10 Unusual Foods I Don’t Care to Try

There are a lot of weird foods in the world. By weird, I don’t mean bad or disgusting or things that should not be eaten. I just mean that to many of us, the foods are unusual or strange or foreign and therefore feel weird to try. To someone else, the food may be a normal part of their diet or a fun oddity that they’re willing to try. I think it’s good to branch out and try unusual things, including unusual foods. And I don’t consider myself a picky eater. But there are some weird foods that I just personally have no desire to try.

Here are ten weird foods from around the world that don’t need to pass through my lips:

1. Cow Foot Jell-o. In my search for weird foods I came across this recipe that includes the foot of a cow and a package of Kool-aid. Yuck. Is this really edible? As a dessert?!

2. Live Octopus. I have absolutely zero desire to eat any animal while it’s still alive. Sannakji hoe is a type of Korean raw food that involves cutting up the octopus while it’s still alive and eating it while the suction cups on the arms of the octopus are still active. That means that there is a risk of one of those suction cups clasping on to your tongue or throat. No thanks.

3. Fugu. The blowfish is a delicacy in Japan and a weird food that a lot of people want to try. When cooked correctly, it’s apparently safe. But if it’s prepared incorrectly, the poison inside of it can kill you. That’s not a way that I want to go. I think blowfish look cool in aquariums; that’s enough for me!

4. Durian. I know one thing about this fruit: it stinks. Every time I’ve ever heard anyone say anything about this fruit, they say that the smell is terrifically rank and awful and repulsive. I don’t need to smell or taste that for myself in this lifetime. I’m okay without that personal experience.

5. Nutria. A 1995 report explains that nutria “is a 12 to 15-pound semiaquatic South American rodent that was introduced into the United States when animals were brought to Avery Island, Louisiana, in 1937.” It goes on to say that “The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LADWF) presently is investigating the potential for marketing nutria meat for human consumption, primarily for foreign markets.” I don’t know what happened with that but I can safely say that rodents, especially rodents of swampy lands, don’t need me to eat them.

6. Milt. Wikipedia tells me that “Milt is the seminal fluid of fish, mollusks, and certain other water-dwelling animals who reproduce by spraying this fluid, which contains the sperm, onto roe (fish eggs).” It also tells me that they eat fried herring milt in Russia, tuna milt on pasta in Sicily and various other fish milt in Japan.

7. Horse Sashimi. Apparently this is not all that unusual in Japan (so says the Internet anyway). I can’t bring myself to knowingly eat horse – personal preference. And I don’t like any sashimi. So this one is not for me.

8. Tuna Eyeball. Apparently eaten in Asia. No eyeballs for me, thanks.

9. Japanese Mega Pizza. Asylum reports on this pizza from Pizza Hut in Japans: “The crust is made of hot dogs wrapped in bacon and rolls of molten cheese. The center is built with hamburgers, cheese rolls, sausage, bacon, ham, bacon bits, mushroom, onion, pepper, garlic and tomato sauce.” And you can top it with maple syrup and / or ketchup. Maybe that sounds good to some people. Not to me.

10.Bugs of any kind. Eating insects is actually not all that weird compared to many of the foods on this list. In fact, it’s common in many countries and it’s increasingly popular around the world. I know of food trucks that specialize in serving them. I don’t care. I don’t want to eat bugs. You?

Have you tried any of these weird foods? Would you?