1. Corn Dogs
Although it’s a fast food or street food that’s loved throughout America, the thought of a highly-processed sausage deep-fried in cornmeal batter is more than enough to turn a Brit’s stomach. Sausages are to be served on buns, please.
2. Grits
Made from corn that’s ground into a coarse meal and then subjected to boiling, this tasteless food is often seasoned to death, or served with other flavorings, to become somewhat bearable to eat. The dish is of Native American origin, and its name is derived from the Old English word “grytt”, which means “coarse meal”. To a British person, eating grits is akin to eating salted porridge – not very pleasant when viewed from that perspective.
3. American Cheese
The stuff that you get on burgers when you’re in the United States isn’t just highly offensive to the British palate, but to the entire European one too. Or “cheese” that comes out of a can? How dare you! Kraft Singles, for instance, contain delights such as sodium citrate, calcium phosphate, gelatin, salt and sodium phosphate. There’s no denying that Stilton, Wensleydale, and Cheshire cheeses, among others, have their American counterparts licked.
4. Biscuits and Gravy
In the United Kingdom, biscuits are sweet items, not savory, so the thought of having a biscuit as part of a savory meal is nothing short of revolting for a British person. On the other side of the pond, biscuits are to be served with tea or coffee – period. A savory biscuit is almost unheard of in England, and the British appear to be quite thankful for it.
5. Twinkies
Yes, I know I’m going to get slated for this, but Twinkies, which are loved in the United States, are reviled by the British. This is because cake is considered good if it’s a little moist in the United Kingdom (and doesn’t come out of a wrapper, for that matter), not to mention the fact that the cream normally served with it or that’s inside it hasn’t been through a million factory processes before it gets eaten.
BONUS - British People Taste Test American Snacks:
British Foods That Americans Don't Like
1. Haggis
Are you ready for this one? Hold on to your stomach! Haggis is a savory dish that’s believed to have originated in Scotland, and it’s made from – wait for it – a sheep’s heart, liver, and lungs that are minced and mixed together with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, salt and stock. If that isn’t enough to make you gag, the entire concoction is wrapped in an animal’s stomach (usually a sheep’s) and baked. Barf!
2. Black Pudding
Another British culinary delight (can you sense the sarcasm?) is none other than this – a sausage made from pork fat, pork blood and quite a high proportion of oatmeal. Although it’s considered a delicacy in various parts of the UK, you’ll definitely have to have a strong stomach to try this one. British people usually enjoy black pudding as part of a cooked breakfast.
3. Bubble and Squeak
There’s no arguing about who throws away more food when comparing the British to Americans, but at least Americans don’t have to put up with eating dishes like this the day after they eat a roast dinner. Bubble and squeak is made from leftover vegetables mixed with mashed potatoes and fried in a pan. The resulting horror is served with cold Sunday roast meat from the day before, or as an accompaniment to a cooked breakfast.
4. Laverbread
Laver is a kind of edible seaweed that’s cultivated along the west coast of Great Britain. To make laverbread, the laver is boiled for several hours before being minced or pureed. The gelatinous paste that results is often sold as is, or rolled in oatmeal and fried. To make matters worse, it’s often served fried as part of a Welsh breakfast with cockles and bacon. What a wonderful combination!
5. Spotted Dick
This culinary wonder usually comes out of a can, and it’s essentially a sponge pudding that’s made with suet (a hard fat that comes from cows), dried fruit, usually currants or raisins, and served with custard. Apart from its rather unfortunate name, it’s not uncommon to see microwavable versions available in British supermarkets. Do you want to try it?
BONUS - Americans Taste Test British Snacks:
