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We all know what an enticing food photo is when we see one. It’s the type of picture that would make your mouth water and trigger cravings while you’re scrolling through at 3 am. 

On the flip side, there are food photos that will immediately suppress your appetite. It’s the type of snapshots you will see on this list, all of which came from the “That’s It, I’m Food Shaming” Facebook group. As the name suggests, the community is all about giving bad publicity to horrible-looking snapshots of random dishes. And you’re about to see why.

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    Taking food photos became a hot trend when social media platforms like Instagram took off. From then on, people flooded timelines with the “This is what I’m eating” type of posts. 

    However, a study by Brigham Young University found that viewing too many food photos may make these dishes less appetizing.

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    Researchers referred to it as a “sensory boredom,” where you essentially grow tired of the taste just by seeing a picture of a particular dish. They also noted that the over-exposure to food images increases satiation, or the drop in satisfaction from repeated consumption. 

    However, the authors of the study also clarified that sensory boredom may only happen if you look at a “decent number of photos” at a given time.

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    Presentation of dishes can also have a profound effect on our food choices. According to a 2023 study published in Food Quality and Preference, messy food presentations in photos lead to unhealthy dietary habits. 

    As researchers explain, neatly presented food photos reduce the person’s need for instant gratification, ultimately leading to healthier eating. 

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    #10

    Close-up of a poorly presented food dish with processed meat, mustard squiggles, and a sprig of mint on a white plate.

    That's it, I'm food shaming Report

    #11

    Overly oily curry chicken poutine with fries and cheese curds in a cardboard takeout container, food pics to be shamed online.

    That's it, I'm food shaming Report

    #12

    Pine tree branches dipped in chocolate in a glass bowl, an unusual food pic that deserves to be shamed online.

    That's it, I'm food shaming Report

    Dishes that are considered unappetizing aren’t all bad, and that’s all thanks to the Ugly Food Movement. In a nutshell, it’s a global effort to combat food waste by selling and promoting “imperfect” but edible fruits and vegetables. 

    According to food waste nonprofit ReFED, the United States had 240 million tons of food supply go unsold or uneaten in 2024. The organization also estimated that the 63 million tons of food in the country end up as waste.

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    #13

    Three homemade submarine pizza sandwiches with melted cheese, pepperoni, and chopped onions in a baking tray.

    That's it, I'm food shaming Report

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    #14

    Pizza topped with hard-boiled egg slices and green olives in a poorly presented food pic for online shaming

    That's it, I'm food shaming Report

    #15

    Unappetizing food presentation on a blue plate, featuring greenish frosting and scattered toppings among food pics to be shamed online.

    That's it, I'm food shaming Report

    We will now turn the conversation over to you, dear reader. Which of these photos threw you off the most? More controversially, which ones would you actually consider eating? Let us know in the comments!

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    #16

    Potato chips and red fish-shaped gummy candies served together on a plate in a food pic to be shamed online

    That's it, I'm food shaming Report

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    #17

    Rice cooker meal before and after cooking with wrapped meat and mushrooms, an example of food pics that deserve shaming online.

    That's it, I'm food shaming Report

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    #18

    Two wine glasses filled with noodles and broth garnished with lime and spice, a bizarre food pic to be shamed online.

    That's it, I'm food shaming Report

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    #36

    Plate of farfalle pasta with ham and cream sauce topped with herbs, one of the food pics that deserve to be shamed online.

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