45+ Foods That People Hate Despite Never Trying Them
By Dawn Schuster -
This article appeared in Bigglobaltravel
and has been published here with permission.
40+ Foods That People Hate Despite Never Trying Them
Imagine you’re vacationing somewhere and after a fun-filled day, you’re getting ready for dinner. Now, what if the food you find is unexpected? It’s no secret that cuisine from around the world varies and sometimes what seems normal to some may make others want to puke their guts out. From weird bugs to all kinds of unknown animal intestines, you can find almost any type of food if you search hard enough. Now, the question is — would you hate these foods without even trying them?
Casu Marzu
This food speaks for itself as the name describes exactly what you’re getting yourself into. Casu Marzu can be translated into maggot cheese. If the sight of hundreds of tiny worms crawling around in your cheese doesn’t upset you, then you have an iron will.
Casu Marzu
To prepare this unsightly meal, the top half is sliced off so that flies can lay eggs inside, which then grow into larvae that consume the fat in the cheese. The final result is a cheese with a creamy texture on the verge of being classified as rotten. Care for a slice?
Balut
Ducklings are some of the cutest animals around and their habit of imprinting on random people makes them that much more adorable. However, have you ever imagined these fluffy birds as a type of food? We don’t mean cooked properly as in fried or in some sort of curry.
Balut
You can find this cuisine anywhere in the Philippines as they hail it as an iconic dish. The way to prepare Balut is to boil a duck embryo alive and to eat it straight out of the shell. That doesn’t sound or look very appealing at all. The natives can’t get enough of it. Want a bite?
Hákarl
Sharks have been known to eat a few humans in their time. So, now, Iceland has decided to pull an Uno reverse card and consume sharks. This meal was originally invented by the Vikings. If you don’t have a strong stomach, then we suggest you not try this shark dish.
Hákarl
The shark used to make Hákarl is very poisonous to humans so it takes a long process of purifying to get rid of the toxicity. It is left out to dry for a few months and the result is likely to hit your nose from a mile away. We probably can’t have the same appetite as our ancestors!
Jibachi Senbei
Rice crackers are a delicious treat and people who love to diet have adopted them as a daily snack. If you’re ever in Japan and feel like challenging your taste palette, then why not try a rice cracker filled with wasps?
Jibachi Senbei
Yes, you read that correctly — a rice cracker filled with wasps. The nutrition value in these crackers is quite high as insects are a good source of protein. You may be surprised to find out that these crackers are sweet-tasting but the tiny pieces of bug legs and wings might be hard to swallow.
Virgin Boy Eggs
Chinese food is one of the best Asian delicacies around, especially their dumplings. This, on the other hand, sounds as bad as it looks. The locals seem to love this, though, as they prepare it every single year.
Virgin Boy Eggs
People get together to collect buckets of fresh urine from primary school toilets, in which the eggs are soaked and boiled until they crack. The locals make them in their homes and according to them, it has some health benefits. So, if you’re ever in China looking for a snack and smell boiling urine, don’t fret.
Warthog Anus
Namibia has decided to turn one of the most disgusting body parts ever into something of a delicacy. Ironically, they chose the body part through which waste is disposed of. Anthony Bourdain, the late American celebrity chef, had been known to eat all types of exotic dishes and cuisine — yet he rated this dish the worst thing to ever grace his taste buds.
Warthog Anus
You have to cut it carefully by the intestines and the cooking process gets messier. You still have to clean out the excess feces and throw it on a fire until it’s cooked thoroughly. Are you sure this is something you want to try?
Cobra Heart
An eye for an eye, the saying goes, but what about the heart? Being a very popular dish in Vietnam, many restaurants let you choose the snake you want to eat the heart of. The shorter and thicker snakes have the best taste according to residents, and after the heart has been cut out, it’s dropped into a shot glass filled with rice wine and snake blood.
Cobra Heart
This is one drink that Count Dracula would enjoy but the same can’t be said for the rest of us. It’s good for virility so if you’re ever having troubles in the bedroom, you know where to look.
Ptarmigan Poop
This disgusting Greenland dish sounds like something straight out of the dark side of the web. This dish is prepared from the waste of a white brindled game bird, which has a strict diet consisting mainly of willow and birch plants.
Ptarmigan Poop
The poop is collected during the wintertime when it has completely solidified from the cold weather. Since the birds defecate in the same spot most of the time, it’s easier to gather in large quantities. It’s cooked mainly with Seal oil and meat, and oftentimes, Ptarmigan blood is included for a bit of tasting variety.
Medama
Japan is surrounded by water so it isn’t surprising that they love to include a lot of seafood in their daily diet. This includes Medama, which is just the eyeballs of tuna fish. This Japanese dish was made famous across the nation in the ’90s and can be prepared in several ways — from frying to boiling.
Medama
The eyeballs contain a lot of Omega-3, so you can swap out your supplements with some eyeballs if you’re feeling a bit daring. Season this dish with a bit of rice vinegar or soy sauce.
Worm Pretzels
Surprisingly, this delicacy has stemmed from The Big Apple — New York City. The worzel, which is an earthworm shaped into a pretzel, is a new dish created by Gene Rurka. It makes you wonder where the idea to turn worms into pretzels could even arise from.
Worm Pretzels
This was made primarily for the hundredth anniversary of the black-tie gala, which is known to serve some unorthodox dishes every year. To make this dish, you need to squeeze out all the juices until all that remains is a thin dehydrated husk. The result should be a crispy, fried pretzel-shaped worm.
Pidan
Anything way past its expiration date has a good reason for not being friendly for your consumption. For eggs, it’s taken to a whole other level. When you think about aging eggs, what normally comes to mind are cured eggs — where you leave the yolk in salt for a week.
Pidan
Pidan, on the other hand, specifies that you need to age it in salt, clay, and ash for about three months until the eggs are ready to be eaten. Surprisingly, you don’t catch anything bad with these recipes and some have even said they prefer the taste of these eggs. If they like it, you probably wouldn’t mind it either… or would you?
Fried Tarantula
Some experts say that every year, we swallow a few spiders in our sleep — but there’s a huge difference between voluntarily and involuntarily swallowing a bunch of spiders. Filled with all kinds of nutrients including protein and zinc, fried tarantulas are a delicacy most common in the Sukkot region of Cambodia.
Fried Tarantula
Cambodians turned to this dish during a dark time in their history when food was scarce. It was thanks to these spiders that they were saved from starving. The tarantulas are first rolled in sugar and garlic before they’re tossed in some oil to create a meat-like texture, according to consumers.
Jellied Moose Nose
From a time when every part of a hunt was consumed and not a single thing went to waste, Canadian wives would use every bit of what their husbands brought back for the day. It was made famous around the early 18th century when nutrition was necessary to survive the cold harsh terrain that Canada was — and is — known for.
Jellied Moose Nose
After carefully extracting all nose hairs, the snout was then tossed into a pan with some onions and chili to create a warm broth. The broth was left to cook until all that remained was a snout with a jelly-like texture.
Rocky Mountain Oysters
If you ever feel like you’re in the mood for some seafood and you end up ordering some rocky mountain oysters, then you are in for a big surprise. This dish looks nothing like it’s given the name because instead of a big ol’ dish of steaming oysters, you will be served bull testicles.
Rocky Mountain Oysters
It could be taken as clickbait but translated to food as the name suggests something else. Those who have eaten this dish have described it as rubbery in texture. The taste is similar to venison when cooked normally, and calamari-like when deep-fried.
Black Pudding
This blood-filled dish is something that can be found in Europe and Africa, although some Asian and American locations serve it as well. It may sound disgusting to some but black pudding is a dish that provides a hearty meal for many families. Black pudding is made from pork or beef blood, with pork fat or beef suet, and a cereal — usually oatmeal, oat groats, or barley groats.
Black Pudding
In Ireland, black pudding is also served as a fried delicacy featured as a breakfast food. Nobles consumed this too but instead used blood from an aquatic mammal rather than a regular pig or cow.
Chapulines
Are you getting tired of all the unhealthy snacks filled with sugar, oils, and other unnecessary calories? Then, why not try a healthy snack of grasshopper instead. It’s filled with all kinds of nutrients, after all!
Chapulines
Found in Mexico, Chapulines have been a classic Mexican snack for a long time. You can eat them as they are, or you could deep fry these critters for a crispy mid-day snack. Most of the recipes for this grasshopper dish have been passed through the centuries and many include lemon, garlic, and salt to keep it long-lasting. Ever tried a grasshopper taco?
Shiokara
Some great snacks and some drinks can go a long way in turning a boring night into a fun-filled frenzy, and this is what Japan thought when making this dish. Every day after work, Japanese workers hit the local bars for a night of drinks that are usually paired with this snack.
Shiokara
It is made from tuna, crab, or salmon and the process includes a 10-day fermentation period. During this time, the meat rests in a mixture of innards from their respective meat sources. It looks like a disgusting brown pile of meat with a salty flavor. Makes you wonder how some people even eat it.
Bat Soup
Despite what most people think, bats are far from being dirty, as they spend a lot of time grooming themselves. Still, they do carry different bacteria and viruses, so why would anyone think turning bats into soup is a great idea?
Bat Soup
Thailand is the culprit as they cook this dish in a low heat pan until the concoction is ready. It seems to give off an unpleasant odor that’s eerily similar to urine but people usually mask the smell with some chili, onion, and/or garlic.
Witchetty Grub
The witchetty grub is an insect consumed primarily by the aboriginals of Australia and they are high in a lot of valuable nutrients. Also known as meat bush, these grub worms can be eaten raw but unless your name is Bear Grylls, we do not suggest eating these insects before they’re cooked.
Witchetty Grub
When eating these bugs, the wise choice would be to start with the head. Why? They have a defense system that pushes out a brown liquid that you don’t want to find out the taste of. Those who have tasted these cooked worms claim that it tastes like almond-flavored eggs.
Shirako
The worst thing you could ever do is mistake this dish for ranch dressing or mayonnaise before tossing it into your salad. You would be shocked to find out that this white sauce is actually fish semen. We bet you didn’t expect that.
Shirako
These sacs, which come from male cod, are used primarily as toppings for rice. You can cook the sperm sacs by grilling or frying them in tempura. It’s also served raw on sushi although you should wait until you’re experienced before going raw. Contrary to its look, this dish has a rich taste if you can ignore the fact that you’re eating fish semen.
Chicken Feet
Because this dish is eaten in more than a few countries, it might not be as vomit-inducing as the other things on this list but it’s enough to make you cringe. If you like watching Korean dramas, then you probably already know about this dish since they like to show it in almost every episode.
Chicken Feet
As the feet are usually thin and oily, there isn’t much to eat except a jelly-like layer. To make the taste more bearable, you could try making it spicier, but the bones are sure to annoy you.
Haggis
This uses almost every part of the sheep except the meat, so if you still feel like trying this Scottish delicacy, then eat your heart out. It’s a very common meal in Scotland, so much so that anyone who was raised here grew up eating this. The proper way to cook haggis includes mincing the heart, liver, and lungs of a sheep.
Haggis
Then, mix it with onions, oatmeal, vegetables, and some spices to create a raw patty-like texture. It is then to be cooked inside the stomach of the sheep until you get a sausage shape filled with innards.
Tripe
Similar to haggis, tripe is made from the stomach lining but it includes more than a few animals. The texture of this dish is similar to that of a sponge and although it resembles the look of seafood, that’s hardly the case when it comes to the taste.
Tripe
The flavor is rubbery so unless you are used to chewing on erasers, you wouldn’t enjoy the texture and taste very much. To make this meal more bearable, you can try mixing it with a few sauces if you don’t like the plain taste — or, if you are hardcore and enjoy trying different delicacies, then a side of fried onions may be right up your alley.
Khash
When you think about the edible parts of a cow, the best thing you could imagine is a big juicy steak seared with butter. However, in the Middle East, they don’t leave a single part of the cow behind. Khash is a delicacy nowadays in many Arab countries and it includes stewed cows’ feet and heads.
Khash
Although the heads are edible, it is a morbid sight and many countries may find the sight uncomfortable and repulsive. Considered to originate in traditional Armenian cuisine, Khash variations are also traditional dishes in Afghanistan, Albania, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, North Macedonia, Mongolia, and some Persian Gulf countries.
Starfish
If you grew up watching SpongeBob Squarepants, then you obviously know Patrick, the titular character’s best friend. However, what you didn’t know is that, in China, people eat starfish. In real life, they aren’t as cute as Patrick, and for many reasons. Starfish are hard and covered in a spiky shell that’s sure to crack a few teeth if you ever bit into it raw.
Starfish
Most starfish are served dry and the way to eat these are similar to how you would eat a crab. You need to break the leg and peel the shell to get to the meat on the inside — and this is where the surprise comes into play, because you’ve probably never seen green meat before, right? Interesting enough to try?
Surstromming
This is a seafood that’s mainly consumed for its nutritional factor rather than for the taste. It’s one of the most widely known foods with a notorious republican for tasting horrendous. Originating in Sweden, this fermented herring is made to be long-lasting, making it perfect for long trips overseas or outdoors when rations are lacking or almost running out.
Surstromming
It’s fermented with enough salt to keep it from rotting. When the can is opened, it releases a pungent odor that will make inexperienced individuals gag right on the spot.
Frog Legs
This might be the most bearable food in terms of looks and taste but frogs are still enough to disgust any person. They often live in murky swamps so it’s easier to catch a lot of diseases and if you don’t know the species well, you might end up with a poisonous frog on your hands.
Frog Legs
If so, get ready for some itchy rashes. Edible frogs, on the other hand, might not disgust you as much. They’ve been said to taste like chicken when deep-fried or grilled.
Jing Leed
This is another grasshopper dish but this time it takes the form of Asian cuisine. These critters are fried in large amounts with all kinds of spices. Chilli, pepper, and salt are some of the basic ingredients used. After they have been cooked to perfection, you can bite into one.
Jing Leed
If you find them to be of similar taste to popcorn, you may be one of the lucky few. If you choose to fry the grasshoppers, it’s important to be aware of the fact that they may be full of juice by the time you bite into one.
Escargot
It wouldn’t be a list about foods that disgust people without snails, so are you really that surprised? Classic French cuisine and the bane of many food lovers from around the world, this is a dish with as many haters as there are lovers.
Escargot
It’s pretty divided so don’t judge until you’ve tried it for yourself. To get the best tasting snail, the wise choice would be to try it in an upscale and high-class restaurant because if you try it anywhere else, you may regret it.
Escamol
Caviar is one of the best-tasting foods with one of the highest prices, and there’s a good reason for the steep price. Escamol, on the other hand, is less sought out. Why? Because it’s caviar but made from insects.
Escamol
Large quantities of larvae and ant pupae are harvested from a tequila plant and then mixed with some herbs and veggies, which are then fried before being served. It’s said to have a nutty flavor with a texture similar to butter.
Beondegi
If you ever wondered what wood tastes like, this is probably the closest option. Beondegi is a silkworm dish and it is found all over Korea as street vendors hand them out in almost every location.
Beondegi
Koreans enjoy the taste of wood so much that they turned silkworms into a delicacy. The way to cook these is very simple as no oil is required. Just steam or boil until they’re perfectly ready to be consumed. Enjoy a healthy snack of Beondegi if you suddenly get the munchies.
Sago Delight
Another insect loved by Asians — how surprising! These grub worms are jam-packed with nutritional value, but it’s always the healthy stuff that often tastes the worst. If you have a strong tummy, then try this dish out. But, prepare yourself to be hit with a wave of gooey richness.
Sago Delight
You can spice this dish up like the others on this list for a more bearable eating experience. When cooked thoroughly, they may taste like bacon but just pray that the worm you bite wasn’t pregnant unless you want a second gooey surprise.
Stink Bugs
Stink bugs make surprisingly good additives when you’re making some stew from an African recipe. These tiny bugs add a surprising crunch to any African meal, but be prepared — they still have a last-minute defense mechanism in which they release a foul-tasting and smelling pheromone that will give you an idea of why it’s called what it’s called.
Stink Bugs
Your nose will cry as much as your eyes will sting although the discomfort will go by fast. To make sure that they don’t gas you while cooking, you should boil them alive before using them to cook other dishes.
Mopane Worms
Southern Africa has to be one of the wildest places to go when you’re searching for foods of the bizarre variety. The mopane worm is a thick and juicy bug that the locals say is filled with meat. Grab a handful for a quick source of protein after your workout.
Mopane Worms
When served alone, these worms are boring to taste. That’s why locals add some sauces to the bugs to provide some additional flavor and to keep the dish from tasting too dry.
Tequila Worm
These bugs are found in the cousin plant of the tequila tree — the medical tree. But, whether or not the bugs cause drunkenness in individuals is up for debate. It has been said that these worms have some serious effects that make you hallucinate. Recently, though, it was all proven to be false.
Tequila Worm
Nonetheless, these bugs are still a disgusting experience to eat with regret being felt by your tongue and by your wallet. If we didn’t know any better, we would say that it’s all just a quick money grab to steal your money with false information whilst feeding you random bugs.
Marmite
Some people love it, some people hate it. Marmite — or as it is more widely known, Vegemite — is a spread that’s most famous amongst Australian consumers. It’s a spread made from yeast extract.
Marmite
This disgusting slob is extracted from the bottom of many beer barrels that are about to be disposed of. The flavor is highly concentrated and salty with a high sodium count. So, unless you are Australian, you probably won’t love this spread so much.
Birds Nest Soup
Saliva is a natural production of the human body and it keeps our mouths lubricated but consuming soup made from the saliva of a random bird is a huge no-no for many people. This disgusting pile of slop is made from spit gathered from a swiftlet bird, which uses its saliva to build its nest.
Birds Nest Soup
After the saliva solidifies, it’s ready to be harvested. The jelly-like taste is not something anyone should be risking their lives for. This is just another mark in the long list of weird Asian foods.
Fugu
Pufferfish may sound like an exotic dish for many inexperienced individuals but those who have tried it know how poorly it can go if this dish isn’t prepared properly. Pufferfish has enough venom to make a grown man cry his heart out and it might just be the last meal you ever try.
Fugu
This is one of the reasons only trained individuals make this dish. When cooked properly with the correct steps, you will find yourself with an edible plate of what is similar to sashimi.
Steak Tartare
French waiters have been known for their precaution when dealing with foreign customers because they don’t really know what they’re getting into. This is one of those situations — you just end up saying no to the dish because it’s just raw meat served on a plate.
Steak Tartare
There’s no doubt that if you’re eating out at a fancy restaurant, the quality of the meat is going to be good. Still, if you don’t like raw meat, then you definitely won’t enjoy this dish.
Cherry Blossom Meat
Keeping in line with the raw meat on this list, this time we talk about cherry blossom meat, which is just raw horse meat. This is more of an upscale meal and the Japanese usually eat this dish in the form of sushi or just on its own.
Cherry Blossom Meat
The nutritional value is said to be good with low fat and calorie count, but unless you’re looking for a wild diet, then it would be wise not to try this at all.
Crocodile
These large ferocious beasts once stood on the top of the food chain and they still do unless you’re armed. Now, it’s our turn to take a bite out of them. This delicacy is found in many Asian, African, and Australian markets.
Crocodile
Surprisingly, many have good things to say about this. According to them, the similarities between chicken, crab, and crocodile are almost the same in taste. So, if you’re in the mood for some lean meat, grab a spear and jump right into your nearest swamp.
Guinea Pig
We were totally shocked to find out that Guinea pigs are edible; that’s just not something you’d think of when you see one. This protein-packed meal is served in many South American countries and is often roasted whole or served as a casserole.
Guinea Pig
It is most often served with a side of potatoes or corn, which match well with the flavor of the meat. It may seem wrong to eat something some may call a house pet. We don’t even know how someone can muster the courage.
Turtle Soup
Now, this next dish should not be surprising at all — although it is a bit sad to see people eating turtles considering that many turtle species are endangered and/or on their way to becoming extinct.
Turtle Soup
Still, it’s considered one of the best delicacies ever made for many East Asian countries and there have also been some rumors going around that it improves virility in males. Everything except the shell is used to create the broth — the meat, the skin, the innards… not a single part is wasted.
Ying-Yang Fish
This is the most horrific dish on this list because what you’re eating is a living creature. In an act of torture and violence, the fish is deep-fried alive. When served at your table, you will find that it’s still moving and struggling to breathe.
Ying-Yang Fish
If you prod the fish with a spoon or fork it will react by twitching. A sight like this is sure to make anyone with a heart lose their appetite.
Bush Meat
According to science, the closest things our species has to a cousin are apes. So, how disgusted would you feel to find out that in some African places, people consume ape meat? Not only apes, sometimes giraffes and lemurs too.
Bush Meat
It carries more than a few diseases and out of the few, there have been some proven outbreaks of Ebola. This speaks volumes about the negative aspects of what this meat can do. With the current state of the world, we could do without any other disease spreading.
Ramen Chain Expands Menu With Gyoza Taco Dogs and Okonomiyaki Dogs
By Corey Edwards –
Over the past year, Japan’s biggest Ramen chain called Korakuen has been diversifying its menu with exciting new additions. This trend continues as the chain recently released two new Gyoza Dogs, including Gyoza Okonomiyaki Dogs and Gyoza Taco Dogs! This new and adventurous fusion of foods is available in Korakuen’s drive-throughs and takeout stores in Gunma and Fukushima.
Ramen Chain Expands Menu With Gyoza Taco Dogs and Okonomiyaki Dogs
This Ramen Chain’s Recent Innovations
Among the more recent diversions from Korakuen’s regular menu was the Valentine’s Day chocolate ramen. They also created a ramen-flavored fried chicken and even worked with innovative delivery robots. There’s no doubt that this popular company is dedicated to keeping its menu fresh and exciting. This latest innovation they’ve released combines tacos, gyoza dumplings, and okonomiyaki into hot dogs! How these new dishes will be received by the clientele is yet to be seen.
Ramen Chain Expands Menu With Gyoza Taco Dogs and Okonomiyaki Dogs
The Gyoza Taco Dogs
Those looking for a great taco flavor mixed with gyoza should certainly give the Gyoza Taco Dogs a chance. Nestled in a soft hot dog bun on a bed of lettuce is gyoza topped with spicy sauce. The chopped green peppers, tomatoes, jalapeños, and onions are coated in a rich cheese sauce. The combination of flavors ensures an interesting and exciting experience, and the presentation is certainly inviting.
Ramen Chain Expands Menu With Gyoza Taco Dogs and Okonomiyaki Dogs
The Gyoza Okonomiyaki Dogs
Where the Gyoza Taco Dogs are intended for those who love spice, the Okonomiyaki-style dogs are a bit gentler on the pallet. Once more, the hot dog bun provides a soft bed for the gyoza. This time, it’s topped with salad greens, Okonomiyaki sauce, mayonnaise, and red ginger slices to give it a bit of a kick. Both dishes are innovative and exciting because they combine layers of different textures and bold flavors that are balanced out by creamy sauces. Korakuen ramen chain is certainly on a roll when it comes to creativity and fans remain excited to see what comes next!
Imagine you’re vacationing somewhere and after a fun-filled day, you’re getting ready for dinner. Now, what if the food you find is unexpected? It’s no secret that cuisine from around the world varies and sometimes what seems normal to some may make others want to puke their guts out. From weird bugs to all kinds of unknown animal intestines, you can find almost any type of food if you search hard enough. Now, the question is — would you hate these foods without even trying them?