15 Signature 'Gross' Mom Dishes

Jordan Claes
Pan and pot on the stove.
Unsplash | Yuya Yoshioka

Those who have ventured out from the comfort of their parents' homes know the value of having a homecooked meal prepared for them. There truly is no better-tasting meal than the one you don't have to cook for yourself.

However, as much as we love our mothers and appreciate the efforts they go to in the kitchen, there's always that one dish we hate to smell wafting from the kitchen. For those who know all too well what I'm talking about, here are 15 signature "gross" mom dishes.

Some things just aren't meant to go together.

Cans of Cheez Whiz stacked.
instagram | @benditopecadopasteleria

Reddit user hmk21 says that their in-laws have a nasty habit of preparing tuna and Cheez Whiz sandwiches. I can say with confidence that I wouldn't serve that to my worst enemy.

Cooking as a survival tactic.

Salt and pepper shaker.
Unsplash | Chris Arthur-Collins

Redditor strywever claims that when they were growing up, their mother wouldn't put seasoning on anything — not even salt or pepper. They joked that they had to learn how to cook as an act of self-defense.

If you think you've got it bad...

Man dressed as woman yelling "SPAM."
Giphy | Monty Python

"My family has the grossest recipe known to humanity. It consists of diced ham (or Spam), chopped green olives, pimientos, cocktail sauce, and Miracle Whip which is glopped into hot dog buns, wrapped in foil, and baked." - Reddit u/BwanaChickieBaby

I think I just broke my tooth.

Sliced meatloaf.
Unsplash | Iulia Buta

Did you know that when it's cooked correctly, meatloaf doesn't have the consistency of a hard brick? Apparently, neither did Redditor peelon_musk's mother. They practically needed a chisel to be able to eat it properly.

Eating dinner isn't supposed to be a workout.

Scene from 'The Simpsons'.
Giphy

"Way overcooked pork chops that were so dry and chewy my jaw was sore by the time dinner was over + some sort of vegetable straight from the can." - Reddit u/breton_stripes

Does this even classify as a meal?

Old-fashioned meat grinder.
Unsplash | Maria Krasnova

For more years than Redditor rawlingstones cares to remember, their mother's go-to meal was reheated ground beef from frozen, mixed with Costco salsa. Apparently, it tastes even more disgusting than it sounds.

Burning meat should be considered a crime.

Steak and potatoes.
Unsplash | iman zaker

When Reddit user Odramabama was growing up, their mother used to insist on grilling steaks "well done," for fear of eating contaminated beef. The day that their father took over and served them a "medium" steak, their whole life changed.

This might just be the most boring meal on the planet.

Rice dish.
Giphy | Chowhound

Reddit user geminiloveca likes to joke that their mother has the taste buds of a 1950s suburban housewife. Everything she eats is "too spicy" and her preferred serving meal was Minute Rice, skinless chicken breast, and cream of mushroom soup.

A culinary crime for the ages.

Cut up zucchini in a serving dish.
Unsplash | Jason Briscoe

Fair warning: this one isn't for the faint of heart. According to Redditor cb_moon_shine_12, their mother used to love microwaving zucchini and onions and then melting cheese overtop. Never was it ever seasoned, and the smell was enough to make you want to vomit.

"Tuna fish soup. I don’t know how she made it because I would dry heave from the smell." - Reddit u/Crevvie

Two guys making a tuna fish sandwich.
Giphy | NickRewind

I'm dry heaving just from reading this post! There's only one way to eat tuna fish: drenched in mayo and wedged between two slices of bread.

Did the neighbors ever complain about the smell?

Two salmon filets.
Unsplash | Caroline Attwood

When Reddit user intheshadowz08 was still very young, their mother used to make a dish that was commonly referred to as "salmon loaf." Essentially, it was canned salmon mixed with some sort of strange white sauce, then put into a bread pan and baked.

That's a big "nem, köszönöm" from me.

Man spitting out food.
Giphy | The Special Without Brett Davis

Goulash is normally considered to be a Hungarian delicacy — but not the way that Reddit user ConanTheProletarian's mother used to make it. For as long as they live, they'll never be able to forget the sensation of biting into tiny beef cubes as thick as leather.

Stick a fork in me, I'm not done.

Potato being picked from the ground.
Unsplash | Markus Spiske

Reddit user reg-o-matic says that their mother always struggled with the art of the baked potato. Most of the time, she'd serve them rock hard, to the point where you'd be worried about chipping a tooth.

Save it for Popeye.

Popeye eating spinach.
Giphy

For as long as they live, Redditor windigo hopes to never again look upon the sight of boiled spinach. According to their post, they didn't even realize spinach was a leaf until they were in their early 20s.

I don't care what anyone says — wheat pasta is disgusting.

Dried pasta.
Unsplash | Heather Gill

"Overly boiled wheat noodles in hot tomato water. First she breaks the noodles in half, then she adds it to a boiling pot of water with tomato slices and some lettuce. Maybe some salt or soy sauce is added too." - Reddit u/ki11a11hippies

h/t: Reddit