I’ve always been curious about how some foods become so wildly popular. Every time I see them on menus or grocery store shelves, I wonder: Am I the only one who doesn’t get the hype? Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for trying new things, but a few of these just leave me completely baffled. They seem to show up everywhere, yet I’ve rarely met anyone who genuinely enjoys them. Still, people keep eating them, so maybe I’m missing something. Let’s take a closer look at these surprisingly popular foods that somehow became household staples.
Note: The content of this article does not reflect the Writer's personal beliefs.
Broccoli
Broccoli has always been one of those vegetables people love to debate. It’s not exactly the first thing most of us get excited to see on our plate. Still, there are plenty of folks out there who insist it’s delicious, especially when sautéed with a little salt and pepper. Personally, I’m not convinced, but hey, to each their own.
Brussels sprouts
Brussels sprouts have a way of looking way cuter than they actually taste. Their tiny, marble-like shape makes you think they might be fun and tasty, but then reality hits. For some reason, they’ve become a trendy veggie, but I still can’t get past the bitter flavor and dense texture. Maybe it’s the childhood memories or just the smell when they’re cooking, but they’ve never made it to my favorites list. Still, some people genuinely love them, and I’m honestly impressed.
Oysters
Think about it, folks. Have you ever met someone who claims they love oysters? No, me neither. Most of the time, I’ve seen oysters in movies and TV shows, and even that didn’t convince me to try it. I mean, just look at it.
This slime-textured thing is supposed to taste great, but I’m just not buying it. Maybe if it wasn’t a literal weird animal, but even then, the chances of us eating it are low.
Chicken liver and giblets
I’m quite a fan of getting the most out of everything. But I draw the line at chicken liver and giblets, which are way too ugly and weird to taste.
Sure, they might work in some areas of the world (I hear there’s a popular South Asian dish called kaleji). But I can’t bring myself to eat something that looks, feels, and probably tastes like slimy pencil erasers.
Celery
I have a bone to pick with Johnny Bravo because he made me think celery was one of the few vegetables that tasted good. Spoiler alert: it does not. It also didn’t help that I tried celery with peanut butter, and yeah, that is as gross as it sounds.
Maybe I’m not a fan of stalk vegetables, but even a goat would probably pass on the celery!
Durian
Imagine eating something that tastes like sweaty socks. Disgusting right? That is exactly how durian smells when you eat it. No matter how sweet and custardy it tastes, we cannot just take that rotten egg smell out of our minds!
If the fruit doesn't smell like what it tastes like, then what's the point of eating it? No, sorry, we'll pass!
Kidney beans
I’m really curious about the people who are eating kidney beans with pleasure. Sure, indulging in a spicy kidney bean salad sounds tempting, but you’re telling me they actually taste good? Sure.
Kidney beans always feel like they’re half-cooked, and the tough messiness is a texture my tongue is not willing to compromise on.
Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese is one of the weirdest-textured foods in existence. It is runny and liquid while still being chunky and lumpy. How is this possible?
Then, when you put cottage cheese in your mouth, you will also be confused by the flavor. Is it sweet or sour? Should I add fruit to the bowl or stir in some ground black pepper?
This strange food might be considered to be healthy (all that dairy!), but we seriously do not want to eat it.
Lettuce
We aren't sure how or why lettuce became so popular. It pretty much has no taste at all unless you smother it with dressing. Who thought that eating leaves would be a good idea? And yet, almost all of us eat a salad once or twice a week. Why are we torturing ourselves?
Grapefruit
Grapefruit is a weird cross between a melon and an orange, but it is nothing like the two. If you were to squeeze out half a lemon, refill its guts with nothing but sugar, and accidentally add a drop of orange essence, you’d get what grapefruit tastes like.
Grapefruit is a sham that tastes like nothing and easily stings your throat. Thank you, but I’ll pass.
Tuna
Whenever I look at tuna, I wonder what makes people choose it over the other varieties of fish available. You’re telling me halibuts, mackerel, and other delicious fish are worse than tuna? Well, you are crazy if you think I’ll believe that.
And I’m not alone. Many people hate tuna's smell, texture, and taste, and I’m sure this will never change.
Squash
I seriously need to meet whoever looked at squash and decided it would make good food because it’s not worth anything. I don’t want to spend my money on squash, let alone think about a dish that will make its taste bearable. And I don’t care how many colorful variants there are; most squashes are disgusting.
Kale
Kale is one vegetable that would never have gotten any attention if it weren’t featured in keto-friendly smoothies. If you think about it, kale isn’t even enjoyable on its own; most recipes squeeze out the veggie in a smoothie, and if that doesn’t convince you, it’s awful. I’m sorry, but your food choices suck.
Cranberries
Cranberries are a pretty healthy food, but there is one problem- they taste so sour. Most of the time, recipes with cranberries are also loaded with sugar. This counteracts the health benefits of the little berries.
If you want to get cranberries' full benefits, you should eat them raw and plain. It won't taste good, but it will be good for you!
Green Tea
Green tea is loaded with antioxidants and has been shown to lower the risk of cancer cells. However, it has a strong, bitter taste that is hard to get past—especially low-quality ones from the supermarket.
The hot tea also dries out your mouth, making it very unappealing to drink. But, we love the benefits that it gives us so we will keep on sipping!
Sardines
Sardines are surprisingly nutritious. They are full of omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for your brain's health. They also have many other essential nutrients while still being very low in calories. The only problem is that sardines are slimy, creepy-looking, and extremely salty.
The bottom line is that they are very healthy but especially gross to put into your mouth. We just can't stomach eating a small fish with eyeballs, no matter how nutritious.
Ginger
Ginger is a strange food. Its strong taste is both bitter and spicy. We are confused by its flavor and don't want to eat it, even if it is nutritious. Plus, that stringy texture... yuck. No, thank you, ginger root. We will find other nutritious foods to eat instead.
Wheatgrass
Wheatgrass is a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals. It is also a nutritious juice shot or addition to smoothies. However, we despise wheatgrass because it tastes like, well, grass. That grass smell and flavor are impossible to get past. Nobody likes to drink grass. We can all admit it.
This article was first published at Spatula Desserts.
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