Another Round of Culinary Crimes That Should've Stayed in the Past

John Summers • Contributor

Mar 12, 2025 8:00 PM EDT

Let's be honest here—some foods from the past only look horrifying because of how they were photographed. Back in the day, capturing delicious images was genuinely difficult, thanks to clunky cameras, questionable lighting setups, and the kind of printing technology that made everything look oddly glossy and slightly radioactive. I get that it's easy to poke fun at vintage culinary presentations, especially since modern food photography has spoiled us with its bright colors and perfect arrangements.

But with that disclaimer out of the way, let's talk about these dishes because... yikes! Even acknowledging the limitations of old-school photography, there's no universe in which I'm willingly taking a bite of any of these culinary monstrosities. And believe me, I am no food snob—far from it. I'll happily devour a cold slice of pizza at midnight, and if the fridge is looking particularly grim, I'm not above cracking open a can of tuna and eating it straight from the tin. But when confronted with atrocities like a jellied salmon loaf or sardine-stuffed tomatoes, there's no negotiation. I'm leaving immediately, possibly without even bothering to politely excuse myself. Some culinary crimes are just too severe to overlook, and these dishes definitely make the list.