We’re all for experimenting in the kitchen, but some food combinations are more like food abominations. From sardines in mac and cheese to drizzling mustard on watermelon, here are 20 combos to separate immediately. 

1. Ketchup on Eggs

Hey hey, some sauces pair beautifully with eggs—hollandaise, mustard with deviled eggs, and even hot sauce provides a nice kick. But ketchup? We just can’t do it. There’s something about the combo that ruins those perfectly good scrambled eggs.

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2. Tuna and Chocolate

We love tuna, we love chocolate—what we don’t love is the crossover episode. Savory fish like tuna have no business mixing with the sweetness of chocolate. Together, they’re an oily, jarring pair that just doesn’t work. 

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3. Mac and Cheese With Ketchup

There’s nothing wrong with tossing in some added spice or even cutting up the odd hot dog, but ketchup in macaroni and cheese? No, thank you. Mac and cheese is creamy enough without making things worse, not to mention, those flavors are just an unhappy marriage. 

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4. Banana and Mayo 

Plenty of toppings belong on bananas and mayonnaise isn’t one of them. Bananas are delicious, but already overpowering, and tossing in a contrasting texture only exacerbates the fruit’s consistency.  

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5. Chicken and Strawberry

Some people swear by chicken and strawberry but don’t count us in. Unlike cranberries with turkey, strawberries are far too tart a companion for savory dishes. To make matters worse, the texture differences leave something to be desired, too.

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6. Sardines and Ice Cream

If you’ve never had them before, sardines are polarizing enough—they have a strong fish taste (not to mention the smell) and can be hard enough on most stomachs. Adding ice cream won’t help, trust us. On top of the weird flavor combo, cold and oily textures don’t belong together.

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7. Peanut Butter and Cheese

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?

Great! Grilled cheese sandwiches? Even better! A peanut butter and cheese sandwich? Who hurt you? Where can we find them? Whatever it takes to get you away from this food combo…

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8. Chips and Whipped Cream

Don’t get us wrong, salty and sweet have their place together, but whipped cream on chips isn’t the way to the promised land. Whipped cream is way too heavy with a way too distinct flavor, and tossing chips in there only adds a bizarre crunch. 

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9. Salmon and Licorice

Believe it or not, licorice-crusted salmon is relatively popular…we’d just like it to stop. Licorice scares enough people away without mingling with fish. All that anise mixed with the rich taste of salmon is a combo few are willing to tolerate.

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10. Peaches and Cheese

Peaches with cheese is a popular summertime combo, and while we’re not entirely opposed to their union, it all depends on your selection. Something milder like goat cheese is way better than something polarizing like blue cheese.

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11. Lavender Coffee

For some reason, lavender coffee is all the rave right now—and we’re waiting for its crash. Lavender may smell amazing but when paired with strong flavors like coffee, just squirt soap in your mug and call it a day. 

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12. Watermelon and Mustard

Mustard belongs on hot dogs, not drizzled all over a sacred summertime staple.

Watermelon’s refreshing taste alongside mustard’s tang is far from a good pair, and this stark contrast is a no-go from us.

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13. Sardines and Mac and Cheese

You thought ketchup was the worst it got? Oh, no. Listen, we’re all for a good seafood pasta dish but this isn’t exactly what we had in mind. Stick with one or the other, just please don’t mix these. 

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14. Peanut Butter and Pickle

These might be good on their own, but it’s high time to stop combining them. Whether it’s in sandwiches or the peanut butter is used as some kind of dip, the creamy taste makes for an unusual combo with the sharpness of pickles. 

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15. Salmon Cheesecake

With so many wonderful cheesecake flavors available, did we really need to bring salmon into the mix? Most recipes call for smoked salmon, which arguably makes it worse given how distinct the flavor is. Let’s all agree to stick with classic flavors.

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16. Avocado and Jam

Avocado may not have an offensive flavor, but it does have a very creamy texture—mixed with jam’s consistency, you’re left with a pretty sloppy mess of clashing tastes. You may love both, but pick one for breakfast. 

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17. Hot Dogs and Applesauce

Applesauce belongs on pork chops, not hot dogs. (Even then, some people balk at the combo).

Dousing your ballpark frank in applesauce only welcomes a weird texture to what was otherwise an enjoyable meal. 

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18. Garlic and Chocolate

Garlic is a staple in many dishes, chocolate is a staple in many desserts, but they’re best left apart. Mixing the richness of chocolate with garlic’s pungent flavor is unpleasant, to say the least…not to mention the aroma.

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19. Chocolate and Pizza

Listen, we’re all for chocolate and pizza, but bringing them together is a stretch. There’s no call to drizzle chocolate sauce over that perfectly fine pepperoni slice. If anything, now you have too much of two good things. 

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20. Cereal and Orange Juice

It’s no fun to run out of milk and not everyone has time in the morning to grab another carton. However, orange juice is not a suitable replacement! At best, its tangy flavor clashes with bland cereals, and at worst you’re just eating a whole bowl of sugar. 

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