Sometimes we all crave something weird. And while the combination may be very surprising and in some cases hands-down embarrassing, it does the trick and curbs that inner foodie monster.
So when an anonymous Redditor asked people to share their favorite "junky" meals that they crave sometimes — even if they wouldn't ever serve them to guests — Pandora's box of the weirdest recipes was opened and the responses started rolling in.
Below are people’s weirdest comfort foods that they don’t even dare to eat in front of their family.
#1
I do not get this thread. It is FILLED with people saying normal a*s food like it's a secret shame. Are there really people here who would never eat breakfast cereal with another person? Or a basic chili dog? THAT is your dirty food secret???I'm over here doing things like eating peanut butter and cheese sandwiches with a glass of sugar milk knowing they're just specifically things that I enjoy and aren't everyone's taste.
Hell Alfredo and pickle pizza is arguably a weirder combo and I serve that s**t to every person that will give it a chance.
#2
Brown sugar toast. Cheap white bread, thick layer of butter, cover in brown sugar and put in the oven until the sugar melts (usually like 10 minutes). I'd never feed this to anyone else, but for me it's a combination comfort food/sugar bomb which I love (though rarely indulge in).
Image credits: katie-kaboom
#3
Buttered pasta with parmesan.
Image credits: philbar
Bored Panda reached out to the pediatric dietitian and feeding expert Rachel Rothman, MS, RD, CLEC, who is also the owner of Nutrition in Bloom, to find out what an expert thinks of comfort food. “I absolutely love the idea of comfort food,” Rachel told us. She believes that “food is so much more than nourishment, it's part of our culture, identity, history, AND provides comfort when we might need it most.”
#4
Kraft max and cheese with cut up hotdogs or spam, and a generous splash of hot sauce.
Image credits: SaltandVinegarBae
#5
Dry ramen shaken up with the seasoning packet. I won't even let my husband see me eat it lmao.
Image credits: MarzipanJoy-Joy
#6
Hamburger Helper Cheeseburger Macaroni. This got me through my 20s and I still crave it occasionally. Don't tell my cardiologist.
Image credits: itwillmakesenselater
We asked whether comfort food can be healthy, and Rachel said that comfort food is different for everyone. “Healthy is so much more than the nutrition a food provides. I believe helping people form a healthy relationship with food is so important, and is so much more than nutrition,” the nutritionist explained.
She argues that food that provides comfort can be healthy in so many ways. “Comfort food typically evokes positive emotion, which is absolutely healthy in my book!”
#7
Spoon burgers, my grandmother made these and I still crave them here and there. 1lb lean ground beef browned and drain plus one can of Campbell's chicken gumbo soup. Cook it down until the soup has almost completely absorbed into the meat to form a sauce and spoon onto a hamburger bun. Sounds nuts, but is so tasty.
Image credits: Evilmonkeyman1
#8
Tater Tots are my secret shame.
Image credits: WaffleDynamics
#9
Peanut butter pickle sandwich.
Image credits: Project_863_subject5
For Rachel, comfort food is all about something warm and filling. “My favorite comfort foods include tomato soup and grilled cheese, warm fresh-baked bread, and strawberry shortcake,” she said, and added that these are all foods that comfort her, make her smile, and bring her joy.
#10
Canned chili on rice with shredded cheese on top. We had this a lot growing up (very cheap for a family with a ton of kids) and I still love it.
Image credits: -iCleanWater-
#11
Crushed Doritos mixed with shredded lettuce, Catalina dressing, shredded cheese, and taco meat. With some hot sauce.
Image credits: ZacFazz
#12
Mac and cheese, made with elbow noodles, chunks of Velveeta cheese, and a can of Campbell's tomato soup, baked for 30 minutes at 350ºF... Gooey... Cheesy... Tangy... **SO** bad and yet **SO** good!
Image credits: FoxRedYellaJack
#13
Peanut butter straight from the jar.#14
Some of my starving twenties comfort foods still hit the spot, even though my husband and kids make fun of me if they catch me eating them.Pizza bread- white bread, spaghetti sauce, American cheese. Pop in the oven until the cheese is melty and the bottom of the bread is toasty.
Bean burritos- canned refried beans, cheddar cheese,tortilla. Microwave until hot as lava, then eat with tomatoes & sour cream on top.
Spaghetti sandwiches- cold leftover spaghetti on buttered white bread.
Image credits: MrsMickeyKnox
#15
Instant nooooodlleeesssssss.
Image credits: siliciclastic
#16
Hostes "Chocolate" covered donuts... There is no way that coating is anyway near actual chocolate and they are waxy, dry, and frankly kind of gross.... Yet sometimes I just want to eat a whole packet....#17
The way my mom made chicken and dumplings when we were camping! It was just Campbell’s cream of chicken soup and a tube of refrigerator biscuits laid out on top of the soup. I would never serve it to others, but hoooooo boy I still love me some of my mom’s “white trash chicken and dumplings!”
Image credits: barryandorlevon
#18
I buy s**t frozen chicken nuggets shaped like dinosaurs and MICROWAVE them, then douse em in ketchup, leave me alone! They're horrible, and I love em.
Image credits: PuppidVelids
#19
Pigs in a blanket but like, embiggened. Hogs in a blanket. Two whole-a*s sausages wrapped in dough and baked. Maybe add some cheese in there.I've never actually made these myself but they used to be a not-uncommon hot snack/drunk food in Rio several years ago and I'm currently back in Rio and they're nowhere to be found and I'm heartbroken.
Image credits: angelicism
#20
Taco dogs. My grandma’s classic, honestly embarrassing but I bet it’d sell great in a late night food truck.You take a hot dog, wrap it in American cheese, wrap it in a tortilla, and deep fry it. Top with hot sauce or whatever else you feel like.
Image credits: AggravatedBox
#21
Salami and olives eaten straight from their respective containers. Just slices of salami and forkfulls of green olives. I feel awful abt myself when I eat it but if I'm already depressed and just want comfort food gosh it's such an enjoyable meal. Also pork & bean sandwiches. Also also, canned tuna with mayonnaise and flamin hot cheetos.#22
Mustard cheese sandwiches. You grate cheddar cheese, then you squirt yellow mustard on it, and mix it up until it becomes a thick paste. Then you spread it on toasted white bread. Add hot sauce to taste.#23
Growing up I was left on my own alot for dinner. Youngest child of two working parents and all that.I made alot of canned corned beef hash with eggs.
I would get the pan hot, open the can and just scoop it into the pan. I'd always save a few scoops and just eat cold. After a couple minutes I'd crack 3-4 eggs into it, and cook while mixing till they were done. Topped with all the hot sauce.
I pass them in the isle while shopping and think about it alot. I don't know if I actually miss the meal or the nostalgia.
Image credits: Tee_hops
#24
Cinnamon Toast Crunch#25
Does a mix of premade icing, crushed up Oreos, and mini MnMs count?#26
Boxed mac and cheese....because I absolutely *will* serve velveeta-based queso.
Image credits: riverrocks452
#27
Pizza rolls, but made out of crescent rolls. I mean, it's literally just layering pizza ingredients inside refrigerated crescent roll dough, rolling it up, and baking it.#28
One word: Beefaroni.
Image credits: NHcurmudgeon
#29
Probably the signature baked Frito burrito.It’s basically baked beans from a can, ground beef, sour cream, diced tomatoes and chili cheese Frito’s in a tortilla god I could eat 8 of those f*****g things at once.
Image credits: Spider_j4Y