Weirdest Snacks And Candy From Around The World

BBQ PayDay Bar

Source: The Impulsive BuyLet's face it, no one can keep Texans away from their BBQs. We think this might be taking it too far though. The official promo line is "combine the tang of bold BBQ-seasoned peanuts surrounding a chewy caramel center for a unique, Texas-inspired flavor." Erm probably not, thanks though.

Pickle Candy Canes

Source: McPhee.comHonestly, pickle is not a flavour we really associate with Christmas. Also, the notion of a Pickle Santa... not ok. Flavored with dill, these cane shaped monstrosities are marketed to perfectly compliment your Christmas tree or traditional red stripes canes. If you'd rather not mix pickle and peppermint, there's also a bacon option. Yikes.

Fried, roasted and toasted bugs

Source: theconversation.comGlobally, around 2.5 million people routinely eat insects. There are 470 African, edible insects, from grasshoppers to termites. They are, pound for pound, an excellent source of protein and have much lower carbon footprint to farm than larger animals. Convinced? Yeah, neither are we.

A*s with Ears

Source: barthopkins.comIf you came across these in a German store and weren't sure of the translation - they are exactly what they look like. And no, they're not some bizarre knock off, Haribo do actually make these! We're really not sure of the story behind them... and to be honest, it's probably better that way. By all accounts though, they taste pretty good.

Deep-fried tarantula

Source: Fun food travelAs a bunch of arachnophobes, we're going to type this as fast as we can to get this image off our screens. Shudder. Edible spiders of this size can be found in Myanmar, Thailand, and Cambodia and were, at one point, a surprisingly common snack choice. Recipes call for the spider to be dipped in a salty coating, sometimes sugar and some chicken seasoning with garlic, then deep fried in hot oil for about 45 seconds. This should "make the outsides and legs of the edible tarantula very crispy and leave the insides a little soft." Now excuse me while I go and check every inch of our office for any 8 legged visitors.

Pickled pigs feet

Source: innitContinuing with things which are just plain gross, who fancies some pigs' feet in vinegar? This er 'tasty' snack is pretty easy to come across in southern USA, Mexico, China, Italy or Scandinavia, and comes in salty or smoked varieties. You don't even need to refrigerate before tucking in. Yay.

Brach’s Turkey Dinner Candy Corn

Source: foodboxhq.comBack to just odd rather than full on sick-face-emoji, this one really has Willy Wonka vibes. A whole turkey dinner, plus pudding and coffee? We'll never spend Sunday lunchtime slaving away again! It even claims to include ginger glazed carrots, cranberry sauce, and sweet potato pie!

Sour Flush Candy Toilets

Source: Candy Room Sweet ShopAll kids love toilet related humour right? So this might be the world's greatest stocking filler (or White Elephant gift depending on your recipient.) Smart move not making it chocolate flavor we think; really dodged a bullet there. Perhaps not the most eco-friendly sweet choice, but how often to do you buy a Barbie that comes with a toilet? Re-purpose, people.

Salo

Source: The Food HogSay hello to Ukraine's national dish: Salo. No, it's not smoked cheese or soft nougat. It's pork fat. Served best with garlic, onions and pickles (the real ones, not the candy cane kind). The most important component however, would be to wash it all down with a shot of vodka. We think we'd need that last part to get though the texture tbh.

Nurungji

Source: candymail.co.ukLiterally "burnt rice candy", this traditional Korean sweet and savoury treat is actually taken from the borrowed rice at the bottom of the pan when the rice has been cooked over direct heat from a flame. Considered a delicacy, we actually might try it. We're not great at cooking rice so it should be pretty straight forward right?

Durian

Source: cookistCalled "The King of Fruits" in southeast Asia, this bizarre looking fruit might look like a fresh and exotic snack, but the truth is, Durians smell like rotting meat, turpentine and old socks mixed together. Apparently it's a marmite situation with the taste, but we have to ask: is it worth the smell? Where would you even keep it?

Cricket Lollipops

Source: foodboxhq.comNope, it's not a prank. They also come in a variety of flavours: blueberry, grape, strawberry, orange... You can also get scorpion versions. We've got to know though, once you've licked through the actual candy part, what do you do with the cricket? Lick it? Bite it? Our money is on bin it.

Wasabi Kit Kat

Source: Tofu CuteBefore now, we bet you figured that Kit Kats came in one, maybe two flavours? In Japan however, Nestlé are having to open a new factory to cope with demand for the variety of flavours available. There are literally dozens available: purple sweet potato, edamame bean and wasabi (pictured.)

Lobster Candy

Source: onbuy.comSure there are plenty of lobster shaped candies out there, but this one actually "tastes like the sea" and has "all the flavour with none of the shell,'" oh, with a bit of butter, of course. So if you want to get fishy, Archie McPhee have you covered.

Escamoles

Source: Eat Your WorldWe all know caviar is the way to go if you're feeling classy. If that's a bit fishy for your taste, there's always the ant equivalent. Unfortunately, it's equally as pricey. This Mexican "ant-stew" has a nutty, buttery taste and often comes simply fried in butter with chilli and onion. You can also get them in corn tortillas or tacos. We'll probably stick with beef, ta.

Umeboshi

Source: Just One CookbookPlums are fine on their own, but in Japan, they'd rather pickle them in brine. They can be fried or not, insanely sour or sweet and are usually served on rice balls, naturally. It's so popular that the town of Minabe, Wakayama is famous for its production of it. We'll probably stick with the original version, but you do you, Japan.

Chocolate skittles

Source: Mental FlossWe could be wrong, but skittles are meant to be fruity or sour, right? Apparently not. You can also now get them in brownie, s'more, caramel and chocolate pudding flavour. Bit of a win if fruit flavours aren't really your thing. We still think it would be weird to have chocolate be that chewy, though.

Roasted baby crabs

Source: candystore.comIs protein your thing? Fancy an extra hit as your morning snack? Try a delicious bag of Japanese roasted crabs... mmm, crunchy. By the way, you're looking at the answer to what fishermen do with all the crabs they catch which are too small to sell separately. These babies are baked whole, freeze dried, dunked in sake and candied with sesame glaze. Apparently, and we won't be testing this any time soon, the briny, sweet taste goes well with beer.

Japanese Candied Squid

Source: candystore.comWhile we're in Japan, you've probably noticed that seafood constitutes quite a high proportion of their diet (makes sense, being an island.) Squid is perfectly fine on its own, but we have to ask ourselves if it's really candy material. Even more bizarrely, this sweet 'aint sweet (apparently.) They come in flavours such as Kimchi and Cod Roe.

Fish and chips gelato

Source PotatoProA staple of any UK seaside town, traditional fish and chips followed by a soft whip ice cream is an absolute winner on a hot(ish) English day. We're not convinced they should go together quite so literally however. Fredericks Dairies seem to think they're on to a winner here with their "creamed cod fillet ice cream in a vanilla & pepper batter." It also came with potato ice cream chips, salt and vinegar and lemon wedges. Creative, but it's still a no from us.

Crime Scene Candy Tubes

Source: BluelipsOk we love a good crime drama as much as anyone - but this is taking it too far. No one, surely, wants to drink any of the above bodily fluids, even in candy form! Nifty candy took the creation of this monstrosity seriously, using real test tubes, with the physicians on record being "Dr I.P. Freely," "I.M. Vampire," and " Dr I. Spit." Witty, but still gross.

Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans

Source: Harry Potter ShopPotter fans will need no explanation for this one. As in the books and films, this recreation of the Wizarding World's favs claim to contain (if you're lucky/ unlucky enough): grass, black pepper, dirt, sausage, earwax, soap, booger, vomit, and rotten egg... so try at your peril.

Box of Boogers

Source: Daily MailSurely every inquisitive kid has been told off for trying to eat their own boogers. It's not the healthiest thing to do, so instead, offer your repeat offender (regardless of age) this box of substitutes. They're even said to look and "feel" like the real thing? Shudder.

Sannakji

Source: WikipediaBrace yourselves, because this is pretty gross. This popular Korean dish is comprised of octopus tentacles. That's not the gross part. The octopus is, usually, killed before being cut into small pieces before being served. However, the residual nerve activity causes the pieces to continue to move while being served. This, aside from being pretty weird to say the least, can make sannakji pretty risky to eat. Do not attempt to do so while under the influence, it increases the choking risk drastically. No one wants suckers stuck to their mouth or throat at the best of times - least of all when drunk.

Chlorophyll flavoured PEZ

Source: MoMoPezYou're probably more familiar with other flavours of PEZ, or the colourful, charactered tubes they come with. Interestingly though, when they were invented in 1927, they were intended as an alternative for smoking adults. The most ridiculous part of the whole thing however, was the most bizarre of the vintage flavours: chlorophyll! Unsurprisingly, it was pulled after failing to attract sales. Maybe the public mistook the labelling for chloroform flavour like we did...

Ken Ken: Dried cuttlefish

Source: WikipediaIn 1992, Singapore banned chewing gum. Tragic. But decades before, this seasoned and dried pepper squid had acquired the tagline "the chewing gum of the Orientals," so many of the locals simply switched over. Ken Ken Cuttlefish is still available in all the major Singaporean supermarkets.

Hákarl

Source: firstwefeast.comNow this sounds pretty Icelandic to us: cured and fermented shark meat. Hardcore. It's another smelly one though, so maybe not something to sneak into the cinema. Hung to dry for between four and five months, its high ammonia content can cause novice tasters to gag of first try!

Garlic Chocolate

Source: firstwefeast.comYet another bizarre addition to our snacking repertoire from our Japanese friends. Marketed as a valentines day gift, we're not sure they've quite understood the effect garlic has on the breath... no one will want to go to any kind of base with you if you eat this, decadent as it may be.

Roasted Guinea Pig

Source: evaneos.comWe're really sorry if you had one of these furry little critters when you were a kid. Far from being the ideal childhood pet, Guinea Pigs baked with hot stones or fried are considered a speciality in parts of Peru and are in fact Ecuador's national dish. We're not really sure what to say about that; we feel a line may have been crossed here.

Pizza-ghetti Slushy

Source: Fine dining loversAnd finally, the pièce de résistance: the pizza-ghetti slushy. Yes, it is what it sounds like. In Canadian convenience stores Couche-Tard, you can get yourself a pizza and a spaghetti flavoured slushy. But more bizarrely, it is common practise to mix the two. You'd eat them together in Quebec, so why not drink them together? Actually we can think of several reasons why not.