In recent years, food mashups have stolen the spotlight, and it’s easy to see why. There’s something so alluring about combining fan favorites to make insanely delicious creations. (Hey, sushi burritos and cronuts. We’re lookin’ at you.) Yet, much to the dismay of our stomachs, there are many experiments that result in unfortunate food abominations.
What exactly is a food abomination, you ask? For most people, it’s a food product or dish that pushes the envelope way too far.
Maybe the combination of ingredients used is so off-beat that it’s awful. Or, perhaps the flavors mesh in a way that makes your heart sink. In some cases, a food abomination is a dish that’s so high in calories, sodium, and grease that we can’t believe someone actually made it. But then again, anything is possible in the world of food, which you’ll soon see in the list below.
The following weird foods will either make you gag, wince, and/or cry, so don’t say you haven’t been warned.
1.Ranch Dressing Soda
In 2013, Rocket Fizz launched Ranch Dressing Soda, and the world of soft drinks has never been the same.
The fizzy beverage, which is sold under Rocket Fizz’s line called Lester’s Fixins, allegedly tastes just like the popular condiment. “I can’t give it a bad rating because it tastes as advertised,” said one review on Amazon. “It’s just gross, but who would expect a ranch flavored soda to taste good?!” Ugh, seriously.
2. Ketchup Ice Cream
Ketchup ice cream is a real thing, you guys.
It was created by an Ireland-based gelato shop in 2018. The shop, called Gelati, has two locations in Enniscrone and Ballina. And, get this, the ketchup ice cream was inspired by singer Ed Sheeran, who loves the condiment so much that he has a Heinz bottle tattoo. Since its release, the unique ice cream has popped up in other countries like Japan and Canada.
3. Mustard Ice Cream
A year after the ketchup ice cream launched, a mustard version cropped up. Yikes.
This time, the questionable concoction was created by French’s, a brand of condiments. The company partnered with Coolhaus to make the special-edition dessert just in time for National Mustard Day on August 3. The mustard ice cream was served by Coolhaus trucks in Los Angeles and New York City, though something tells us we won’t be seeing it in stores anytime soon. If you’re truly curious, French’s has posted their yellow mustard ice cream recipe so you can make it yourself.
4. Hot Dog Ice Cream Sandwich
Just when you thought it couldn’t get worse, Oscar Meyer dropped a hot dog ice cream sandwich.
The dessert, called the Ice Dog, launched in August 2019 — around the same time as French’s mustard ice cream. It featured spicy Dijon gelato and hot dog sweet cream with candied hot dog bits, all sandwiched in between a cookie bun. Oscar Meyer’s infamous Weinermobile took on New York City and served Ice Dogs, though we’d be surprised if anyone actually wanted one.
5. Peanut Butter Cup Burger
While peanut butter (and peanuts) are often used in savory dishes, we can’t get behind this peanut butter cup burger.
Yes, you read that right. In 2015, The Works Gourmet Burger Bistro in Canada added an unusual item to their menu: Reese’s peanut butter cup burger. Not only is the beef patty stuffed with peanut butter cups, but it’s topped with the candy, too. There’s also smoked bacon and crispy onion strings, but something tells us the Reese’s steal the show.
6. Deep-Fried Big Mac
While we’re talking about burgers, take a look at this grease-tastic deep-fried Big Mac.
Foods like deep-fried pizza and Oreos are common in some parts of the country. But we can’t help but consider this deep-fried Big Mac as a major food abomination. It boasts about 1,500 calories, for crying out loud! (Don’t even get us started on the cholesterol and sodium…) This insane creation was made by foodie Instagrammer @peepmyeats, who’s known for his extreme culinary adventures.
7. Peanut Butter and Jelly Sushi
It’s easy to get creative with sushi, but this is just plain crazy.
You can find this peanut butter and jelly sushi at Bambou Asian Restaurant in Greenwich, Connecticut. It’s listed under their “Vegetarian Rolls” and costs just $3.95. And again, while peanut butter is commonly used in savory dishes — like African peanut butter rice, for example — we can’t wrap our heads around this roll. Do you eat it with soy sauce or wasabi? Does nori even taste good with grape jelly?? We have so many questions.
8. Hot Dog Crust Pizza
Stuffing pizza crust with cheese is tasty and all, but hot dogs? Erm, no thanks.
To make matters even more interesting, both Pizza Hut and Domino’s have created their own version of this unusual pie. In 2015, Pizza Hut launched a Hot Dog Bites Pizza, which was first released in Japan, the UK, and Canada. The hot dog bites were pull-able and were to be paired with mustard. Fast forward to 2019 and Domino’s has created a Hot Dog Pizza, which features a normal crust stuffed with hot dogs.
9. KFC Double Down Sandwich
If you’re looking for an overload of fried chicken, KFC has your back.
The KFC Double Down sandwich is made with bacon, cheese, and sauce in between two pieces of fried chicken fillets. Around the world, you can find variations with grilled chicken fillets or spicy breading. To make things even more confusing, in 2015, the fast food chain released a Double Down Hot Dog in the Philippines. Clearly, KFC has no chill.
10. Cappuccino Potato Chips
In 2014, Frito-Lay broke the hearts of coffee lovers with their Cappuccino potato chips.
It was all thanks to a submission for Frito-Lay’s “Do Us A Flavor” contest. The four finalists included Cheddar Bacon Mac & Cheese, Kettle Cooked Wasabi Ginger, Wavy Mango Salsa, and… Cappuccino. According to the staff members at the talk show Today, the cappuccino potato chips leave behind “an unpleasant, lingering aftertaste.” Hard pass.
11. Peeps Milk
Peeps Milk makes it possible to eat your sugary cereal with, well, sugar.
Every spring, Peeps releases their line of iconic bunny and chick marshmallows. But in recent years, they’ve taken things up a notch with their Peeps Milk. With about 37 grams of sugar per serving, you can be sure the concoction deserves a spot on this list. To put things into perspective, the recommended sugar intake for men and women are 36 and 25 grams, respectively.
12. Krispy Kreme Sloppy Joe
Doughnuts are great. Sloppy joes are also great. But sloppy joes made with doughnuts?
Yeah, not so much. In 2013, Chef Charlie Boghosian served the sandwich at the San Diego County Fair. The sloppy joes, which were made with Krispy Kreme doughnuts instead of bread, weren’t affiliated with the doughnut chain. Yet, you can be sure that the sweet-and-savory concoction caused a stir on the Internet. (Fun fact: Chef Boghosian also invented deep-fried Kool-Aid. Who knew that was even possible?)
13. Domino’s Hawaiian Spaghetti Pizza
NO. JUST NO.
— Jen Epstein (@jenepsteinfox13) May 14, 2019
Domino's unveiled the Hawaiian Spaghetti Pizza: canned spaghetti, chunks of pineapple, ham and mozzarella cheese. Only available in New Zealand. pic.twitter.com/XhXkNIkmTc
In May 2019, Domino’s was at it again with a Hawaiian spaghetti pizza.
It’s also pretty hilarious, when you think about it. Hawaiian pizza is already insanely controversial. And thanks to this bizarre creation, Domino’s has managed to push even more buttons by adding canned spaghetti. The special pie is only available in New Zealand, and the comments are surprisingly positive. “Book it in!! Goes good with wine,” said one Facebook user.
14. Pizza Hut Four’N Twenty Pizza
If Pizza Hut’s Hot Dog Bites Pizza made you cringe, just wait till you see their meat pie pizza.
In 2015, Pizza Hut created it in collaboration with Four’N Twenty, a meat pie brand based in Australia. The pie, known as the Four’N Twenty Pizza, featured a crust stuffed with eight actual meat pies. And while folks do love their meat pies and pizza, many weren’t impressed by the creation. “It wasn’t as bad as I expected but it was not good,” said Instagram user @allyceb.
15. Pumpkin Spice SPAM
The obsession with pumpkin spice has officially gone too far.
Once limited to baked goods and lattes, pumpkin spice has somehow found its way into canned meat. Pumpkin spice SPAM. which debuts in September 2019, basically consists of SPAM with extra spices. We’re also suspicious about its reviews thus far. “I enjoy fishing around in the can with my finger and getting a decent chunk out, and then adding it to my pumpkin spice latte,” said one reviewer on the SPAM website. “Works better iced but hot is great too!” What?!
16. Canned Cheeseburger
Last but not least, the king of all food abominations: canned cheeseburger.
Produced by a German company called Trekking-Mahlzeiten, canned cheeseburger clearly isn’t meant for treating yourself. The cheeseburger in a can is meant for camping trips, though something tells us most folks would be fine with beans and bread. According The Takeout, the meat is eerily gray-green, and the sandwich itself has a strange film on it.
Suddenly, that deep-fried Big Mac might be appetizing after all.
