Surprise, Surprise! 35+ Unusual “Extras” Found In Meals
You’d think supermarket goodies and restaurant treats are as reliable as a weather forecast, but turns out, they might come with surprise bonus features! Yup, besides the usual nutrients, you might stumble upon some unexpected, less delightful surprises. Picture this: you’re all set to chow down, and suddenly, bam! You’ve got a little extra something in your meal—could be a manufacturing mishap or a kitchen oopsie.
Now, we-re not talking about winning a prize; we’re talking about the not-so-yummy surprises like finding bugs, metals, or even a sneaky fishing hook in your food. Trust me, it’s not a gourmet addition anyone’s looking for. So, to save you from a stomach-turning surprise, we’ve got a collection of snapshots showcasing these rather shocking discoveries in people’s meals. Take a peek so that next time you dig in, you’re armed with a keen eye for any unexpected surprises. Bon appétit with caution!
1. Wings with Feathers Attached
Chicken wings, ah, a beloved dish for many across the globe! But hold up—take a gander at this picture below. Yep, someone stumbled upon a real, honest-to-goodness bird feather in their Publix meal. Talk about getting a little too close to the source!
While we appreciate that those are indeed real wings, the company of the feather is enough to make one lose their appetite and hunger cravings. As pretty as feathers appear, they are also a good shelter for fecal matter and mites—No one would want to eat that!
2. Butter Marked by a Bite
Just the sight of this picture of an enormous butter with a corroded edge is enough to make you throw it away in the bin instead of the pan. But the worst thing is that it looks like someone sunk their teeth into the butter, leaving behind big bite marks.
Given that many contagious diseases spread through having someone else’s leftover food, this picture kills your appetite. We just hope that this was a result of a manufacturing defect! However, due to unclear reasons behind the mark’s origin, it is best to keep the butter at bay.
3. A Cardboard of Toppings
Pizza party foul! Frozen pizza creators got carried away with bulk orders and, oops—forgot to run their defrosting brains. Cardboard stuck to the pizzas like clingy exes, turning crunchy crusts into cardboard delights. Next time, let’s stick to toppings, not whoopsies!
It is impressive, however, that the person could tell the difference between the crust and the cardboard because, at an initial glance, the latter’s color is strikingly similar to the former. This careless use of cardboard on the pizza and the lack of proper quality checks will annoy anyone.
4. Mistaken Mixed Veggies
History books talk about plenty of discrimination, but who knew vegetables could also be a victim of it? Although this bag is labeled ‘Mixed Veggies,’ it hardly matches its name. This mismatch between the label on the bag and its content leaves the person and us dissatisfied.
Rather than having a wide range of veggies, this package is entirely filled with corn and only subtle hints of carrots and peas. It will surely make anyone raise eyebrows and lose interest in the proclaimed veggies. No wonder this frozen food manufacturer needs some education on customer satisfaction!
5. A Literal Ice Cream
Diet Ice Cream: the chilly con of the century! Forget creamy dreams; this popsicle is a solid ice impostor, masquerading in a chocolate disguise. Talk about a frozen faux pas—this treat is so light it practically floats! The ultimate ice-cold surprise in every bite.
Well, no surprise here—this must’ve really ticked off the customer! Whether you’re a health nut or a calorie counter, when you grab that ice cream, you’re after that creamy, indulgent richness, not a skimpy scoop that leaves you feeling shortchanged.
6. Metalled Lettuce
Lettuce belongs to the food family that supports improving your health and well-being, but you have to be extra careful while consuming this leafy vegetable. When this person sat down to eat a piece of lettuce, his taste buds were greeted by a metallic particle instead.
Fortunately, he could figure out the object’s presence in time and didn’t swallow it. However, the guy fended off from getting choked; hats off to his sense of humor! He used a banana as a scale to compare its size with the metal, adding a lighter note to this unpleasant experience.
7. Labels Attached
This person went to their favorite Chinese restaurant for takeout but experienced an unpleasant incident. At first glance, the takeaway dish in this picture looked delicious, but upon closer look, the label of the bell pepper had us rolling on the floor with laughter.
Yes, you got it right! The restaurant cooked a bell pepper piece with its label attached and gave it out on their customer’s orders. While these stickers are technically edible with a sloppy texture, they’re not tasty to munch on and, thus, should be served differently.
8. The Glove-Wearing Pizza
Wearing gloves while cooking at a restaurant is a good practice. However, there’s a need to introduce another etiquette—not leaving your gloves behind in the meal you are making. It is time restaurants give some importance to maintaining proper hygiene in food preparation.
This person’s pizza arrived with an unexpected addition—a latex glove entangled within the cheese. While it proves that the chef at least wore gloves while cooking, serving a pizza with a non-edible latex glove is undeniably stomach-turning. Such a mishap can make the entire dining experience distasteful and far from enjoyable.
9. Unexpected Catch – Hook in the Dish
This unexpected discovery and presence of a worn-out fishing hook alongside the meal invites a curious mystery, leaving one to wonder how and why it found its way here. It looks like a lame joke or a gross oversight, enough to question the food altogether.
Although the picture might initially be hilarious, it is essential not to overlook that it could have produced a fatal consequence had its presence gone unnoticed by the concerned diner. Perhaps it was a sign for the person to stick to home-cooked meals from now on!
10. The Camouflaged Mantis Salad
Salad surprise alert! Before you take a crunchy plunge, inspect that green goodness. You could be savoring leafy greens or accidentally engaging in a mantis munch-a-thon, just like our unsuspecting friend. Remember, in the salad game, the unexpected is the real dressing!
As harmless as a bowl of fresh salad might seem, a potential surprise like a camouflaged mantis can ruin your appetite. Imagine unsuspectingly biting into what you think is a crisp leaf only to encounter this unexpected guest! The sheer shock and discomfort can easily turn anyone away from their appetizer.
11. This Pickle’s Gone Nuts
Pickles should start with a ‘Do not consume if you’re allergic to nuts’ warning. Suppose you’re wondering why, then take a look at this picture. It tells how pickles can sometimes be accompanied by nuts, leaving us wondering who must have put this weird addition there.
The pickle maker probably wanted to give their pickle an extra iron boost, but adding a nut to the jar is literal nuts! If you love pickles but are allergic to nuts, you should recheck and refrain from having such a pickle the next time and save your appetite for something better.
12. The Engraved Grape
You’re familiar with superheroes but might also want to know about super grapes. See the picture below if you’re wondering what a super fruit is. The letter ‘S’ seems to have been engraved within the grape, hinting at its superfruit status.
However, upon closer inspection, you’ll notice a perished worm forming the ‘S’ inside. It would rather be poetic to call it a dead worm’s gross artwork. But if thought practically, this unexpected engraving could lead to a potential stomach upset in anyone who consumes such a super grape.
13. The Overprotective Egg Shell
Eggshell overprotectiveness? This shell took helicopter parenting to a whole new level! Crack it open, and surprise—it’s not an egg, it’s a nesting doll! The shell must’ve been worried sick about the egg inside, adding an extra layer of “shell-ter” just in case. Eggs-traordinary parenting, or should we say, “shell-ter” love!
However, a deeper look into this photo reveals that the outer layer was manually stuck there with a tiny transparent tape. Thus, instead of the eggceptional egg amusing the person, the extra time and effort needed to peel off those shells curbed their love for eggs.
14. An Orange Within an Orange
Oranges grow on trees; they don’t give birth like mammals. But this one has a peculiar development within another orange, just like a baby grows inside a mother’s womb. Sitting in the big orange’s lap, it looks creepy and out of a Halloween-based movie.
As this anomaly is a bizarre deviation from what we typically know, it is not only discomforting to eat this fruit but also to see something so strange. We pray life doesn’t give us such uninvited guests in our oranges!
15. The Flavorless Chips
This lady was left wondering why the chips she tasted were so flavorless and bland. Apparently, the reason was that all the flavors accumulated in a colossal, solid clump of ball, forming a hard rock of spices, as shown in the image below.
Very closely resembling green moss or fungus, the massive lump of seasoning is definitely gross. No wonder this might have been so frustrating for the woman! However, this is another instance that urges the implementation of stringent quality measures in FMCG manufacturers’ production process.
16. The Unfitting Spaghetti
When Taylor Swift wrote ‘Too Big to Hang Out’ in her song Anti-hero, the lines probably hit home for these pieces of spaghetti. They seem to have a hard time fitting in the box—There is literally no space for them. All in all, it is a sorry state for the spaghetti.
It is seriously concerning how these long pieces were held together without breaking off when packed. Although it’s impressive that they could form an arch even in such a distressing state, the character of the long spaghetti is lost in the packaging, leaving an unappetizing taste in our minds.
17. Potato Chips with a Real Potato
Bags of potato chips have become quite infamous these days for being filled with less chips and more air. However, this chip manufacturer went an extra lane by filling the weight of the packet not with air but with a literal huge potato.
It’s sad how an actual vegetable ended up in the bag even after companies undertook many procedures to ensure proper packaging. It shows that they must be more vigilant about what they put in their packets and sell to the customers.
18. Spot the Spoon
The invention of the microwave has magically transformed us into bakers. Baking a cake was a skill possessed by only a few people in the earlier days, whereas, in today’s modern age, everyone is a good baker. But this image proves that not all are careful bakers.
Probably, this person was trying his hand at baking a sponge cake in the microwave, and while doing so, he ended up leaving the spoon in the batter. Who knows where this utensil was and how much dirt it had collected? But its presence inside the cake indeed made it lose its flavor and texture!
19. Crab Gives Company to Oyster
We all know that humans are social animals, but it looks like even seafood creatures are social nowadays, and it’s certainly not something you’d want to savor. Just take a look at this unappetizing picture and see how a small crab accompanies the oyster.
While we love unity, this seafood harmony has left us nauseous! So, all seafood lovers, ensure to take a look closer at the oyster you order the next time because it seems like the tiny parasitic crabs love giving company to their fellow aquatic mates—oysters.
20. This Honey is from a Bee, Really!
Bees are real hard workers who are sincerely dedicated to producing honey. If you don’t believe us, look at this picture where this bee seems to have sacrificed its life while making the sweet liquid. Perhaps the bees’ dedication went a bit too far in this instance!
We all know that pure honey is sourced from bees, but we don’t think a real bee needs to be inserted into its bottle to prove its purity. It’s not just unsettling but a marketing misstep, deterring potential buyers. After all, who would want a gross visual reminder of insects in their food?
21. Frosted Frog
Ice cream lovers all around the globe are always eager to try out different types and flavors of this cold dessert. However, this person got the most unpleasant surprise of his life in a box that opened to this frosted frog!
We cannot stop ourselves from assuming that it was a real frog frozen to death in this tub. While this is undoubtedly gross, what’s even creepier is the subtle sight of some threadlike structures in the corner that look like spider legs. We feel equally sorry for the ice cream buyer and the poor frog!
22. The Missing Piece
When you’re hungry but don’t have a heavy meal nearby, you might just want to grab a bite of the Clif Builder Bar. However, this time, the person was left disappointed with the bar as it seemed to have a dent in it already.
It might have been a manufacturing defect. But you never know if some worker took a huge bite of the bar and later covered it with chocolate. No matter the case, the instance is gross and unhygienic. We hope this guy didn’t eat the bar after witnessing the mishap!
23. Rotisserie Chicken with Rod Attached
This person’s sister bought rotisserie chicken, which came with the attached rod. No wonder the sellers of the same are now wondering where their spit rod went and are losing their minds searching for it. But probably they would never find it unless this customer complained about their careless delivery.
Although it sounds funny, discovering a spit inside the rotisserie chicken is a serious concern. Such an incident would leave anyone second-guessing the entire meal. It’s like finding a puzzle piece in the dinner but not the kind of surprise one would want when hungry!
24. Carrot-Shaped Fish
There is one thing in common between Chinese food and Chinese products apart from belonging to the same country—both are loved by people worldwide. We can not deny that the Chinese have won the lottery when it comes to creativity.
This picture is another example of how creative they can get, even with a simple veggie like a carrot. It is carved into a fish and seems to be having a good time amidst the company of rice in the bowl. It’s indeed a cute surprise in food!
25. Sea Shell in Sea Salt
The images discussed so far have already proved how sea creatures love to accompany one another. But it looks like this willingness to offer companionship is not limited to living creatures; it also extends to non-living things like salt and sea shells.
This person found a tiny sea shell in the jar of sea salt. Perhaps it was put there intentionally to prove the salt’s authenticity, claiming it was originally extracted from the sea. However, the unexpected shell in the jar might raise doubts about its cleanliness and suitability for consumption.
26. Cheerios with Whole Grains
Cheerios are known for being healthy due to their high content of whole grains. But that doesn’t mean the food brand will have to prove the fact by inserting literal whole grains in the package, as this woman found in her son’s Cheerios.
Cereal boxes usually bring predictable surprises, but stumbling upon those grains amidst the Cheerios just felt off. Moreover, they look pretty old and stale on closer inspection, hinting at the product’s unsuitability for consumption. No wonder how badly it disrupted the young boy’s breakfast vibe for a healthy morning meal bowl!
27. Block of Cheetos
Cheetos is the holy grail junk snack loved by almost everyone. However, after opening the packet, this person was baffled to find a huge block of something resembling an uncut Cheetos inside. It might look funny, but it feels like a glitch in the matrix for the brand.
This incident serves as a slight reminder of how food manufacturing companies should take a serious look into their production process and ensure they pack the right items and that consumers get value for what they spend. Otherwise, it kills not only the appetite but also the mood.
28. Cool Sea Salt Crystal
Many surprises leave us feeling creepy or have nightmares, but this picture has made us curious about the processing of crystal sea salts. It is strange how this man found a pretty salt crystal in his packet of sea salt.
Imagine crunching on such a big crystal unexpectedly! It will not only ruin your dining vibes but may also break off your teeth. So, instead of having a happy eating experience, you might end up with an aching tooth in a dentist’s chamber.
29. Bicycle-Shaped Pasta
Would you like to go on a bike ride with a plate of penne? Wondering how is it possible? Well, then take a look at the image below. It seems as if the penne is asking the diner to go on a bicycle ride with it.
Perhaps the cook preparing this dish had too much time on his hands. So, he wanted to channel his creativity and show it off in the form of this finely-shaped bicycle pasta. However, as a diner, this strange distortion of the penne tends to ruin our craving more than enhance it.
30. Maple Syrup with Crystals
A woman stored a bottle of maple syrup in the back of her refrigerator for a few years. But now, when she opened it, she discovered these shiny crystals at the bottom of the bottle. Although these formations look delicious, their unexpected presence in the syrup makes it unpalatable.
These crystals are believed to form in maple syrup when canned or bottled in a highly warm state. So, always ensure your maple syrup isn’t too hot because you wouldn’t want to break a jar of crystals when you only crave that sweet drizzle.
31. Ice Cream with Scorpion Tail
You might have never heard of someone getting trauma just by having an ice cream. But after looking at this picture of a scorpion tail stuck in the dessert, we think this type of food trauma can be a real occurrence.
Since the tail lies in the cone, a person would probably find it only after eating 1/3rd of the ice cream. Thus, it is not only disturbing to the eyes but also harmful to one’s health, even landing them in the emergency room due to its toxic nature.
32. A Side of Snail
If you think nothing can stop you from eating a delicious meal, this picture might change your mind, especially if you’re not fond of seafood. While enjoying a steak, this diner was greeted by a tiny snail in the dish.
What concerns us more is whether the snail is still alive and trying to escape the plate or is dead because either is equally frightening. It’s such an unexpected side that probably made the person leave for the bathroom to throw up immediately.
33. The Seafood Companionship
This image has a funny feel because the starfish seems ready to hop off its companion and dance on the table. However, in all seriousness, the mussel shell is bereft of mussels — We think the starfish might have eaten it up!
Although the presence of a starfish inside the mussel shell makes us curious about how it came up there, the sight kills the desire for seafood. It’s not just that the starfish look alive; none would even prefer to encounter this marine echinoderm on their plate — It’s indeed an appetite spoiler.
34. A Human Finger
When we first saw this picture, we were left dumbfounded. It instantly made us think of a human finger covered in flour. However, it isn’t as gross as it seems — It turns out to be a baby carrot that this person found while working in a food production plant.
Although it is not a real human body part, the close resemblance of this bizarre-shaped carrot to a finger can totally kill one’s appetite. We wonder how this person must have felt when he first saw it. Probably, he avoided food for a while owing to such an uncanny discovery.
35. The Uncool Squid Game
This person’s wife made a gross discovery when she cut open the squid she had bought for dinner. It not only contained squid but also a small fish that looked like its prey. Perhaps it was a trick of the fisherman to show the squid weighed more.
Regardless of why and how the extra fish came there, the sight is appetite-killing. Lying open in the gooey insides of the squid, it looks as if the fish is still getting digested. Anyone would prefer to satisfy their hunger with a glass of water than have this for dinner.
36. The Unbiteable Popsicle
Fruit-flavored popsicles in the scorching summer heat are a relief not only for our taste buds but also to cool our body temperature. However, what’s uncool is finding a lug nut in your fruit bar, just like this person did.
We hope the person did exactly what had to be done — send the ice cream back to its manufacturer along with the nut to ensure such an incident doesn’t happen again. After all, that strong metal is sure to break one’s teeth off!
37. The Handle is Delivered
Ordering food online is exhilarating — We can’t wait for it to arrive home so we can open it and start binging on it immediately. But what if your meal box opens to metal handles instead of food? If you think such a situation is impossible, the following picture tells otherwise.
This unlucky person discovered a massive metal handle in the food they ordered through DoorDash, killing both their appetite and excitement. While they did get a partial refund from the company, they should have demanded a full refund due to such a pathetic food delivery experience.
38. This Sausage Holds a Secret
While there are many gross images on the list, this picture of a sausage containing a USB drive, when cut open, is hilarious. What’s even funnier is that the person connected the USB to their computer, and this is what popped up.
It seems the owner of this USB drive was the one who prepared this sausage and was looking for a date. It was probably the cleverest idea he could think of to secure himself a partner. However, this odd idea certainly doesn’t favor one’s appetite. Instead, it takes the delight out of this savory treat.
39. A Smiley Surprise
This woman was at work when she cut open this green bell pepper, and the top of it flashed a huge smiley face. It could have been cute in a different world, but this is nothing less than a start to a horror film. It is weird and gives a creepy Halloween-like feeling.
Amidst all the work stress and looming deadlines, this discovery is enough to ruin one’s cravings in a shot. Instead of adding a punch to the meal, this bizarre bell pepper can kill hunger instantly, making lunchtimes less appealing and more eerie.
40. The Unexisting Flavor
According to the packaging of Airheads Bites shown below, there are 5 distinct flavors, each with a unique color — green, blue, white, red, and orange. There is no trace of yellow in this flavor guide. But this person somehow found a yellow-colored Airheads Bite.
Yellow was probably too fed up with being left out of the pack. Hence, it crashed into the package, trying hard to blend in with the other existing flavors. Jokes apart, the yellow Airheads Bite is a manufacturing defect that left this person hopelessly wondering about its origin, disrupting their snacking experience.
41. The Unique Pringle
Pringles are a famous snack worldwide. Almost everyone is aware of their shape, texture, and taste, so whenever there’s a slight deviation in their original appearance, one can spot it quickly. To our wonder, this particular chip has got raised dots all over it.
Perhaps it missed going through the appropriate production process, having a bumpy, thick texture. It looks like it tried hard to become a Pringle but couldn’t make it in the end. However, sadly, such an irregular pattern on the classic chip can easily trigger trypophobia in people, creating an aversion to it and killing the appetite.
42. Salt Crystal Inside Ramen
Everyone loves binging on Ramen. They’re so delicious that they can satisfy not only our hunger but also our souls! However, this customer found a beautiful but out-of-place amber salt crystal inside the sauce packet of instant Ramen they purchased.
For Ramen enthusiasts, stumbling upon such an unexpected salt crystal might raise concerns about the seasoning’s freshness. It’s a sign that it could be past its prime, and no one would want to dig into a food that has lost its freshness.
43. Vegetable Bag with a Piece of Wood
This man found a piece of wood, giving company to his packet of stir-fry vegetables. While the wood steals the shine here, we can’t help but overlook the trace of blue paint on it. Consuming it might be a potential hazard to one’s health because who knows where that wood has been?
Perhaps the seller must have thought that as the packet features stir-fry items, customers could wash the wood and use it to stir the vegetables. It was thoughtful of the manufacturer, but they might want to opt for a safer alternative next time. Till then, it’s best to keep this pack of veggies away.
44. Pizza with a Device Topping
It looks like the chef preparing this pizza was either too engaged in watching the television or making a call. Thus, not paying much attention to the food, he mistakenly sent the electronic device he was using inside the pizza box for delivery.
While it’s strange that the device landed up as a topping on the pizza, it’s equally concerning what the object exactly is — a cordless landline handset or a TV remote control. No matter the case, the chef not only lost one of his gadgets but also a customer by running his pizza-eating experience.
45. Lucky or Unlucky?
When it comes to freshwater food, it turns out that not all surprises in your meal have to be unpleasant because this person found a pretty pearl perched in his oyster. Pearls are treasured by one and all because of their rarity and striking beauty. But is finding one in the meal a blissful experience?
While it seems like a fortunate incident because it’s not always that you magically find a shell with a pearl, we feel sorry for this guy because edible oysters are not supposed to produce pearls. Even the thought of consuming such an oyster is far from appetizing and wholly off-putting.