America is known for many things: freedom, ingenuity, and obviously some truly bizarre snacking options. From over-the-top processed foods to bafflingly bland ones, Americans push the boundaries of food. These snacks inexplicably grace the shelves, leaving us scratching our heads and wondering, “Why on earth would anyone eat this? In this section, we’ll take a closer look at ten nonsensical snacks that have somehow convinced people they’re worth eating.
1. **Snickers Bars**: Let’s not kid ourselves: Don’t kid yourself: Snickers and its marketing campaign may claim it’s a meal replacement, but replacing lunch with a chocolate-covered sugar bomb is a disaster. Why do we let this candy bar pretend to be an over-glorified dessert? That’s like saying a milkshake is an effective hydration option. Spoiler alert: It’s not.
Recipe details: Candy Bar Salad Recipe
Cook time: Unknown Total time: 15
Level: Unknown Servings: 6
Total weight: 1458.8 g Calories: 2275.9 kcal
Energy: 2275.9 kcal Protein: 21.1 g
Carbs: 357.6 g Fat: 86.9 g
Dish Tags: american, salad, lunch/dinner, High-Fiber, Low-Sodium, Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Gluten-Free, Wheat-Free, Tree-Nut-Free, Sulfites
Ingredients:
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
6 medium Granny Smith apples, cored and sliced into wedges
3 (2.07 ounce) Snickers bars, diced
1/2 cup of caramel syrup
Get the recipe: Candy Bar Salad Recipe
2. **Ritz Crackers**: These golden rounds of dryness somehow survived the Great Depression, where their ‘luxurious’ name apparently tricked people into believing they were fancy. Fast forward to today, and Ritz Crackers are the equivalent of the guy at a party who says, ‘I brought snacks,’ but just dumps a sad sleeve of crackers onto the table.
Pairing them with cheese? Maybe. Eating them on their own? That’s a no from us. Their aggressively dry and vaguely buttery profile makes them better suited as bird food than human snacks.
Recipe details: Easy Asparagus Casserole with Ritz Crackers
Cook time: Unknown Total time: 60
Level: Unknown Servings: 8
Total weight: 1570.9 g Calories: 2149.7 kcal
Energy: 2149.7 kcal Protein: 72.9 g
Carbs: 103.9 g Fat: 166.3 g
Dish Tags: american, main course, lunch/dinner, Low-Carb, Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Peanut-Free, Tree-Nut-Free, Soy-Free, Sulfites
Ingredients:
2 pounds fresh asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 cup mayonnaise
6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 onion, diced
2 tablespoons flour
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup milk
1 pinch salt and pepper
15 ritz crackers or similar, crushed
Get the recipe: Easy Asparagus Casserole with Ritz Crackers
3. **Pringles**: Ah, Pringles, they may be advertised as less greasy, but that’s because they put more effort into the shape of the “chip” than the actual flavor or crunch. The flavor tastes either bland or so salty that you’d think they were training your taste buds. Sure, they’re travel-friendly, but so are bananas, and bananas don’t taste like cardboard.
Recipe details: Pringles Nutty Bark recipes
Cook time: Unknown Total time: 20
Level: Unknown Servings: 4
Total weight: 748.1 g Calories: 4114.0 kcal
Energy: 4114.0 kcal Protein: 102.1 g
Carbs: 316.9 g Fat: 290.1 g
Dish Tags: american, desserts, lunch/dinner, High-Fiber, Low-Sodium, Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Gluten-Free, Wheat-Free, Egg-Free, Soy, Sulfites
Ingredients:
1 pound white chocolate, or almond bark
2 cans Pringles potato chips, crushed
2 cup Spanish peanuts
Get the recipe: Pringles Nutty Bark recipes
4. **Hershey’s Bars**: Nostalgia does strange things to the taste buds; how else to explain America’s love affair with Hershey’s Bars? An overly sweet, sugary texture. Once you’ve had quality chocolate, going back to Hershey’s Bars feels like a betrayal of the palate. If you’re looking for a milk chocolate that doesn’t taste like processed sadness, you might want to look elsewhere.
Recipe details: S’mores Skillet Cookie
Cook time: Unknown Total time: 45
Level: Unknown Servings: 12
Total weight: 1043.2 g Calories: 4511.2 kcal
Energy: 4511.2 kcal Protein: 48.2 g
Carbs: 605.5 g Fat: 215.4 g
Dish Tags: american, biscuits and cookies, teatime, Low-Sodium, Low Potassium, Kidney-Friendly, Peanut-Free, Tree-Nut-Free, Fish-Free, Sulfites
Ingredients:
Cooking spray
3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/3 c. granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. crushed graham crackers
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 c. chocolate chips
3 Hershey’s bars, broken into smaller pieces, divided
1 c. mini marshmallows, divided
10 large marshmallows
Get the recipe: S’mores Skillet Cookie
5. **Planters Peanuts**: Peanuts are good in theory, but Planters peanuts are salty and bland. Add to that the fact that they taste a little stale, and you can only tolerate this snack when you’re hungry, or on a flight with no other options.
Also, let’s not lose sight of the fact that these peanuts are advertised as if they were gourmet snacks. But peanuts are peanuts, and no amount of packaging or marketing will change that.
6. **Freeze-Dried Fruit**: Imagine draining juicy, delicious fruit until all that’s left is a sandy, powdery shell that gives you a vague recollection of what it used to be like, and the flavor is actually pretty ordinary. On the other hand, of course, it’s a great topping for dessert or oatmeal, but not so much as a standalone snack. It’s like eating fruit powder.
Recipe details: No-Bake Cheesecake With Freeze-Dried Fruit Recipe
Cook time: Unknown Total time: 420
Level: Unknown Servings: 12
Total weight: 1776.4 g Calories: 5223.9 kcal
Energy: 5223.9 kcal Protein: 58.3 g
Carbs: 414.3 g Fat: 383.5 g
Dish Tags: british, desserts, lunch/dinner, Low Potassium, Kidney-Friendly, Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Egg-Free, Sulfites
Ingredients:
8 3/4 ounces graham cracker or Biscoff crumbs, store bought or homemade (about 2 cups; 250g)
2 1/2 ounces unsalted butter, melted but cool (about 5 tablespoons; 70g)
Kosher salt
5 1/4 ounces sugar (about 3/4 cup; 150g)
2 1/2 ounces freeze-dried strawberries, such as Mother Earth or Karen’s Naturals; for other fruits, see note (about 3 cups; 70g)
16 ounces plain, full-fat cream cheese, such as Philadelphia (two 8-ounce packages; 455g)
1 1/2 ounces fresh juice from 1 lemon (3 tablespoons; 45g)
1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder; for spicing other fruits, see note
1/8 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use about half as much by volume
14 ounces heavy cream (about 1 3/4 cups; 395g)
12 ounces fresh fruit (about 2 cups; 340g), washed and dried
Get the recipe: No-Bake Cheesecake With Freeze-Dried Fruit Recipe
7. **Starburst**: If you’ve ever eaten a bag of Starburst, then you know the universal truth about this snack: it’s 90% disappointment and 10% orange-flavored joy. Overwhelmingly sweet, waxy texture. Not to mention how they stick to your teeth like chewing gum.Starburst may provide a few seconds of pleasure, but ultimately it’s a sticky, sweet mess.
Recipe details: Quinoa and Kale Stuffed Starburst Squash recipes
Cook time: Unknown Total time: 20
Level: Unknown Servings: 3
Total weight: 2275.6 g Calories: 1861.1 kcal
Energy: 1861.1 kcal Protein: 63.0 g
Carbs: 322.0 g Fat: 39.2 g
Dish Tags: american, main course, lunch/dinner, High-Fiber, Low-Sodium, Sugar-Conscious, Pescatarian, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Wheat-Free, Sulfites
Ingredients:
3 starburst squash
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups broth (vegetable or chicken)
juice from 1 lemon
½ cup white wine (optional)
⅓ cup chopped walnuts, roasted
½ cup black beans, rinsed
1 cup coarsely chopped kale leaves, stems removed
Get the recipe: Quinoa and Kale Stuffed Starburst Squash recipes
8. **Cheez Whiz**: If there’s one food item that conjures up “why is this stuff there” more than anything else, it’s Cheez Whiz, which isn’t cheese, but a fluorescent orange gelatinous substance masquerading as cheese. You could argue that it’s easy to carry around, but unless you’re throwing a party for raccoons, we’re not buying it.
Plus the ingredients. Have you read the label? It’s full of confusing chemicals.Cheez Whiz might work as an adhesive or a prank, but as food? Still not really recommended.
Recipe details: Homemade Velveeta Cheese and Cheez Whiz
Cook time: Unknown Total time: 16
Level: Unknown Servings: 18
Total weight: 1313.6 g Calories: 3668.5 kcal
Energy: 3668.5 kcal Protein: 202.5 g
Carbs: 69.2 g Fat: 289.3 g
Dish Tags: american, starter, lunch/dinner, Low-Carb, Sugar-Conscious, Low Potassium, Kidney-Friendly, Keto-Friendly, Gluten-Free, Sulfites
Ingredients:
Homemade Velveeta or American Cheese:
1 cup of water
1 packet (1/4-ounce) unflavored gelatine
1/3 cup dry milk powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups (1 pound) mild cheddar cheese or a combination of cheddar and Colby
Homemade Cheez-Whiz:
1 cup evaporated milk
2 cups shredded mild or sharp cheddar cheese
2 ounces cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
Get the recipe: Homemade Velveeta Cheese and Cheez Whiz
9. **Twinkies**: Ah, the Twinkie, America’s golden sponge cake. Let’s be honest.Twinkies don’t feel like food, they’re sugary treats of unknown origin. They’re fluffy, too sweet, and have a shelf life comparable to a can of paint. The cream filling is a nightmare. Of course, they actually make parts of it feel nostalgic.
Recipe details: Twinkie® Wiener Sandwich
Cook time: Unknown Total time: 15
Level: Unknown Servings: 4
Total weight: 300.8 g Calories: 1030.1 kcal
Energy: 1030.1 kcal Protein: 46.7 g
Carbs: 7.1 g Fat: 90.2 g
Dish Tags: british, sandwiches, lunch/dinner, Low-Carb, Sugar-Conscious, Low Potassium, Keto-Friendly, Gluten-Free, Wheat-Free, Sulfites
Ingredients:
4 hot dogs
4 cream-filled sponge snack cakes (such as Twinkies™)
4 (4 inch) squirts of pressurized canned cheese (such as Easy Cheese™), or to taste
Get the recipe: Twinkie® Wiener Sandwich
10. **Spam**: This mysterious canned meat has been tantalizing taste buds since the 1930s. It’s impossible to tell whether it’s ham or counts as bacon. But its gelatinous coating is really what makes some people skeptical. Of course, Spam has its fans and is beloved in certain dishes.
Recipe details: Sriracha and SPAM Fried Rice
Level: Unknown Servings: 8
Total weight: 1390.1 g Calories: 2233.5 kcal
Energy: 2233.5 kcal Protein: 87.2 g
Carbs: 240.6 g Fat: 99.3 g
Dish Tags: south east asian, main course, lunch/dinner, Balanced, Sugar-Conscious, Dairy-Free, Tree-Nut-Free, Fish-Free, Shellfish-Free, Sulfites
Ingredients:
1/4 cup Sriracha, plus more for garnish
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil or peanut oil
1 (12-ounce) container SPAM, diced
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
4 cups cooked white rice, cooled (preferably day-old)
2 eggs
1 clove garlic, minced
Sliced green onions, green part only, for garnish
Get the recipe: Sriracha and SPAM Fried Rice
Read more about: What Does SPAM Really Stand For? Behind the Mystery of This Iconic Canned Meat
Let’s face it, America has a knack for creating snacks that are equal parts entertaining and baffling. These 10 questionable food choices remind us that while variety is the spice of life, not all spices—or snacks—are created equal. Whether you’re laughing at the absurdity or secretly indulging in one of these guilty pleasures, one thing’s for sure: the snack aisle will never be boring.
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