New York City is definitely known for its originality in every facet of experience: we have awesome apartments, super strange people, eclectic bars, and stores that sell exclusively pickles and mayonnaise.
There’s almost nothing you can’t find, and that includes the selection of food at your local bodegas.
Sometimes, shopping at a bodega in NYC yields the kind of results that'll make your mind spin.
Who came up with these obscure snacks, and better yet, who’s buying them? Someone must be buying them. You’ve astounded us again NYC: here are a bunch of foods you will only find at the corner bodega.
1. Shrimp-flavored crackers
Whose idea was this? Shrimp is delicious-- don’t get me wrong-- but who wants to eat shrimp flavored crackers?
This is confusing, and probably disgusting (although maybe it’s not... shrimp-flavored cup of noodles is pretty tasty).
[anad]
2. Belgian waffles
If you haven’t tried these, get downtown and find yourself a bodega and buy them. They will change your world.
Better yet, put them in the microwave for thirty or so seconds, and get ready for a party in your mouth.
3. "Angry Birds Fruit Gummies"
Hilarious. Why don’t more cartoons have gummies in the shape of every character? My favorite thing about this rare snack is their declaration at the bottom: “Natural/Artificial Flavors.”
So which one is it?
4. Chocolate-covered apple chips
Mmmm... why is this delicacy only found in NYC bodegas again? Can we expand the use of this snack to extend much further than just as a weird unicorn at NYC bodegas?
Apple chips are amazing, but I don’t get why anyone didn't think to dip them in chocolate sooner?
5. Chicken fried rice (bacon added)
Ew! Why do you have to add bacon? Chicken fried rice is amazing on its own.
This must be the American interpretation of an already amazing dish. We don’t have to add bacon to everything, America. Some things are delicious on their own, and that means without bacon.
I know I’m probably breaking hearts here. My bad.
6. Orange thins
I bet these “delicate Swedish cookies” are super popular in Sweden.
In America, the idea of “delicate cookies” seems pretty oxymoronic. Also, are they made from real oranges or are they some sort of orange flavored knockoff?
If they’re made from real oranges, I’m actually pretty on board, but if they’re a knock0ff... WTF?
7. “Black Popcorn That Turns Snow White”
First of all: where did they get that picture of black corn? I have to believe that was photoshopped or doctored in some other way-- because to the best of my knowledge black corn doesn’t exist (although blue does, which almost looks black).
Second of all: what is the deal with this? Who thought it’d be a good idea to use a bag of popcorn to perpetuate racism? Well, at least they're kosher, right?
8. “Souper Meal”
Okay, okay, "Souper Meal" producers, I respect the pun. Your humorous effort has been noted.
Is your soup as good as "Cup Noodles," though?
A fun puns with a lil' double entendre is no substitute for delicious, sodium packed instant soup. Are we clear?
[anad2]
9. "Bowl Noodle Soup"
Again... you’re not "Cup Noodles."
Still, I respect the effort at your solid production of a tasty soup, but my only question is: why does the name of your product make me laugh out loud? Bowl Noodle? Really?
,10. “Oloves”
Dried olives? Ew. Also, your pun is not working nearly as well as “Souper Meal."
You just spelled olives wrong... awkward.
And let's be honest here: nobody really loves olives.
[anad]
11. “Hot Just Veggies”
No one wants to eat a trail mix of dried vegetables. They just don’t.
12. "Uncle Jesse’s Nuts"
Is anyone else worried that the name of this snack might set off a cascading reaction of PTSD for everyone who got sexually abused by their Uncle Jesse?
13. Pineapple candy
Yum! This is another food I wish existed other places besides bodegas in NYC. Like seriously, why don’t they?
I would eat pineapple gummies all day, every day if I didn’t have to scope out obscure bodegas to purchase them (or the gems of the city, otherwise known as Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s).
My only complaint is that they usually wind up being a tad too sweet.
14. Chocolate whippets
I’m not complaining about these.
Their package description, “a heavenly cloud-like marshmallow cookie coated in pure dark chocolate,” makes me pretty hungry. Combining marshmallows and chocolate is definitely the best cuisine-related decision anyone ever made.
What I’m concerned about is the name “whippets.” Where did this come from?
And their description as “heavenly” is a total marketing ploy... that works.
15. Peach rings
The best snack to ever be invented, these delicious snacks will set off a carnival of flavor in your mouth and leave you with a satisfied tummy.
Their only slight issue is that they bear almost no resemblance to their culinary predecessors (peaches), and they’re super unhealthy.
#WorthTheCalories. #OurDietStartsTomorrow.
16. "Haribo Frog Gummies"
Because there’s a supply of these, that must mean there was at one point a demand.
If a genie appeared in front of me at this moment, I would wish to be present in the Haribo's marketing meeting when they decided that their next business venture would be the manufacture of gummy frogs.
I’m yearning to know what was said, who argued passionately for these frogs’ creation, and were there any dissenters? Now that I’ve slayed this snack with the sword of irony, I will say that I would like to taste a frog gummy. Someday.
[anad2]
17. "Potato Stix"
Mmmmmm... absolutely delicious.
These are the French fry version of potato chips and I’m completely all about them.
Potatoes are basically my religion, so any new interpretation on the classic potato chip trope is okay in my book.
If you enjoyed this article, check out 21 of the Greatest Essentials You’ll Ever Find at a NYC Bodega!
Feature image article courtesy of Eric Alba.