Don’t Knock It Till You Try It: 18 Weird Food Combinations Families Swear By

Cheddar on apple pie, pickles in a peanut butter sandwich, fries dunked in a milkshake: these family habits sound wrong until you take one bite. Every family has one strange food combo that guests laugh at and then quietly steal. Most of them work for a simple reason, like salty meeting sweet or creamy meeting crunchy. Here are the weird food combinations people swear by, each with an easy recipe. Get ready to argue about them at your next family dinner..

Apple Pie With a Slice of Sharp Cheddar

In parts of New England and the Midwest, a slice of sharp cheddar on warm apple pie is not weird at all. It is tradition. The salty, tangy cheese balances the sweet cinnamon apples, a bit like a cheese plate with fruit. Some bakers even grate cheddar right into the crust. Would you try it, or is it ice cream or nothing?

You will need: 1 double pie crust (homemade or store-bought), 6 to 7 apples peeled and sliced, three quarters cup sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, quarter teaspoon nutmeg, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 egg for brushing, 8 slices sharp white cheddar.

How to make it: Heat the oven to 400F. Toss the apples with sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice. Fill the bottom crust, dot with butter and cover with the top crust. Seal, cut vents and brush with egg. Bake 45 to 55 minutes until golden and bubbling. Cool 1 hour, then lay a slice of cheddar on each warm slice and pop it in the oven for 1 minute to soften.

Food Combinations That Shock Guests: Peanut Butter and Pickle Sandwich

This one has a long fan club in the American South and among Depression-era grandparents. Creamy peanut butter and crunchy, tangy dill pickles sound like a dare, but the salty sour crunch cuts the richness just like jelly does. Some people add a slice of bacon. Have you ever tried it, or will you just take our word for it?

You will need: 2 slices sandwich bread, 2 tablespoons creamy or crunchy peanut butter, 6 to 8 dill pickle chips patted dry, 1 teaspoon butter (optional for grilling).

How to make it: Spread the peanut butter on both slices of bread. Lay the pickle chips in a single layer on one slice and close the sandwich. Eat it as is, or butter the outside and toast it in a skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes per side until golden and warm.

Classic Food Combinations: Fries Dipped in a Vanilla Shake

Ask around and you will find a lot of people who grew up dunking hot, salty fries into a cold milkshake. Hot and cold, salty and sweet, crispy and creamy: it hits every craving at once. It is one of those food combinations kids discover on their own. Quick poll: vanilla or chocolate shake for dipping?

You will need: Fries: 2 large russet potatoes cut into sticks, 2 tablespoons oil, salt. Shake: 3 big scoops vanilla ice cream, half cup cold milk, half teaspoon vanilla extract.

How to make it: Soak the potato sticks in cold water for 30 minutes, then dry them well. Toss with oil and bake at 425F for 30 to 35 minutes, turning once, or air fry at 400F for 18 minutes. Salt them right away. Blend the ice cream, milk and vanilla until thick. Serve the hot fries with the cold shake for dipping.

Salted Watermelon With Feta and Mint

Many grandparents sprinkled salt on watermelon, and they were onto something: a little salt can make sweet fruit taste even sweeter. Salty feta takes the idea further, with mint and lime for freshness. It is a summer potluck favorite in Greece and the Middle East. These sweet and salty food combinations are the easiest place to start.

You will need: 6 cups watermelon cubed, 1 cup crumbled feta, a handful of fresh mint leaves, juice of 1 lime, 2 tablespoons olive oil, flaky salt, black pepper, thinly sliced red onion (optional).

How to make it: Arrange the watermelon on a platter. Scatter the feta, mint and red onion over it. Drizzle with lime juice and olive oil. Finish with a pinch of flaky salt and a little black pepper. Serve cold right away.

Food Combinations From Grandma: Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

Mayonnaise in a cake? It is an old family trick from times when eggs and butter were hard to come by. Mayo is just eggs and oil, so it makes the cake incredibly moist and tender, and nobody can taste it. Of all the food combinations here, this is the one that makes guests ask for your secret. Do you dare to tell them?

You will need: 2 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, half cup cocoa powder, 1 and a half teaspoons baking soda, half teaspoon salt, 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 cup warm water or coffee, 1 teaspoon vanilla. Frosting: chocolate frosting of your choice.

How to make it: Heat the oven to 350F and grease a 9 inch square or round pan. Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Stir in the mayonnaise, warm water and vanilla until smooth. Pour into the pan and bake 30 to 35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and frost.

Potato Chip Cookies

Crushed potato chips in a buttery cookie dough give you a salty crunch in every bite, a bit like a salted caramel cookie. Old church cookbooks are full of potato chip cookie recipes, and they disappear fast at bake sales. They are a great way to use the broken chips at the bottom of the bag.

You will need: 1 cup butter softened, half cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 cups flour, 1 cup crushed plain potato chips, half cup chopped pecans (optional), powdered sugar for dusting.

How to make it: Heat the oven to 350F. Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until fluffy. Mix in the flour, then fold in the chips and pecans. Roll into 1 inch balls, place on a lined sheet and flatten slightly with a glass. Bake 12 to 14 minutes until the edges are light golden. Dust with powdered sugar once cool.

Grilled Cheese With Raspberry Jam

Fancy restaurants serve brie with fig jam, so why not cheddar with raspberry jam? A thin layer of jam inside a grilled cheese turns it into a sweet and savory treat that kids love and grown ups secretly love too. Pair it with tomato soup and you have a lunch everyone will talk about.

You will need: 4 slices sourdough or white bread, 2 tablespoons butter softened, 4 slices sharp cheddar or Swiss, 2 tablespoons raspberry jam, pinch of black pepper.

How to make it: Butter one side of each slice of bread. Lay two slices butter side down in a skillet. Spread jam on the top side, add the cheese, then close with the other slices, butter side up. Cook over medium low heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and the cheese has melted.

Popcorn With Melted Chocolate

Movie night gets an upgrade when you drizzle salty popcorn with melted chocolate. Sweet and salty, crunchy and smooth, it is basically homemade candy in a bowl. Use dark chocolate for grown ups and add sprinkles for kids. It sets in 15 minutes and is gone in five.

You will need: 10 cups popped popcorn, 1 teaspoon salt, 6 ounces dark or milk chocolate chopped, 2 ounces white chocolate (optional), sprinkles or chopped nuts.

How to make it: Spread the popcorn on a lined sheet pan and sprinkle it with salt. Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring each time. Drizzle it over the popcorn with a spoon, then the white chocolate. Add sprinkles or nuts and let it set for 15 minutes before breaking into clusters.

Maple Bacon Donuts

Breakfast in one bite: a soft donut with a sweet maple glaze and crispy bacon on top. This combo became famous at donut shops across the country, and it is easy to copy at home with store-bought donuts. Sweet maple and salty bacon is a pairing that already lives on most pancake plates, so it really is not that strange.

You will need: 6 plain cake or yeast donuts, 6 slices bacon cooked crisp and crumbled, 1 cup powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup, 1 to 2 tablespoons milk, pinch of salt.

How to make it: Whisk the powdered sugar, maple syrup and enough milk to make a thick glaze. Dip the top of each donut into the glaze and let the extra drip off. Sprinkle the crumbled bacon over the wet glaze right away. Let them set for 10 minutes before serving.

Cottage Cheese With Pineapple and Black Pepper

Cottage cheese with fruit was a classic diner lunch for decades, and it is having a big comeback as a high protein snack. Sweet pineapple and creamy, salty curds are a great match, and a crack of black pepper makes it pop. Strawberries and a drizzle of honey work too. Team sweet or team savory cottage cheese?

You will need: 1 cup cottage cheese, half cup pineapple chunks (fresh or canned and drained), a few sliced strawberries (optional), 1 teaspoon honey, pinch of black pepper, pinch of chopped mint.

How to make it: Spoon the cottage cheese into a bowl. Top with the pineapple and strawberries. Drizzle with honey and finish with a crack of black pepper and a little mint. Eat right away.

Cornbread Crumbled in a Glass of Buttermilk

Ask a Southern grandpa about his favorite bedtime snack and you might hear this one. Leftover cornbread gets crumbled into a tall glass of cold buttermilk and eaten with a spoon. It is tangy, crumbly and comforting, a true taste of the old farmhouse kitchen. Did anyone in your family eat this?

You will need: Cornbread: 1 cup cornmeal, 1 cup flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, half teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 cup buttermilk, 1 egg, quarter cup melted butter. To serve: a tall glass of cold buttermilk per person.

How to make it: Heat the oven to 400F with a greased 8 inch skillet inside. Mix the dry ingredients, then stir in the buttermilk, egg and butter. Pour into the hot skillet and bake 20 to 22 minutes until golden. Cool, crumble a big square into a tall glass and pour cold buttermilk over it. Eat with a long spoon.

Hawaiian Pizza, the Most Famous Fight

No list of controversial food combinations is complete without pineapple on pizza. It was created in Canada in the 1960s, not Hawaii, and people have argued about it ever since. Sweet pineapple and salty ham work for the same reason as ham with a pineapple glaze. Where do you stand on pineapple pizza?

You will need: 1 pound pizza dough, half cup pizza sauce, 2 cups shredded mozzarella, 4 ounces sliced ham or Canadian bacon, 1 cup pineapple chunks well drained, pinch of red pepper flakes.

How to make it: Heat the oven to 475F with a pan or stone inside. Stretch the dough, spread the sauce and add the cheese. Top with ham and pineapple. Bake 10 to 13 minutes until the crust is golden and the cheese bubbles. Sprinkle with pepper flakes.

Peanut Butter Banana Toast With Flaky Salt

Peanut butter and banana is a classic, but a pinch of flaky salt and a drizzle of honey make it taste like a fancy cafe breakfast. Salt makes the sweet banana taste sweeter and the peanut butter taste nuttier. It takes three minutes. For more morning ideas, see our breakfast toast ideas.

You will need: 2 slices whole grain bread, 2 tablespoons peanut butter, 1 banana sliced, 1 teaspoon honey, pinch of flaky sea salt, pinch of cinnamon, chia seeds (optional).

How to make it: Toast the bread. Spread the peanut butter while the toast is warm so it softens. Top with banana slices. Drizzle with honey and finish with flaky salt, cinnamon and chia seeds.

Regional Food Combinations: Chili With Cinnamon Rolls

In parts of Nebraska, Kansas and Iowa, school cafeterias served chili with a cinnamon roll, and many grown ups still crave it every fall. You dip the sweet roll into the spicy chili, or eat them bite for bite. It sounds odd until you remember that cinnamon is used in plenty of chili recipes. Did your school serve this?

You will need: Chili: 1 pound ground beef, 1 onion diced, 2 cans (15 ounces each) kidney beans drained, 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes, 2 tablespoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, salt. Rolls: 1 can refrigerated cinnamon rolls or homemade.

How to make it: Brown the beef and onion in a pot and drain. Add the beans, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin and salt and simmer 30 minutes. Meanwhile bake the cinnamon rolls according to the package and frost them. Serve a bowl of chili with a warm cinnamon roll on the side.

Healthy Food Combinations: Chocolate Avocado Mousse

Avocado in dessert surprises people, but in Brazil and Southeast Asia avocado is often treated like a sweet fruit. Blended with cocoa and a little maple syrup, it becomes a silky chocolate mousse with no cream or eggs. Nobody will guess the secret until you tell them. This is one of those food combinations that wins over skeptics.

You will need: 2 ripe avocados, half cup cocoa powder, third cup maple syrup or honey, quarter cup milk of choice, 1 teaspoon vanilla, pinch of salt, berries and shaved chocolate to finish.

How to make it: Scoop the avocados into a blender or food processor. Add the cocoa, maple syrup, milk, vanilla and salt. Blend until completely smooth, scraping the sides. Spoon into glasses and chill for 30 minutes. Top with berries and chocolate shavings.

The Elvis Sandwich

Peanut butter, banana and bacon fried in butter is forever linked to Elvis Presley, and fans have been copying the King’s favorite sandwich for decades. It is sweet, salty, crunchy and melty all at once. Is it a breakfast, a lunch or a dessert? Probably all three.

You will need: 2 slices white bread, 2 tablespoons peanut butter, half banana sliced or mashed, 2 slices bacon cooked crisp, 1 tablespoon butter.

How to make it: Spread peanut butter on both slices of bread. Add the banana to one slice and lay the bacon on top. Close the sandwich. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat and cook the sandwich 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown. Cut in half and eat while warm.

Fruitcake or Fruit Pie With a Slice of Cheese

In Yorkshire, England, a slice of rich Christmas fruitcake is traditionally served with a wedge of crumbly cheese. The salty cheese balances the sweet dried fruit, just like apple pie and cheddar. It is a fun holiday idea for your dessert table this year. Would you put cheese on your holiday dessert plate?

You will need: 1 fruitcake or fruit pie (homemade or bakery), 8 ounces crumbly white cheese such as Wensleydale, white cheddar or Lancashire, a few grapes or apple slices to serve.

How to make it: Let the cheese sit at room temperature for 30 minutes so the flavor opens up. Cut the fruitcake or pie into slices. Serve each slice with a thin wedge of cheese on the side and a few grapes or apple slices.

The Spaghetti Sandwich, the Wildest of the Food Combinations

Leftover spaghetti between two pieces of bread sounds like a college dorm invention, but pasta sandwiches have fans all over the world. A toasted roll soaks up the sauce and a little cheese ties it all together. What is the weird food combination your family swears by? Tell us in the comments.

You will need: 2 soft hoagie or Italian rolls, 2 cups leftover spaghetti with marinara or meat sauce, 4 slices provolone or mozzarella, 1 tablespoon butter, garlic powder, Parmesan.

How to make it: Heat the oven to 400F. Split the rolls, brush them with butter and sprinkle with garlic powder. Warm the spaghetti in a pan. Fill each roll with spaghetti, top with cheese and a little Parmesan and bake 6 to 8 minutes until the cheese melts and the bread is toasty.