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    Home » MSN

    11 Strange Things Foodies Say They Would Never Ever Eat

    By Emmeline Kemperyd on November 27, 2024, updated November 28, 2024 - Leave a Comment

    So, you call yourself an adventurous foodie? Well, you might pride yourself on your willingness to try just about anything - but there are some unique "delicacies" that even you might shy away from. From fermented fish to insect-based dishes, and a few more common foods... here are 11 eats that have been deemed too much for foodies to stomach. At least that's what they say when asked, as evidenced in a recent discussion online. Me? I'd only eat two of them. And it's exactly the ones you'd expect.

    Surströmming

    A person holding a can of surströmming.
    Photo credit: Paul Barron/Shutterstock.com.

    This North American foodie shared, “Even though I never see myself getting anywhere near it since I’m canadian, Swedish Surströmming is something I wouldn’t even wish on the people I hate.” [sic]

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    If you weren’t aware, Surströmming is lightly salted, fermented Baltic Sea herring traditional to Swedish cuisine since at least the 16th century. Doesn’t sound bad, right? Well, the process of fermenting the fish gives it a strong rotten egg smell that might make you want to think twice about that... I'm Swedish, and even I would never eat it!

    Balut

    Balut is a fertilized developing egg embryo that is boiled or steamed and eaten from the shell. It is street food in South China and the Philippines, Cambodia, and Vietnam.
    Image Credit: Nalidsa/Shutterstock.

    Balut is a Filipino delicacy consisting of a fertilized duck embryo that’s boiled and eaten from the shell. We advise you not to Google it. But don’t be mistaken about Filipino food! As this foodie suggests, there are other dishes that won’t make you gag, “some delicious Filipino foods you all should try are pancit (a thin noodle cuisine), siopao (steamed buns stuffed with meat), lechon (roasted pig fat) and lumpia (which are similar to spring rolls but better IMO).”

    I can add adobo to that list, maybe the most delicious chicken stew I've ever had!

    Certain Insects (But Others Are Ok?)

    A woman selling peanuts and mopane worms.
    Photo credit: Lucian Coman/Shutterstock.com.

    One foodie was weirdly specific about the insects that he won't eat, “Maggots, Cicadas, Roaches.” So we guess crickets, slugs, and caterpillars are still in the cards, then?

    Popping Eyeballs

    Tuna eyes.
    Photo credit: Red_Baron/Shutterstock.

    One person squeamishly said, “Eyeballs. They pop when you bite them.” Eyeballs aren’t that bad, it just depends which eyeballs you’re eating. For example, fish eyes are supposed to be delicious. Once you pop, you can’t stop!

    Spiders

    A pile of fried spiders.
    Photo credit: Steve Barze / Shutterstock.com.

    A common food that most people, foodies included, say they wouldn't eat is spiders. Well, we're sorry to break it to you, but you probably have eaten spiders. According to research, we eat up to 8 spiders during our sleep in a lifetime (just google it). Gross! But no, I still would not dive into these fried spiders that are apparently common in Thailand. Luckily I never saw them or I might not have returned!

    Mayonnaise

    A small bowl of homemade mayonnaise.
    Photo credit: Elena Hramova/Shutterstock.com.

    While others were calling out the most disgusting foods imaginable, this foodie went for something a little more relatable, “I mean, I'd eat almost anything for the right amount of money. But it would have to be a fair amount of money to get me to eat a big spoonful of mayo.” We hear you. It’s gloppy, sour, and overpowers the entire dish. Unless it's a homemade mayo because that is a whole other sauce entirely, and one I'll happily eat by the spoonful!

    Casu Marzu

    Casu marzu cheese.
    Photo credit: lucasinapiphotography/Shutterstock.com.

    One "delicacy" a lot of foodies agree they would never eat, is casu marzu. For those who don’t know, it’s a traditional Sardinian cheese that’s known for containing live insect larvae, enhancing its flavor through fermentation. Or as this forum user eloquently puts it, “it's basically maggot poop.”

    Basically maggot poop, and also illegal in most countries as it's quite unsanitary and dangerous to eat.

    Carolina Reaper

    A small bowl of sambal oelek surrounded by lots of different chilies.
    Photo credit: Foodio/Shutterstock.

    Known as the world’s hottest pepper, one food enthusiast said they’d never eat the Carolina Reaper, “I can't handle spicy food in general so I'm pretty sure I'd "die" if I ate that pepper.” Spice can be key to adding flavor but this is just a sure-fire way to disintegrate your tastebuds! I love spicy food but even I have my limits.

    Duong Dua

    Eating a beetle larvae with chopsticks.
    Photo credit: nicemyphoto/Shutterstock.com.

    Otherwise known as coconut worms, this foodie explains, “In some parts of Vietnam, it’s apparently pretty popular to eat live beetle larvae.” Just thinking about them wriggling in my mouth is making me squirm!

    Live Octopus

    Cooked octopus.
    Photo credit: Fotografiasaez/Shutterstock.com.

    This person says they refuse to eat live octopus due to concerns for animal welfare, “I'm not even an animal fanatic and I watch these people nail a octopus head to a stick and eat it, or the ones that wiggle on the plate... It’s absolutely cruel.” [sic]

    I'd never eat that either, but animal welfare is just one of my concerns...

    Peanuts

    A jar of peanut butter.
    Photo credit: inewsfoto/Shutterstock.com.

    One person with a sense of humor said they wouldn’t eat peanuts. Not because they don’t like them, but because they’re allergic. Well, that sounds like one of the better reasons on this list!

    Source: Reddit

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    About Emmeline Kemperyd

    Emmeline Kemperyd is a writer, food blogger, recipe creator and food photographer and the founder of alwaysusebutter.com. She has more than 20 years of experience creating and simplifying recipes so they taste good, and are quick, easy, and approachable. She is a regular contributor to MSN  and her work has been featured by The Guardian, Well+Good, Vulture, SheKnows, Good Men Project, Daily Kos, The Grio, The Asian Parent, and The Feed Feed, among others.

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