14 Weird American Foods Foreigners Refuse To Taste
Are you one of those people who likes to try new food, no matter how weird it sounds? If so, you’re in for a treat. In America, there are plenty of unique dishes that might make your foreign friends...

Are you one of those people who likes to try new food, no matter how weird it sounds? If so, you’re in for a treat. In America, there are plenty of unique dishes that might make your foreign friends squirm. Don’t believe us? Well, we’ve put together a list of 14 weird American foods that foreigners refuse to taste. From deep-fried Oreos to liver mush, these foods might not be for the faint of heart, but hey, you only live once, right?
Fried chicken and waffles
This unlikely combination of sweet and savory is a valuable part of Southern American cuisine. A seemingly odd pairing of fried chicken with sweet waffles doused in maple syrup might not appeal to everyone’s palate, especially those unaccustomed to such startling juxtapositions of tastes and textures.
Biscuits and gravy
This staple breakfast dish of the South might seem confusing to outsiders. White gravy, often laced with chunks of sausage, served over soft biscuits may seem overwhelming, both in terms of flavor and consistency, to people from different culinary backgrounds.
Corn dogs
Corn dogs are a classic American carnival food. This dish, which consists of a hot dog coated in a thick layer of cornmeal batter and deep-fried, might seem strange and excessively indulgent to people not used to the American penchant for deep-fried fare.
Chitlins
A soul food classic, chitlins are the cleaned and cooked intestines of pigs. Despite their cultural significance, the thought of eating pig intestines — and the strong smell that comes with cooking them — can be off-putting to non-natives.
Jello salad
Combining sweet gelatin-based Jello with ingredients like vegetables, fruit, and sometimes even mayonnaise, can be quite confounding to individuals unfamiliar with this uniquely American creation.
Root beer floats
While root beer is an iconic American drink, pairing it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream to make a float might seem peculiar to outsiders. The combination of bubbly soda with smooth, creamy ice cream could be seen as conflicting rather than complementary.
Peanut butter and jelly sandwich
The quintessential American lunchbox item might appear as an unorthodox combination to the uninitiated. The peculiarly sweet yet savory blend of peanut butter and grape jelly sandwiched between two slices of bread can be overwhelming to some palates.
Pop tarts
These pre-packaged, sugary toaster pastries are a breakfast staple in many American households. To those with less sweet-toothed breakfast traditions, the idea of kick-starting the day with a dessert-like dish might be hard to comprehend.
Meatloaf
Meatloaf, a dish made from ground meat formed into a loaf shape, is a comfort food for many Americans. However, non-Americans might find the uncomplicated flavor and often mooshy texture of meatloaf less than appealing.
Chicken gizzards
Deep-fried chicken gizzards are enjoyed in several regions of the U.S. However, for those unused to consuming the internal organs of animals, this snack could be viewed as an alien concept.
Spam
Spam, a canned meat product, is often fried and eaten as a main dish or used as an ingredient in other dishes. Its processed nature and canned presentation may not appeal to everyone, particularly those who enjoy fresh, whole foods.
Grits
Grits, a boiled cornmeal dish, is a customary meal in the Southern U.S. While it’s adored in the South, the relatively bland flavor and sandy texture may not be appealing to those from different culinary backgrounds.
Sloppy Joes
These messy sandwiches filled with ground beef in a sweet and tangy sauce might be loved by many Americans but could be viewed as overly sweet and oddly textured by non-Americans.
Twinkies
Twinkies, cream-filled sponge cakes, are an American snack cake institution. But their highly processed nature and excessively sweet flavor could turn off many non-Americans.