75 times inedible things tricked people into thinking it was delicious food

Have you ever been on a diet and everything you look at reminds you of food?

For the following, it’s not going to matter if you are dieting or not. These are everyday—and some not so everyday—items that look like something we might like to chow down on.

Some of them are yummy and delicious looking. Some of them are not—like mushrooms. What’s with all the mushrooms?

And yes, that isn’t a donut you’re looking at. It’s a mushroom!

1. Hmm. Cheesecake!

This is actually a rock. I have no idea what kind of rock, but it’s gorgeous, and certainly looks like cheesecake. Caramel, lots of cream, and of course a berry topping.

2. Time to bake

That looks like flour that’s about to be sifted, doesn’t it? Don’t be fooled! If you look closely you’ll see that’s a white cat all snuggled in tightly.

3. Pancakes, anyone?

That’s the best looking stack of pancakes I’ve ever seen. And it’s not even pancakes! Can you believe this is actually a pinecone? And the butter on top is actually some fallen leaves. Perfect!

4. Warm baguette

That looks like a baguette fresh out of the oven, doesn’t it? But further inspection will show that’s no roll of dough. That’s a cat.

5. Uh, chicken?

It’s understandable if you think that looks like a very large rotisserie chicken. In fact, that’s a dog! Apparently, the poor thing is trying to cool off in the heat. I’m not sure if this works, however.

6. Popcorn!

Well, it’s air cooked, but that’s about it. While this looks like something you might pop in the microware or in oil on the stovetop, this isn’t anything you could eat. If you think popcorn kernels can damage your teeth, these rocks will do a lot worse.

7. What’s the design?

You know how the barista will make a design for you on the top of your latte? Or maybe just drizzles some caramel on top for you? This kitty definitely has some caramel splotches, but no distinct design.

8. Sushi?

Talk about super fresh, raw sushi. But this one isn’t much of a surprise, is it? I hope most of you know that’s not a fish. I’m guessing that’s a budgie, and a very cute one at that. Maybe even a bit fresh!

9. Jelly Bellies!

Jelly Beans are okay, but I just love Jelly Bellies, don’t you? Either way, it would be pretty easy to mistake these little stones for some nice sugary candy. You know, sugar will rot your teeth. Chewing on these would be even more dangerous.

10. Tiramisu?

Nope. That may resemble a giant slab of Tiramisu—yum!—but sadly, that’s not what this is. This is solid terra. I’m not sure where it is, but I think it might be the Devon coast. Anyone?

11. Extra lean, please!

Since these are still clean, I’m going to say the fat content in them is pretty much nil. But I would still question if there are any health benefits. Maybe extra fiber? Because, yeah. That’s a red mop, not meat.

12. Start the day right!

Who doesn’t love a glass of orange juice in the morning? At least once in a while? All that vitamin C to help keep you healthy. But the artist paraphernalia in the picture should be a giveaway that this isn’t what it looks like. Drinking this would probably be bad for your health.

13. Eek!

I may never eat raspberry jam again, and it’s my favorite! I’ll always be wondering if I’m really eating berries or something like looks very scarily similar. In case you want to know, this little creature is called a Red Springtail.

14. Hmm, fettuccini.

That looks like someone might be cooking for a crowd. The noodles are done and strained, and it’s time to add the Alfredo sauce and the shrimp. Except those are large rubber bands, and my guess is they would be quite chewy. Forget el dente.

15. Someone snuck a bite

Leaving things like chocolate lying around is like an invitation to take a bite. I mean, a lot of people just can’t resist chocolate, right? However, taking a bite of this would be quite an unexpected shock, since this is a package of clay.

16. Mustard or Mayo?

It would be a very easy mistake to grab this and add some of it to your sandwich. Especially if it was located in the fridge. Apparently someone’s cleaning lady found this in the bathroom—where it should be—and moved it to the fridge. I guess she missed the “hair nutrition pack” part.

17. I love bacon

Perfectly cooked bacon is awesome, isn’t it? At least whatever perfect is for you. And sometimes you want far too many slices. Imagine if your slices were this big? Too bad this is wood, not bacon.

18. Pop Tart?

Or maybe something more upscale like some sort of pastry pie? Either way, finding a toaster oven—or plain old toaster—to heat this up in would be challenging. Of course, heating this would be problematic, wouldn’t it?

19. Baked to perfection

Can you smell the warm bread? And with its golden brown crust, this roll is just begging for a coating of butter. However, this is a rock, so while it might be warm, it won’t be soft and chewy.

20. Something new from DQ?

This really looks like some chocolaty creation smothered in a swirl of soft serve ice cream, doesn’t it? Or maybe a misshapen cupcake with icing on top. It just needs a cherry to decorate it. But it’s just swirls of snow on tree stumps.

21. Timber!

Thankfully, that wasn’t on your plate when your mom said you had to finish your broccoli if you wanted desert. It looks to be so big it can’t even bear up under its own weight. Thankfully, that’s a tree, and no one will ever have to take a bite.

22. To go, please.

Why not add a chocolate sundae to your McDonald’s lunch? At first glance, that might be what you think this is, right? But I bet no one wants a bite of this.

23. How old is it?

That really looks like cartons of chocolate and vanilla ice cream. Except when ice cream sits in the freezer too long it gets that layer of permafrost on it, and looks just like this. Fortunately, the lid is handy so you know just want you’re looking at and probably won’t want to test it to see if it still tastes good.

24. Some people are slobs

Have you ever been in a kitchen that hasn’t been cleaned in ages? Dirty dishes stacked in the sink and on the counter. Old food laying around? Bread getting old and moldy… oh, wait. That’s a sponge.

25. Deli counter

Sometimes I have a hard time deciding what I want when I’m at the deli counter in the grocery store. So many different meat choices to choose from. And that’s exactly what this looks like, right? But it’s not. It’s Rhodochrosite Crystal.

26. If only

Who doesn’t love whipped cream? Imagine if it feel from the sky in giant globs. It would probably be cool for about a day, then you would be sick of it. Much like the snow that really is. Cool for about a day and then you are really sick of it!

27. Perfect illusion

Pineapple is my favorite fruit. And at a glance, this certainly resembles a pineapple. A flat one, but still a pineapple. But you know what this really is, right? Just a pipe cover on a road and a weed.

28. Soup of the day

This is hysterical. I wonder what restaurant this is. I’d love it if the person in the pot sat there fanning themselves, complaining about how hot it is.

29. Sunny side up

It’s as if some city vehicle drove along and cracked an egg on the street at exact intervals. In the full heat of summer. Because you know how we say “it’s so hot, you could fry an egg?” Was someone testing that claim? In reality, it seems these were plastic markers that were laid, and melted down due to the heat.

30. Caramel candies

These look like a new type of Worthers. You know, the Worthers Original hard caramel candies? Hate to break it to you, but there is no yummy goodness here. Just some nasty, toxic mushrooms.

31. Lunch time!

How about hitting the sushi bar for lunch? Maybe some of these delicious looking rolls sprinkled in… something. Oh-oh, wait. Those are paint rollers!

32. Poor things

Apparently you aren’t looking at avocados with heads, although it might look like it. Those are some poor turtles that need to have their shells cleaned. It seems that’s a buildup of algae, which could be dangerous to them if not dealt with.

33. Sunday dinner

Back in the day Sunday dinner with the family often meant a roast or a ham. Hmm, glazed ham. A little brown sugar, a little mustard. Or maybe you preferred honey and pineapple. Whichever, it likely wasn’t the family cat.

34. Poor boy

I wonder if his name is Chester. Because that sure looks like a Cheeto. But Chester is a cheetah and this poor thing has obviously had some surgery.

35. Whatever’s on tap!

I’m wondering about pouring a glass of this as a gag. Because that looks exactly like beer. And who knew Listerine had a head? I’m guessing if you did go through with it, you’d want to be sure someone spit this right back out, because you’re not supposed to swallow this stuff. But what are the chances of someone expecting a beer would do that?

36. Gimme a break!

Who here is old enough to remember the KitKat jingle? Something like “break me off a piece of that KitKat bar.” These are something called Chocky Bars, and they are made out of metal. Probably nowhere near as tasty as a KitKat bar!

37. Make it a deep dish

People all over the world love pizza. Some are the kitchen sink type where they pile on everything. Some just like to stick to the basics with pepperoni and extra cheese. But I don’t know any who like to bathe in it.

38. Gummie Bears

If you saw these, and you actually liked Gummie Bears, you wouldn’t hesitate for a moment, right? You would be popping these babies in your mouth. And you would be spitting them right back out again, because these are little bars of soap.

39. I prefer the green one, thanks.

Okay, I must admit ignorance here. I have no idea what these are, but guessing from the screw driver and the bolts that these are some kind of nut. No! Not that kind of nut! Whatever they are, they do look a lot like black olives.

40. An odd cut

Sometimes when you buy a roast it will be an odd shape, right? But for the most part they are blocks of meat that might be slightly rounded. This one looks as if someone ripped a strip off of it. No worries though, it’s actually a rock.

41. Camping catastrophe

A week camping or at the cabin often involves some sort of fire. Hamburgers and hot dogs are usually part of the mix too. I would just keeping any prepared burgers away from these lookalikes or disaster could ensue.

42. You wish

I’m sure all you Oreo cookie loving people are wishing you could get one that size. And if it was one that had the double filling that would make your life complete. But as you’ve likely guessed, that’s no Oreo. Maybe one of you has a clue as to what it is, because I don’t.

43. Just add hot water

Frankly, I would be worried about doing any cleaning with these. You know how wet ramen noodles, or any noodle for that matter, get mushy when wet? That can’t be helpful when scrubbing, right?

44. Twizzlers

I love to get Twizzlers when I go to the movies. Forget popcorn, I want a package of Twizzlers. But you do have to be careful not to make too much noise with the packaging. Somehow, I think the noise I’d make with a package of these would be far more shocking and disruptive.

45. Um, what?

First, who thought the cheese slice look would be good for bus seats? Second, is that supposed to be mold or something? Third, the bottom slice appears to be melting. Is that by accident or design? Have too many sweaty butts sat on it? So many questions.

46. Hmm, pizza

Look at all of that cheesy, tomatoy goodness. Cut into perfect slices and ready to serve. Except that’s some rather gorgeous rock, and not pizza at all.

47. Caramel!

I have a confession to make. I’m totally a caramel or maple girl, not a chocolate girl. Please don’t hate me for it. And if I saw something like this can of thick, rich, buttery caramel, I would want to cram it in my mouth. Hopefully I would have the sense to read the label first.

48. Bread? Meat?

It does look like bread with the crust still on, but I think it looks more like some kind of meat with crispy skin. What do you say? Bread or meat? Actually, it doesn’t matter, since it’s neither. It’s foam, so it’s nothing remotely tasty.

49. TimBit?

Tim Horton’s has TimBits, which are basically the ball of dough from the donut hole. They’re little, round, bite sized donuts. If someone threw this in the box, I think it would be pretty easy to pop one of these in your mouth. Which would be horrifying! This is as Bushveld rain frog.

50. Blackberries?

If you were under the influence of something mind altering, super tired, or maybe you just have crappy vision, I could understand someone mistaking these for blackberries. Until you had some in your hand, that is. At that point you would have no excuse for not recognizing what this is.

51. The wicks weren’t a clue?

Okay, someone’s poor old grandpa thought this was some kind of veggie dip. But I have a few questions—besides the wick. What kind of veggie is strong enough to dig out hard wax with? It’s been “dipped” a few times. And at what point did grandpa realize something tasted off?

52. Packaged meat?

What kind of carnivores have we turned into? Is anyone else noticing how many things remind us of meat? Are all of us seriously lacking in protein?

53. A day at the fair

I always wanted cotton candy when we went to a fair or amusement park when I was a kid. Pink or blue, it didn’t matter. Fortunately, I’ve been involved in enough home renos and have been up and down the aisles at Home Depot often enough to know the difference between cotton candy and pink fiberglass.

54. Hmm, can you smell that?

The smell of warm sourdough bread. If you have a Keg Steakhouse near where you live you know you can’t wait until the server puts your free loaf on the table. Unfortunately, this loaf petrified a long time ago.

55. Sweet!

So this looks like some sort of construction site. Does the site foreman just have a sweet tooth or did they rob a bakery? To steal all the Bundt pans and repurpose them for pouring cement blocks. At least I’m guessing those post supports are made of cement. Soft cake wouldn’t offer much support.

56. Do you have real maple syrup?

No matter the shape, I’m all for waffles. As long as they come served with real maple syrup. I’m from the north, and only the good stuff will do.

57. More caramel!

This looks like a tub of caramel ripple ice cream, heavy on the caramel. But if you look really close at the rim of the container, you will get your first clue. That’s a paint can, and this is old paint.

58. No snacking before dinner!

Cheetos are one of those things you can’t just stop at one. Sort of like the Lay’s Chips commercials. “Betcha can’t eat just one.” However, you don’t want to eat even one of these, since they are nothing more than orange packing peanuts.

59. What went wrong?

Yes, another waffle. And so soon. And a giant waffle would be great—more room for more maple syrup—but this looks a bit over baked, doesn’t it? I’m fairly sure there isn’t enough syrup in the world to soften this up.

60. It’s finally happening

I’ve always had this fear that tofu was going to overtake us at some point. Tofu chicken. Tofu cheese. And it’s happening. This poor child is about to be eliminated by tofu.

61. Hmm, noodles

Actually, this is a plant in distress. Those roots have nowhere to go. Trust me, when your pot has more roots than earth, it’s time to repot your plant into something bigger, or plant it outside if it’s an outdoor plant. Well, duh. All plants are outdoor plants. So if it’s an outdoor plant in your planting zone.

62. Any geologists here?

It looks like a coconut, but of course I know it isn’t. But I don’t know what it is, either. I think it might be a geode, but I’d need that geologist to confirm.

63. Wulfenite

Betcha don’t know what that is. But it looks like more caramel, right? Some yummy mix of fudge and hard candy that melted slightly at some point, only to harden again all smashed together. But wulfenite is a type of crystal, not something to chew on.

64. Deadly drumstick

It looks fairly safe, right? As if some camper dropped some of their KFC and didn’t notice. But that’s likely been on the ground since WWII and it hasn’t decomposed. What is it? Probably a mortar grenade. Deadly, indeed.

65. Crushed cookie

This kind of looks like a chocolate cookie with some fabulous neon sprinkles. That someone sat on. But this little piece of beauty is actually a boulder opal, and not chocolaty at all.

66. Green eggs and ham

Okay, this actually looks rather revolting. And rotten. But it is a very clever breakfast setting of eggs, ham, toast, and it looks like bacon and something else in the background. And every single thing is a rock, not a breakfast food.

67. Lemonade?

Nope, nope, nope. Those aren’t extra thin, nearly transparent lemon slices. Those are condoms. And they were used to make fabric.

68. Yep, more caramel, right?

Wrong. Something so disturbing. This is the water coming out of someone’s tap! And apparently it’s normal behavior that happens at least once a year in some towns in North America. Yikes.

69. Avocado, right?

Wrong. And at least if you attempted to eat these you wouldn’t be horrified at learning what they are. These are simply rolls someone left in the oven for several hours and they burned to a crisp. Which begs the question. No batteries in the smoke alarms?

70. Grilled cheese?

These really do look like Kraft cheese slices, don’t they? And the probably contain about as much real cheese as Kraft processed cheese slices do, but that’s a story for another time. These are just resin spreaders used in automotive shops.

71. Spaghetti balls

Depending on the size of these pasta balls, it would save you having to twist your spaghetti around your fork. Assuming you’re not the type who just slurps it up. But small enough to pop in your mouth or not, this is a ball of yarn.

72. Would you like fries with that?

I’m not sure what this is. Maybe some kind of insulation? Some sort of under padding? Whatever it is, it looks like giant French fries.

73. Confucius say

Who doesn’t love breaking open a fortune cookie to see what it has to say? It doesn’t matter if you don’t like the taste of them and won’t eat them, and it doesn’t matter that you’re not superstitious. You are just compelled to break them open. You’d have a hard time with this one. It’s a rock!

74. Breakfast!

That really looks like a tiny, sunny side up egg, doesn’t it? I can assure you it’s not, and it’s also not something you want to put in your mouth. It’s actually bacteria growing in a Petri dish.

75. Hey, you dropped one!

Coconut shrimp tend to be expensive but even still, if you were walking around while eating some, I can see leaving it on the ground. Not too many people are going to pick food back up off the street. The 5 second rule is just for your clean kitchen floor, right? But this is actually a chewed up pine cone that a squirrel has left behind.

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