Humans are simple creatures . We can’t control what we like, nor can we force ourselves to like something we don’t. Sometimes, the things we do like come as a complete shock to others, who happen to hate it.
This list explores that concept, as a Reddit post asked people to share strange food combinations that they enjoy that others might find appalling.
Main attraction.
“Pineapple and cheddar.”
A simple answer that had a lot of people reeling, myself included. According to some, though, it’s pretty great, as one reply read, “A person brought a pineapple, Ritz, and cheddar baked casserole thing to a block party when I was a kid. No one touched it at first. A bunch of us kids dared each other to try. Best dessert ever.”
Sweet and salty.
“When I was growing up, it was standard procedure for us to put grape jelly on scrambled eggs. I did it when I went to college and everyone at the table stared at me. I still like it.”
While no one hopped on with grape jelly specifically, a few mentioned enjoying added sweetness to their eggs, like maple syrup.
A blend of cultures.
“Perogies and salsa.”
As a resident pierogi lover, this sounds genuinely amazing. People mentioned their Eastern European grandparents being slighted by the thought, but hey, there’s nothing wrong with trying new things! Especially delicious new things!
Step by step.
“Watermelon and feta cheese.”
This mix kept getting new things added to it in the thread of comments until it essentially became a salad. Red onion, balsamic vinegar, basil, mint, pepper, it was a whole recipe in there. I’m a watermelon purist so I’m still not sold, but it has its fans.
An extra ingredient.
“I was speaking to a coworker about lunch and he said ‘I am so excited to eat my peanut butter, jelly, and cheese sandwich!!’ and I was like ‘excuse me? Your peanut butter, jelly, and WHAT?’ and he was like ‘and cheese?? You know? A peanut butter, jelly, and cheese sandwich!!’
It took myself and two other coworkers about ten minutes to convince him that no one else eats cheese on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. He was baffled.”
Mix and match.
“Vegemite and honey. For all you Aussies out there who haven’t tried this yet, you’re missing out.”
This prompted everyone to share their Vegemite combinations, which included guacamole, peanut butter, cheese, and just straight-up butter. There’s a combo for every pallet.
Some good dippin’.
“French fries with tartar sauce.”
Apparently, this combination is rather common across Europe, but less so in America. One commenter explained why the pair made sense, saying, “It’s not that shocking since this sauce is used for meats and fried fish/things. So not surprising.”
Five stars.
“My mom swears by jam (jelly) and ham sandwiches.”
One reply suggested adding a slice of brie and toasting it, which suddenly makes this sandwich seem a lot fancier. Put it on some fancy french bread, and you have a restaurant-quality sandwich on your hands.
Anything and everything.
“[Kimchi] on Tacos.”
The replies to this one were filled with people advocating the addition of kimchi to just about everything! Pulled pork sandwiches, tzatziki, burgers, stews, fried eggs, etcetera. Whatever your heart tells you kimchi can be added to, it can be.
Movie theater treats.
“Reece’s Pieces and buttered popcorn. It’s the bomb.”
I’ve been a long-time advocate of M&M’s in popcorn, to the point of mixing it myself while at movie theaters, and this just sounds like the same but better.
If you’ve never tried either of these, I can’t recommend it enough.
Mass-produced mixture.
“Hummus and salsa mixed together with tortilla chips.”
This one doesn’t actually sound too terrible. In fact, it seems to be a known combo, as another user commented, “More common than you think. At my grocery [store] they sell the hummus [pre-mixed] with salsa and stock tortilla chips right next to them.”
Top of your class.
“Root beer float except with cherry Coke and chocolate ice cream. I was in middle school on a field trip, last in line at the cream shop, and ordered this after everyone else had done the standard root beer and vanilla.
“One of the cool girls who had never spoken my name before gave me this piercing look and asked if I would switch with her. I instinctively knew I would get zero benefit from this deal, so I said ‘Nope, ya gotta just remember it next time.’ That felt good.”
A breakfast made in heaven.
“Peanut butter and maple syrup.”
Hold on a second now, because this actually sounds good. Peanut butter has been proved to pair well with sweeter condiments, and it plus maple syrup sounds like a delicious breakfast treat. Imagine it on waffles, it sounds delightful.
A rise in popularity.
“Apple slices and blue cheese.”
Apples and cheese has become more common, I find, though usually it’s cheddar and or brie rather than blue. Throw in some turkey or ham, put it on a nice bun and get it toasted, and you’ve got a lovely lunch on your hands.
Not the standard.
“I eat my sushi with the pickled ginger that comes with it. Tried it the first time I had sushi because I didn’t know any better, liked it, don’t care that it’s the ‘wrong’ way.”
One ingredient removed.
“Omelet made with cinnamon and sugar.”
As one reply pointed out, this is just french toast without the bread, but even knowing that it still feels so strange. I can’t imagine putting cinnamon and sugar on just eggs, but if those eggs are coating a piece of bread? Absolutely.
Updating a classic.
“Honey on pizza. Life-changing. Especially spicy honey.”
Many pointed out that honey and goat cheese is already a thing in many places, and rather well-loved, but they don’t understand that this comment is reaching farther. Honey on all pizza. Spicy honey on all pizza. It’s a new world.
Found a home.
“Chili and a peanut butter sandwich.”
Another peanut butter mixture that seems to have an audience already, as one user replied, “Wait this isn’t normal? Southern Ohio here and everyone eats it like that. I’ve even been to [county-held chili] cool offs and there’s always peanut butter sandwiches around.”
Truly orange juice.
“Not food, but orange and carrot juice.”
Many came to this combo’s defense, enjoying the thought of orange and carrot together. One user even made it a food, suggesting, “Carrots roasted in orange juice then lifted with just a dash of balsamic vinegar. Delish.”
Working harder.
“Mashed potatoes in a bowl and pour buttermilk over them. Crack some pepper on it. Eat it like a soup. Bonus points if you add some onions sauteed in butter.”
As someone pointed out, this is basically just potato soup with the extra step of mashing the potatoes.
