I Hate To Say It, But Non-Americans Think These 21 American Foods Are "Disgusting," And They Might Be Right

A while back, we wrote a post where non-American Redditors shared American foods that seem gross or — at the very least — quite confusing. Even more Reddit users shared the American foods they're not too fond of — and of course, it gets heated. Here's what they had to say:

1."I remember a lime jello tuna salad ring made in a bundt pan by a distant relative. We told her with her work schedule, she shouldn't bother with bringing food to potlucks."

u/DefrockedWizard1

A gelatin mold filled with tuna and garnished with lettuce and olives, presented on a kitchen counter
u/Dirk_Tungsten / Via reddit.com

2."That sweet potato casserole recipe topped with pecans and marshmallows — a 'traditional side at Thanksgiving table.'"

u/pixgarden

"Marshmallows on sweet potatoes is so gross and foreign to me."

u/DonSmo

Sweet potato casserole topped with toasted marshmallows, served in a glass dish on a dining table
u/cypressdwd / Via reddit.com

3."Canned things that probably don't need to be canned. Looking at you, whole white potatoes in water."

u/nuclear_cyanide

A stacked whole canned potatoes next to its container on a kitchen counter
u/SSTralala / Via reddit.com

4."I'm sorry but those slices of American cheese have always tasted so fake and plastic to me personally."

u/weyamav220

Two slices of bread with a single cheese slice on each, one with wrapper partially on
u/g8happy4all / Via reddit.com

5."When they introduced me to Chicago pizza, something in me died. That should not be called pizza — it's just a devil fat pie."

u/2019Loser

Chicago pizza
Elizabeth Beard / Getty Images

6."Grits. I tried it a few times and don't hate it anymore, but it's weird. Very weird."

u/dewali5580

Bowl of creamy grits with a spoon, close-up, held by a person

7."As an Australian, I would like to know what in the flying firetruck a 'Bloomin' Onion' has to do with anything — let alone the rest of Outback Steakhouse's menu."

u/weyamav220

Person holding a plate with a blooming onion and dipping sauce
u/bradwest96 / Via reddit.com

8."[Midwestern] salads 🥲😬. Like, WTF, America! Crushed pineapples and marshmallows are not ingredients that belong near a salad 🤡😂."

u/Yalaeinhorn2704

Bowl of fruit salad with creamy dressing and a spoon on a paper calendar background
u/dkmadness / Via reddit.com

9."Mac and cheese where it does not belong. I'm looking at you, pizza and burgers."

u/HeyNow646

Pizza with macaroni and cheese topping, one slice removed, on a baking tray next to a pizza cutter
u/RilantheGreat / Via reddit.com

10."Coffee creamer. It's wild that's even a thing. Just pour some milk in there."

—Anonymous

A cup of coffee with a spoon on a wooden surface
Trinetuzun / Getty Images

11."Americans tend to like their bacon crispier. As a Canadian, I say chewy bacon for the win."

u/AstralCat69420

Crispy bacon strips on a paper towel-lined plate
u/RadDadBrad / Via reddit.com

12."Twinkies. WTF is it even made of? In my mind, it's just pure sugar."

u/Huhu107

Person holding a bitten Twinkie over an open Twinkies snack package
u/PoukieBear / Via reddit.com

13."Sloppy joes. The thing I find least appealing about burgers is when the filling falls off."

u/oogeej

A close-up of a sloppy joe sandwich with ground beef and onions on a bun
u/ChiLittlePickle / Via reddit.com

14."American bread. I'm sure you can get good bread somewhere in the US, but the generally available, sugary, long-shelf-life bread is so appalling."

"Now, of course, your export of fast-food restaurants has nothing to do with haute cuisine, but any burger would be so much better if at least you used acceptable bread."

u/UhtredTheCold

Three slices of white bread on a patterned plate
u/macshia / Via reddit.com

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15."Whoever decided we needed to batter and deep fry sticks of butter."

u/Beneficial_Trainer_5

Partially bitten fried stick of butter, oozing out melted butter
u/mm2woodDOTmid / Via reddit.com

16."Corn syrup everywhere."

u/Smart_Pumpkin_8928

"The prevalence of high fructose corn syrup in EVERYTHING. Unfortunately, being in Canada, it's bleeding over the border as a lot of products here are manufactured in the USA."

u/yugosaki

Syrup bottle labeled "No High Fructose Corn Syrup" next to its Nutrition Facts label that lists "corn syrup" and "sugar"
u/alexthemale / Via reddit.com

17."Ranch dressing. I once had a pizza in America, and it had ranch dressing on it. Ranch dressing doesn't really exist in Europe, and it's this weird, salty, fatty, mayo-like sauce — and it certainly does not belong on a pizza...or inside a human body for that matter."

u/No-Vehicle6028

A jar of creamy Ranch with specks of herbs on a dark countertop
Taira Norris / Getty Images

18."The chocolate out there is FOUL."

u/lcg25

"Ghirardelli, Guittard, Dove, Scharffen Berger, and hundreds of smaller companies are fine. Pretty much just avoid anything you would find near the register at a grocery store."

u/mostlikelynotasnail

"I tried a big-name American chocolate brand once but couldn't eat it due to the vomit smell and taste."

u/TomomiimomoT

Close-up of milk and dark chocolate bars with clear detail on texture
Michelle Garrett / Getty Images

19."I find biscuits and gravy to be absolutely disgusting."

"But I'd like to counterbalance that by adding how delicious cornbread is and why on earth hasn't it become a staple here in Europe? It's SO yummy!"

u/FifiLaFifi

A person holds a plate of biscuits smothered in creamy sausage gravy, steam rising, kitchen background
u/msdeeds123 / Via reddit.com

20."Spray…cheese???"

u/spudboy226

Spray cheese with diced vegetables in a pan
u/minda1120 / Via reddit.com

And finally...

21."Circus Peanuts. What are they? How do they have so much sugar but taste so horrible? What science experiments created them?"

u/me047

Person holding a peanut-shaped orange puff
u/slimshady713 / Via reddit.com

WOW. Americans, do you agree with these opinions? And non-Americans, what other American foods actually seem "gross"? Let us know in the comments below!

Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.