Weird Things Our Families Eat (That We Unabashedly Love)
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You know a thing or two about food. For instance, you know the difference between ice cream and gelato. You can snap food Instagrams with the best of ‘em. And you certainly know your way around a stand mixer.
But perhaps you harbor a deep, dark secret: You grew up eating something downright wacky.
Relax: It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Nor are you alone—a huge number of readers (and some of our editors) admitted that their families regularly whip up “odd” concoctions of their own invention. And, they’ll have you know, they’re downright delicious.
Though responses were varied, a few themes emerged. First, leftovers often play a huge role in a dish’s formation. It makes sense: If you’ve got something lying about, it’s best to use it (especially if it’s about to go bad). The same goes for pantry staples, which is why peanut butter, pasta, and cottage cheese appear time and time again. Many inventions are a fusion of cultures, incorporating both ingredients from a family’s ethnic homeland and those found in any American supermarket.
These “weird” dishes? They’re a slice of American life, and it’s actually rather beautiful. Here are some of the most memorable:
“Cottage cheese mixed with peanut butter and raisins on toasted bread. Yum.” –Steve Vilnit
“Peanut butter & bacon sandwiches! Peanut butter & butter on toast plus super-crisp bacon, oh, man.” –Alex Van Buren, Yahoo Food Features Editor
"My dad used to make spaghetti with eggs and stir-fried veggies. It’s funny, he kind of adopted spaghetti as the clean-up dish for whatever was in the fridge.” –Kan Yang
"Toasted white bread with Ranch-style beans, tomatoes, bacon and cheddar cheese, under the broiler. Also Triscuits with mayonnaise and cheddar. (I guess we’re just always eating cheddar?)” –Sarah McColl, Yahoo Food Editor in Chief
“Spaghetti, ghee and the spicy water from Indian mango pickles. My mum was trying something different and she had no idea what sauces went in pasta so she tossed it together to make us kids happy. I love it to this day and make it whenever my mum visits from India and brings that specific pickle.” –Sangeetha Sarma
“Green olive and cream cheese sandwiches… Since… Forever.” –Charlie Friday
"My grandma makes 'pink dip' with cream cheese, ketchup, French dressing, Worcestershire and onion. It’s an acquired taste!” –Rachel Goldenberg
“Hot buttered noodles with cottage cheese! It’s an Eastern European thing, but everyone from different backgrounds thinks it’s the weirdest thing ever. It’s my ultimate comfort food!” –Rachel Tepper, Yahoo Food Associate Editor
OK, now it’s your turn.
