies aren't some weird recipe a bored person cooks on a whim. If you don't believe us, ask the Czechs about zelnicky.
Zelnicky is a crunchy, flaky, oven-baked sauerkraut cracker from the Czech Republic. Apart from sauerkraut, zelnicky contains lard and wheat, seasoned with salt and caraway seeds. The result is a delicious cookie with slightly tangy flavors.
How to Start Food Wars 101
Someone added strawberries to pizza, and they don't care whether you like it. So why not make things progressively stranger while at it? Enter Marmite – only one of the most divisive foods in existence. Think how we've griped, complained, and argued about pineapple on pizza all these years!
All that precious time wasted. So please give us some glazed pineapple on a pizza with bacon any day. This, on the other hand? Can we pretend we never saw it?
Riding the Mayo
Whoever and wherever you are, you’ve most probably eaten an entire bag of “Snyder’s” pretzel chips once in your life – in under 5 minutes. These guys have any variety of pretzel chips you can imagine, and one of their most popular ones is the ranch-flavored sourdough.
Now, we can get on board with adding a bit of mayo to dip these babies in, but candied jalapeños? That might be a bit much – for anyone who’s not hungover and fiercely hungry. On the other hand, though, that sweet note might make those pretzels even more perfect than they already are. If that’s even possible.
There Are No Limits to Pizza Toppings
Long gone are the times when you could order your pizza with just pepperoni and cheese. Nowadays, you can top your pizza with nearly anything you can think of – pineapple, meat, veggies, fruits, and apparently, even pickles. Now, we are all in favor of topping pizza with fried chicken, because come on, fried chicken and cheese are just a match made in heaven.
But adding sour pickles to the mix? There’s just something that doesn’t sound quite right about that. Italians would be looking at us in disgrace for simply discussing this. What do you think? Worth trying at least once, or a definite pass?
Not Only the Brits Love Marmite. Bananas Love It, Too
If you’ve ever tried that dark brown, savory sticky paste called Marmite, you’ll either absolutely hate it or absolutely love it. In fact, that’s actually the brand’s slogan. But, if you’re one of the lovers, you probably think that Marmite goes well with anything and everything, so why not try it with banana chips?
Granted, your first pick would maybe be salted crisps or a toasted slice of bread, but the slight sweetness of the banana chips might add an interesting flavor to an already very particular taste. We’re definitely on board for trying this, since yes, we’re one of the Marmite lovers.
Salted Caramel Is Left Behind
Ok, so maybe health food haters will read this one and skip it altogether, but, if you would just give these veggie straws a chance, they might surprise you. After all, they’re just toasted, salted veggie sticks that you can dip in creamy, delicious ranch sauce and pretend you’re eating a French fry.
Believe us, the taste of the ranch will be so scrumptious that its flavor will overpower anything else. Now, if you’re actually after a healthy snack, we are very sorry to say you should skip the ranch dressing altogether. But yes, it’s like sucking the fun out of life.
There Is More to Lemon
This has to be one of the weirdest food combinations yet – how on earth did someone even come up with the idea of mixing Taki chips and lemon curd?! The mere combination of bread and lemon curd already makes us a bit queasy, but adding spicy, savory Taki chips into the mix? We honestly have no idea what to think.
And we strongly suspect that whoever tried this somehow found themselves with nothing else in their kitchen other than lemon curd, bread, and a bag of Takis. But hey, maybe they came up with this generation’s PB&J. We say it’s at least worth a try!
Why Did the Tuna Cross the Street? To Get Out of This Sandwich
There is no sandwich more classic than the good old tuna salad and pickle sub. It’s been around for as long as we can remember, and for good reason – what’s there not to love about this perfect sandwich? You have the savory tuna salad with mayo and some pickles to give it that extra sourness that complements it just right.
Now, for some reason, someone thought to throw peanut butter into this already perfect mix, and honestly, we don’t even know what to think. Some people swear by it, claiming that the sweetness of the peanut butter adds yet another level of perfection. We have yet to try it.
Celery Has More Surprises Up Its Sleeve
At first, this doesn’t strike us as something that weird, since after all, celery is an excellent garnish for certain juices and cocktails. But then again, that’s all it is, a garnish (with respect to dieters and health food nuts that consider it a staple food), so dipping it in sweet lemonade just doesn’t quite mesh.
Then again, maybe this person found a way to make celery edible as a snack – just dip it in sweet and sour, fizzy lemonade and pretend you’re eating a healthy candy. Or perhaps just stick to enjoying it with your bloody marys and let bygones be bygones.
Flavor of the Month
Since its creation in 1995, the McFlurry has become a world-favorite dessert, which is more than understandable. First, it came out with the typical Oreo and vanilla ice cream combination, but it’s steadily grown to a scrumptious list of flavors like KitKat, Snickers, M&M, peanut butter, strawberry shortcake, white chocolate, and more.
This is why we are struggling to understand why anybody in their right mind would ever ruin a perfect white chocolate McFlurry with BBQ sauce! They claim it tastes like strawberry, and we say they should just buy the McFlurry strawberry shortcake flavor and have some respect for humanity’s taste buds.
We Live in a Democratic Country
No, you’re not looking at a photo of rotting food, although that’s exactly what we thought when we first laid eyes on this questionable combination. For some unnamed reason, this person decided to mix Taki’s Blue Heat hot chili pepper and lemon chips with butter pecan ice cream, and we just hope they didn’t get food poisoning.
Sorry, perhaps we’re just not open-minded enough, but this food combination looks wrong, sounds wrong, and we’re almost positive it tastes even worse. We’re all for mixing savory and sweet, but this just goes beyond reason – on their own, both delicious snacks, but together they’re a recipe for the ER.
No Texture Issues Here
Now this is a food combination we can get behind – any chocolatey dessert with fruit-flavored jelly is always OK in our book. In fact, there are many places where it’s actually tradition to serve fruit jelly over a warm cake or slice of brownie because it just works together.
The warm, gooey chocolatey brownie flavor combined with the sweet, tart, strawberry-flavored jelly just works like a charm. In fact, anywhere in the United Kingdom, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a baked good that isn’t filled or topped with strawberry or currant jelly. And we fully support this food philosophy!
Beef Jerky Does Not Go With Anything
We give this person high marks for creativity, that’s for sure. But when it comes to flavor, this one is a hard pass for us. How in the world did this strange, very wrong combination come to be?! Green apple-flavored pop rock candy that pops in your mouth combined with smoky beef flavor that you have to chew on for a good minute to enjoy the flavor.
Maybe this is just our opinion, but the last thing we want is to have pieces of beef jerky endlessly popping in our mouths. We just have one question for this person: Why?
This Could Actually Work for Us
Peas are one of the most versatile greens out there – you can cook them with some olive oil and salt and use them as a side dish, you can make chilled pea soup, you can fry them with butter and ham, you can put them in a meat pie, use them cold in a salad – the possibilities are endless.
For some of the more traditional folk, eating peas with anything other than butter and ham is inconceivable. We’re of the kind that will always be happy to find a pea in our salad, but frozen peas with lime juice and salt? The jury’s out on this one.
Someone Has to Stop This
Pizza has definitely come a long way since the days of its Italian origins when the only toppings they had were tomato, herbs, and cheese. We can certainly get behind some modern toppings since a pepperoni or pineapple and ham pizza is one of the best ideas that humanity has come up with. But as with everything, some people take creativity a bit too far.
When it comes to veggies, almost anything can go on top of a pizza; but fruits are another story. Pineapple we can get behind, but blueberries?! Even the photo is making us a bit sick – the tart, mushy blueberry covered in cheese? People, let’s just stick to blueberry pie and pepperoni pizza, shall we?
Just Because It Is Called "Chef" Doesn't Make It Good
Since 1928, Chef Boyardee has been solving all of our life problems when we feel like some fast, comfort food but are too lazy or don’t have the time to cook from scratch. But it seems that all the overwhelming spices and insane flavor in Boyardee’s Beef Ravioli weren’t enough to satisfy this person’s taste buds.
So, they decided to go the extra mile and throw some hard-boiled eggs in the mix and added sour cream to boot. Honestly, we are digging this dish – tomato paste, meat, eggs, and sour cream, what’s not to love? This combination has been done by most sandwich delis anyway, and the result is a scrumptious combination.
As Long as They Are Both Brown
Oddly enough, combining meat and chocolate is not such a rare thing. In fact, there’s many a gourmet chef who will suggest pairing certain wines with some beef dishes and chocolate. Also, chocolate is often used to thicken rich stew sauces, and the result is unbelievable.
However, we don’t think that wrapping a slice of cold salami around a milk chocolate teddy bear was what anybody had in mind when they thought of pairing these two things. In fact, we don’t know what a bite of this person’s meat and chocolate “burrito” tasted like, but evidently, it was good enough to share with the public. And we really wish they hadn’t.
Try Saying That Three Times
If anything, this definitely fits the criteria for a weird food combo – and one we would run far, far away from. Don’t get us wrong, we’re all for that sweet and savory taste, but only if it’s done right. Peanut butter and jelly? Yes. Pork and apple sauce? Yes.
Even a properly made sandwich with slices of banana, a bit of cheese, and regular ham would be more than acceptable. But a spicy salami wrapped around a banana and topped with hot sauce just sounds, and looks, like a food abomination created by a 5-year-old. Sorry but, no “Hamnana” for us!
When Will People Learn?
Pork is one of the main food staples in Thailand, and so they’ve had centuries to perfect their ingredients into delicious dishes. One of those is the “Moo Gratiem”, a typical Thai restaurant menu item of garlic pepper pork – scrumptious pork tenderloin with garlic, pepper, sweet soy sauce, and oyster sauce all fried in batter.
What more could you ask for? Apparently, some blueberry yogurt. Now, while our first reaction is to think why would someone mess with a dish that’s already perfect, we have to admit there might be something about the tart and fruity flavor of the yogurt and the savory taste of the pork that might actually work really well together. We’ll try at least once.
Here Is Another Way to Wake Up
Just looking at this photo makes us nauseous – a shot of espresso inside a pickle?! Who in their right mind would do such a thing? Years of pumpkin lattes, mochas, matcha-flavored coffee, and the millions of different flavors that have been added to espressos have melted our brains into thinking this is OK. Well, it’s not.
Not only is filling up an empty pickle with espresso a logistical disaster (look at that napkin!), but we can’t, and don’t want to, even imagine what this tastes like. Pickles belong in deli sandwiches, guys. Coffee belongs in a nice, hot mug on its own. Period.
Will Starbucks Adopt This?
We’ve heard of people putting honey in their coffee, and of spicy chai, but mixing ghost pepper seasoning honey in a latte? Never. Might be an interesting combination or might just cause you to throw up.
This person swears by it, but we’re not entirely convinced. It’s one thing to make a spicy latte with cloves and cardamom and other certain spices, but straight-up seasoning is a whole other story. But hey, who knows, maybe this will be Starbucks’ next “pumpkin spiced latte” craze – “ghost pepper honey latte” for $15 bucks. Now who wouldn’t want a sip of that?
USA vs. Japan
Ever since the Japanese decided to sell those little rice topping bags in every US supermarket, plain rice has been taken to a whole other level. You have countless different flavors and toppings to choose from – seaweed nori, sesame seeds with salted salmon bits, tsukemono pickles, wasabi, and more.
And they do add that distinct MSG flavor that is as salty as it is delicious to any dish. Now, there’s a reason they call it “rice toppings” because you should never put them on a pancake! Obviously, we love a salty pancake (after all, a cheese and ham crepe is amazing), but this is going a bit far for us.
Another One That Wors for Us
OK, we’ll surely give this one a shot. I mean, have you ever tried baked bell peppers with cheese on top, or stuffed peppers with a cheesy Bolognese inside? Delicious! Originating from Central and South America, bell peppers have become a staple in dishes around the world.
They’re not only tasty, but also super healthy, so slicing up a few raw bell peppers and topping them with some parmesan cheese sounds like a great snack to us. It’s even health-friendly, for you dieters out there. Maybe we would’ve gone with the red peppers and sauteed them a bit on a pan before adding the cheeses. But hey, this works too!
You Do Not Have to Put Peanut Butter on Everything
Nothing says “comfort food” like a hot bowl of homemade chili. So why go ahead and ruin it with a peanut butter sandwich?! We’ll accept this person used a hot dog bun because they “had to be eaten”, we can respect that. Besides, that fluffy bread is perfect for dipping into a chili bowl, but filling it with creamy peanut butter is a huge no-no.
We are as enthusiastic as the next guy when it comes to PB&J or simply peanut butter sandwiches, and the many variations that have been done to this traditional dish. But this is too much – a bowl of chili is already overwhelming on its own, so the salty and sweet peanut butter on top of it is just unnecessary. We’ll stick to the regulars, thank you very much!
If You Want to Go Healthy
Grapes have been around for more than 8,000 years and have been grown all over the world. There are over 10,000 varieties, each with a deliciously distinct flavor. For a long time, grapes have been an important part of any gourmet platter, which usually includes cheeses and crackers, and some wine.
So, why not have a DIY gourmet meal at home and combine a grape with some pretzel sticks? We don’t see anything wrong with that; in fact, we’re sure it tastes great. And we must admit that is a pretty cute and clever way of combining them – hurray for grape and pretzel pom-pom sticks!
Let's Talk Limitations
You’ve probably heard of the infamous “Pilk” invention (Pepsi and Milk), and surprisingly, it’s been around since the 1970s. While the first reaction to this might be a shock, take a second to think about the two flavors and you’ll understand the logic – it’s pretty much like an ice cream float.
But this guy just went ahead and decided to dive off the deep end and combine Pepsi with Yoohoo. Folks, we present to you, “Poohoo”, probably the most disgusting drink known to mankind. Milk is one thing, but chocolate milk that’s already extremely sweetened mixed with Pepsi? A hundred times yuck!
What Else Would You Do With a Burnt Pizza?
Kudos to people like this who power through any food, even if it’s a completely burnt, atrociously-looking pizza. Although we appreciate the sentiment of not wasting food, we’re not sure that adding whipped cream was the way to salvage this poor pizza pie; and this is definitely one food combo we would never try.
Maybe, perhaps, if someone bet us a lot of money to do it, and it was a tiny piece with a lot of whipped cream. Sadly, there are some situations in life that even whipped cream can’t fix, and sometimes the best thing to do is just throw it in the trash – trust us. But hey, to each their own!
If It Works for You...
The absolute madness and horror happening on top of this cracker is just too much. Ever since Kraft came up with the genius idea of having cheddar cheese come out of a spray can, people have come up with some pretty crazy combinations. And indeed, cheddar cheese is a very versatile ingredient, but not when it comes to fish.
Moreover, cheddar cheese has to be one of the saltiest foods in the world, so top it with a super salty canned sardine, and place it all on an even saltier cracker, and you’ve got yourself one of the nastiest snacks out there. In our humble opinion, of course.
If It Works on Pizza, It Can Work With Meatballs
Not your typical combination and any respectable Italian would probably have a heart attack if they ever saw this at their table, but don’t knock it just yet. Just like many Thai and Chinese dishes combine fruits and sour flavors with their meat dishes, this girl decided to add some pineapple and spice up her meatballs.
Clearly, the boyfriend doesn’t think much of the mix, and that photo doesn’t really do the dish justice, but still, we would definitely try this at least once. But warning: don’t hate us if it turns out to be gross – maybe the boyfriend was onto something after all.
What Else Haven't You Fried?
Plantains have been one of the main food staples of Caribbean, Asian, and African cuisine for centuries, and they’re quite versatile fruit. They can be baked, fried, toasted, or mashed, and they can be either savory or sweet, depending on how you prepare them. However, fried plantains are one of the most popular versions of this dish, since they are absolutely delicious when cooked this way.
In the Caribbean, they usually top these sweet, fried delicacies with salty cheese. But in some Asian countries, they top it with pickled Ginger – yes, you read that right. Now while this might not sound all that tasty at first, the combination of flavors might be interesting. We say it’s worth a try at least.
You Have Got to Mature
Since the 1920s, Cheez-Its has been one of America’s favorite snacks (and yes, they’ve been around for that long!). These small, salty, cheesy squares are the staple snack of many a person’s childhood, and adulthood, for that matter.
We love everything about these squares of savory heaven, especially the fact that you can top them with pretty much anything and they’ll still taste great. Now, gummy bears? Ok, we’ll give it a try. After all, sweet and savory snacks have a long history of getting along – have you ever tried McDonald’s French fries with their ice cream sundae? It’s like you died and went to heaven.
The New Salted Caramel
Maybe we’re being too conventional, but this is a hard no-no in our book. On their own, these three ingredients are perfection – what’s not to love about chocolate, cheese, or ramen? But together?! We’re having a very hard time even imagining what this tastes like. Insanely enough, many people swear by it, but honestly, we don’t think anything could get us to try this wacky mix.
We’ll sprinkle some cheese on our ramen any day (depending on what type of cheese, of course), but chocolate? No way. Some things weren’t meant to be together, and this is definitely one of those times.