# 15 things Americans eat that Foreigners hate **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 4, 2014, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307 "2014-12-04T12:38:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 16
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/301 "2014-12-09T18:10:29Z")
> [@Orpington](#): > > No problem - see below. > Yep, I grew up in Dallas. Went to the state fair every year as a kid and into college. I’m pretty sure it’s the only place I ever had corny dogs. I don’t remember when or where I realized not everyone said corny dog. There used to be a place at some of the mall food courts that sold them but it never felt right without the fair. “Corny dog” isn’t just a regionalism: it’s a brand name. For the alleged (disputed) inventor of the things, Fletcher’s Corny Dogs. The [very ones you remember from the Texas State Fair](http://dallas.eater.com/2014/7/10/6189947/the-story-of-fletchers-americas-original-corn-dog). Which is why the things aren’t called “corny dogs” everywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/302 "2014-12-09T19:23:33Z")
The innuendo is strong with that article writer. ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/303 "2014-12-09T20:38:51Z")
Strawberry-rhubarb pie? I can see that being oddly unfamiliar, but I find it very odd it would be disagreeable with people that like fruit pies at all. It usually tastes mostly of strawberry with a hint of tart rhubarb to keep the strawberry from being cloyingly sweet. Now, JUST rhubarb pie is certainly an acquired taste. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/304 "2014-12-09T20:51:40Z")
> [@Spud](#): > > Nope… it is orange just like American cheese. > > [http://thecardswedrew.com/cheesy-chicken-spaghetti-with-velveeta/](http://thecardswedrew.com/cheesy-chicken-spaghetti-with-velveeta/) > > It does melt differently though. Sorry, I worded that indistinctly. The Kraft Cheddar Cheese in Australia is a white cheese, not orange like Velveeta, and according to American ex-pats the Kraft Cheddar melts differently. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/305 "2014-12-09T21:18:53Z")
I think Sloppy Joes could qualify as iconically American. What kid didn’t have these served in the school cafeteria? We usually loved Sloppy Joe day. Homemade SJ’s are the best though, no thanks on the canned stuff. The trick with eating them is much like the “Triple fried egg/chili/chutney sandwich”, eat it before the bread dissolves. I grew up with Cheez Wiz. We always had some in the house. It was good for a quick Mac and Cheese (we never had that powdered in a box stuff) a quick sauce for veggies and also for putting on your hot dog. It is way better than Velveeta. I haven’t had any in a long time though. I am afraid the experience would be as much of a let down as Vienna Sausages. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2014, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/306 "2014-12-10T02:43:16Z")
> [@](#): > > Quoth **typoink** : > > Now, JUST rhubarb pie is certainly an acquired taste. Except it’s very seldom “just rhubarb”. Much more often, it’s “rhubarb and a huge heaping pile of sugar”, which accomplishes the same thing as the strawberry. ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2014, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/307 "2014-12-10T22:33:45Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Except it’s very seldom “just rhubarb”. Much more often, it’s “rhubarb and a huge heaping pile of sugar”, which accomplishes the same thing as the strawberry. Well, I’m pretty sure JUST rhubarb would be a very tough sell. Even to me, and I rather like rhubarb. But just rhubarb and sugar is still very tart and the odd stringy texture of rhubarb is highlighted. I wouldn’t be surprised if somebody told me they hated that texture or found it off-putting. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2014, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/308 "2014-12-10T22:50:40Z")
> [@typoink](#): > > Well, I’m pretty sure JUST rhubarb would be a very tough sell. Even to me, and I rather like rhubarb. > > But just rhubarb and sugar is still very tart and the odd stringy texture of rhubarb is highlighted. I wouldn’t be surprised if somebody told me they hated that texture or found it off-putting. I hate that texture and find it off-putting. ---
**Author:** ![stui\_magpie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stui_magpie/32/11010_2.png) [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/309 "2014-12-12T01:29:08Z")
> [@Eliahna](#): > > Sorry, I worded that indistinctly. The Kraft Cheddar Cheese in Australia is a white cheese, not orange like Velveeta, and according to American ex-pats the Kraft Cheddar melts differently. 🙂 That Kraft cheese in the blue box that sits on the shelf near the vegemite, I have not eaten that stuff in decades. Mum always had a box in the pantry in the 70’s, but once I discovered real cheese I never looked back. Although i did buy a jar of the cheddar cheese spread the other day, specifically to put some on some microwaved potatoes.:o Still tastes the same as I remember. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/310 "2014-12-12T03:19:15Z")
> [@Wile\_E](#): > > I am afraid the experience would be as much of a let down as Vienna Sausages. True story. I had a much older uncle by marriage that was such an extremely picky eater that he only ate canned or processed meat products for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Vegetables, fish and even non processed meat were an abomination to him. He would eat bacon or sausages if someone else (a woman, any woman) cooked them but that wasn’t a reliable food source so canned and processed meats had to make up the bulk of his diet. Even those were very selective though and canned Vienna Sausages were always the go-to choice. He wasn’t timid about anything in any other way. He was a very successful businessman that owned his own small plane, gobs of land and even had his own airstrip. You would think that would be really bad for you but you would be wrong as he constantly told people. He lived to be 56 before he died suddenly from a stroke. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/311 "2014-12-12T07:10:15Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > True story. I had a much older uncle by marriage that was such an extremely picky eater that he only ate canned or processed meat products for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Vegetables, fish and even non processed meat were an abomination to him. He would eat bacon or sausages if someone else (a woman, any woman) cooked them but that wasn’t a reliable food source so canned and processed meats had to make up the bulk of his diet. Even those were very selective though and canned Vienna Sausages were always the go-to choice. He wasn’t timid about anything in any other way. He was a very successful businessman that owned his own small plane, gobs of land and even had his own airstrip. > > You would think that would be really bad for you but you would be wrong as he constantly told people. He lived to be 56 before he died suddenly from a stroke. I think that story kind of proved the point that it was really bad for you. I used to love them as a kid and then did not eat them for a long time but bought some several years ago as potential hurricane supplies. We didn’t have a hurricane but I decided to try some and I ate one and felt sick. The dog loved them, they were probably bad for her, too, but she survived and lived to the ripe old age of 14. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/312 "2014-12-12T15:30:51Z")
**Wile E** , I think you done got wooshed. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/313 "2014-12-12T16:20:24Z")
> [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](#): > > This seems more like southern redneck cuisine. Could be. I love every single item listed. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/314 "2014-12-12T16:56:31Z")
Rhubarb is decidedly non-Southern. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/315 "2014-12-12T21:43:40Z")
I had a classmate in college who had reached that age having literally never eaten anything but pizza, burgers, and cheesesteaks. As in, spaghetti was something new and exotic to him. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/316 "2014-12-12T23:58:55Z")
Biscuits and gravy made me a man. [![](http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/article/media_slots/photos/000/985/943/Festus_original.jpg?1374775410) ](http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/article/media_slots/photos/000/985/943/Festus_original.jpg?1374775410) ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/317 "2014-12-13T03:08:11Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > I have seldom enjoyed a meal in a sit-down restaurant so much in my life! :o Biscuits and gravy are a peculiarly satisfying dish. They don’t seem like they would be, but they definitely are. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/318 "2014-12-13T03:26:49Z")
It’s basically pure carbs and fat. Of course it’s satisfying. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/319 "2014-12-13T04:42:22Z")
Raw oysters. Dip in boiling water for ten seconds before shucking! ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/320 "2014-12-13T10:21:38Z")
> [@the\_diego](#): > > Raw oysters. Dip in boiling water for ten seconds before shucking! I don’t think that’s particularly American. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307.md?page=15) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307.md?page=17)