That familiar rumble in your stomach, the one that signals a hunger that goes beyond the ordinary – we all know it. It’s a craving for something special, something more exciting than your everyday meal. Luckily, when it comes to extraordinary culinary inspiration, we can turn to the vibrant world of cartoons. Animated shows and movies are filled with imaginative and often mouth-watering food creations. It’s not just the fantastical nature of Cartoon Foods that captivates us; it’s the sheer creativity and magic seemingly infused into their preparation. Many of these delicious-looking items exist only in animation, perhaps because our real-world palates aren’t quite ready for such imaginative flavors. But that certainly doesn’t stop us from dreaming about taking a bite!
To explore this delicious world of animation cuisine, we’ve consulted (in our imaginations, of course!) with some of the most celebrated chefs from the cartoon universe. They’ve shared their insights on what truly makes a dish irresistible in their world, and we wholeheartedly agree. Inspired by their expertise, we’ve curated a list of the most iconic and drool-worthy cartoon foods ever conceived. We’ve all felt that pang of longing, that cartoon food-induced hunger, wishing we could taste the dishes we grew up watching. So, with appetites as boundless as our imaginations, we proudly present: 20 Cartoon Foods We Desperately Want to Eat.
20. Yogi Bear’s Picnic Basket Feast (The Yogi Bear Show)
Alt text: Yogi Bear gleefully holding a stolen picnic basket overflowing with cartoon food in Jellystone Park.
Jellystone Park is no ordinary nature reserve; it’s home to Yogi Bear, a charismatic talking bear with a penchant for pilfering picnic baskets. Accompanied by his endearingly naive sidekick, Boo-Boo, Yogi constantly plots to outsmart Ranger Smith and get his paws on those tempting baskets. While their schemes often go awry, we, the audience, are frequently treated to glimpses of the culinary treasures hidden within.
Throughout the run of The Yogi Bear Show, the contents of these picnic baskets were a delightful mystery, changing with each episode. From elaborate layer cakes to succulent whole hams and stacked gourmet sandwiches, the variety was astounding. How anyone managed to pack such a feast into a seemingly normal-sized basket remains one of animation’s charming enigmas. But the sheer desirability of the food is undeniable. Yogi’s relentless pursuit of these baskets speaks volumes about their deliciousness. For us, Yogi’s picnic basket represents the perfect summer indulgence, ideal for a sunny park outing, provided we can keep a watchful eye out for hungry bears, of course. Rumor has it, they become particularly enthusiastic when food is involved!
19. Popeye’s Power Spinach (Popeye the Sailor)
Alt text: Popeye the Sailor Man flexing his bulging biceps after consuming a can of spinach, a classic cartoon food.
We anticipate your skepticism: “Spinach? On a list of delicious cartoon foods? And canned spinach, no less?” We understand the initial reaction, but bear with us. Think of the super mushrooms from the Mario games – those power-ups that instantly make you larger and stronger, capable of smashing through obstacles. That’s the kind of transformation we imagine Popeye experiences with every gulp of canned spinach. With a signature puff of his pipe and a mouthful of greens, he’s instantly ready to vanquish his foes and win the affections of Olive Oyl.
If Popeye’s version of spinach were a reality, we’d be investing heavily in the super-strength enhancer market. In fact, we can reveal that top-secret research into a similar formula is underway at the Screen Rant labs (it’s just one of our many side projects, naturally). Whether you’re adding it to pizza, tossing it in a salad, or eating it straight from the can, Popeye’s spinach is the ultimate quick fix for anyone needing a boost of muscle. Imagine athletes clamoring for a taste, or students gaining the power to stand up to bullies. Who said vegetables were boring? With this cartoon food, healthy eating would never be the same.
18. The Grey Stuff (Beauty and the Beast)
Alt text: Lumiere the candelabra presenting “The Grey Stuff” as part of the “Be Our Guest” musical number in Beauty and the Beast cartoon.
With the anticipation for the live-action Beauty and the Beast remake still echoing, our minds often drift back to the enchanting animated classic. While the film is brimming with memorable musical moments, the “Be Our Guest” sequence, with its dazzling array of dancing tableware and tempting treats, remains a standout. As Belle is welcomed to the Beast’s dining table, Lumiere, the charming candelabra, presents a parade of desserts: cakes, pies, custards, and tarts. But it’s “the grey stuff,” a mysterious creamy topping offered on a silver tray, that truly piques our curiosity. Lumiere urges Belle to try it, and her delighted reaction has convinced us that we must experience it too.
Now a real menu item at the Be Our Guest restaurant in Walt Disney World, the grey stuff is served atop a chocolate cupcake. While any mademoiselle would surely enjoy this light, airy cream on a cupcake, our ambitions are grander than a theme park treat. We crave the authentic “grey stuff” from the movie – the enigmatic, off-white custard that Belle samples with her finger. After years of solitude in his enchanted castle, devoid of grocery runs, we imagine the Beast has consumed his fair share of this peculiar pudding. If it lives up to the song’s promise of deliciousness, we’d happily crown any dessert with it. And, naturally, we hope Belle in the live-action film shares our enthusiasm.
17. Reptar Bars (Rugrats)
Alt text: Chuckie Finster and Tommy Pickles from Rugrats cartoon excitedly holding Reptar Bars, a coveted cartoon snack food.
’90s kids, do you remember Reptar Crunch cereal? If so, you understand our longing. When Post Foods discontinued this green dinosaur-shaped cereal after the Runaway Reptar TV movie, it left a void that no ordinary sweet treat could fill. Reptar Crunch, while never quite achieving the milk-greening magic of Tommy Pickles’ on-screen cereal, was ours, fleetingly, before vanishing into the cereal graveyard. Thus, we yearn for its successor, the Reptar Bar. This gooey chocolate bar, shaped like Reptar, Tommy and Chuckie’s beloved dinosaur, concealed a vibrant green, tongue-staining creamy filling. Its absence has been a childhood ache, and now we crave its chocolatey, green-filled goodness.
Nostalgic fans have taken to the internet, creating homemade Reptar Bar recipes, complete with Reptar-themed wrappers. These fan-made treats typically feature chocolate, caramel, nuts, and copious amounts of food coloring to achieve that signature green tongue effect. While delicious, these homemade versions can’t fully replicate the magic of the product from the Nicktoon universe that our cartoon friends enjoyed on Halloween. We’re still holding out for an official Reptar Bar revival, even after all these years.
16. Chili Cheese Fries and a Chug-A-Freeze (The Weekenders)
Alt text: Tino, Carver, Lor, and Tish from The Weekenders cartoon sharing chili cheese fries and Chug-A-Freeze drinks at a cartoon mall food court.
Friday to Sunday – the sacred weekend, a time for pre-teens to escape the pressures of school. For Tish, Lor, Carver, and Tino of The Weekenders, weekends were about maximizing fun, and that required the perfect fuel. While the gang often indulged in classic cartoon fare like towering pizzas and chili dogs, it’s the chili cheese fries and Chug-A-Freeze slushies that truly cemented themselves in our memories. Growing kids need sustenance, and from the looks of it, these four were experts in the art of weekend snacking.
This unlikely quartet – the sarcastic one, the brainy nerd, the Scottish tomboy, and the fashion-forward guy – made The Weekenders work because they navigated adolescence together in Bahia Bay. Food was a central part of their shared experiences. The fries were perfectly crispy, smothered in rich chili and melted cheese, while the icy fruit slushies were the ideal palate cleanser. This is quintessential mall food court fare, best enjoyed with friends on a Saturday. Everything tastes better with company, especially fries. And we’re always ready to sample a new fry. That’s why The Weekenders and their iconic snacks are forever etched in our culinary memory bank.
15. Gumbo and Beignets (The Princess and the Frog)
Tiana dusting beignets in Princess and the Frog
Alt text: Tiana from Princess and the Frog cartoon dusting beignets with powdered sugar, showcasing delicious cartoon pastries.
Consider this culinary pairing: New Orleans, a city steeped in unique culture, from the elegance of the French Quarter to the soulful sounds of jazz. A city this vibrant demands a cuisine to match, one that embodies history and dedication in every bite. Combine that rich culinary heritage with the magic of a Disney Princess, and you have two dishes that would be instant sell-outs at even the most well-stocked restaurant. People travel from across the globe to New Orleans to savor the city’s pillowy, deep-fried beignets and robust Cajun gumbo. They are the perfect duo – beignets for a delightful breakfast, gumbo for a hearty lunch. But none could surpass Tiana’s versions, rumored to be the best in all of Louisiana.
Like many celebrated chefs, Tiana from The Princess and the Frog honed her skills in her family kitchen, learning from her father, a master of Louisiana cuisine. She inherited his talent, mastering the perfect gumbo recipe as a child. Her repertoire also includes crispy, airy beignets, generously dusted with powdered sugar, which she prepares for a grand ball when Prince Naveen of Maldonia arrives. With her father’s gumbo recipe and her beignet mastery, Tiana possesses culinary skills that inspire envy in everyone around her.
14. Noodle Soup (Kung Fu Panda)
Alt text: Po the Panda from Kung Fu Panda cartoon serving bowls of noodle soup at his father’s restaurant, a classic animated food scene.
Nestled in the bustling marketplace of Peace Valley is the Dragon Warrior Noodles and Tofu shop, a modest stall with a consistently long line of patrons eager for the town’s finest noodle soup. The shop is run by Mr. Ping, a wise and paternal goose, and his son Po, a panda with unexpected kung fu prowess. Mr. Ping’s dream was to pass the family business to Po, continuing a generations-long tradition. Fortunately for us, even after Po embarks on his journey to become the Dragon Warrior under Master Shifu, the noodle cart remains, faithfully serving its loyal customers.
As Kung Fu Panda reveals, Po is initially clueless about his father’s noodle soup recipe until Mr. Ping finally shares the family secret. The grand revelation? There is no secret ingredient. The soup is simply noodles, vegetables, and broth. The magic lies in believing you’re creating something special. As eager customers, we want to believe that these noodles will not only meet our expectations but also imbue us with kung fu mastery. Po’s unlikely success must stem from somewhere, and his initial lack of coordination certainly didn’t earn him a spot among the Furious Five. You heard it here first: noodle soup is the key to becoming an ultimate fighter. So, eat up, readers! Your strength awaits.
13. Tomacco (The Simpsons)
Alt text: Homer Simpson from The Simpsons cartoon holding a “Tomacco” plant, a bizarre cartoon food hybrid of tomato and tobacco.
In season eleven of The Simpsons, Homer finds himself challenged to a duel by a Southern colonel at the Kwik-E-Mart. Forced to flee Springfield, he takes refuge at an abandoned farmhouse and decides to live off the land. Frustrated by the barren soil, he orders plutonium and inadvertently mixes tomato seeds with tobacco, resulting in a bizarrely addictive hybrid: tomacco. The tomacco is born, and it is, by all accounts, terrible.
Imagine you’re a representative of a major tobacco company seeking to broaden your market. The solution? Make your product edible. This was Laramie Cigarettes’ plan when they offered Homer $150 million for his tomacco, intending to market it to children. A slice of tomacco on a Krusty Burger would be the perfect combination of nicotine and fat to create an irresistible, repeat customer experience. The fast food and tobacco industries, merged. It sounds like a sinister world domination plot. Thankfully, tomacco doesn’t exist, but for sheer curiosity’s sake, we still want to try it. It might leave us feeling ill, but we can’t help picturing ourselves enjoying a tomacco burger with someone like Don Draper in a sleek, high-rise office. Admit it, that sounds strangely enticing.
12. Slurm (Futurama)
Alt text: Fry from Futurama cartoon enthusiastically drinking Slurm soda, a popular cartoon beverage from the future.
Importing these notoriously addictive soft drinks from the Slurm Factory on Planet Wormulon to Earth would be costly, but if Slurms McKenzie, the galaxy’s premier party worm, endorses it, we know it’s worth the expense. Slurm debuted in Futurama in the first season – time flies! Since then, a Slurm energy drink was marketed to fans of Matt Groening’s animated series, though it has since been discontinued. While appreciated, it wasn’t the genuinely addictive beverage of our cartoon dreams, and we still ponder the true taste of Slurm.
Bright green and effervescent, Slurm’s irresistible addictiveness overwhelms Fry and the Planet Express crew. Their trip to the Slurm Factory reveals the shocking truth: Slurm is essentially a secretion from the Slurm Queen, Wormulon’s leading producer. It’s repulsive, toxic, nutritionally void, and yet, utterly irresistible. Fry, even after learning the truth, continues to consume it. We too are eager to try Slurm, but sadly, its intergalactic origins make it unlikely anytime soon.
11. Jawbreakers (Ed, Edd n Eddy)
Alt text: Ed, Edd, and Eddy from Ed, Edd n Eddy cartoon struggling to carry giant jawbreakers, a comically oversized cartoon candy.
As children, many of us encountered jawbreakers at candy stores – those rock-hard spheres of sugar that took ages to dissolve. They might not be the pinnacle of candy perfection, but they deliver a sustained sugar rush. For the kids of Cartoon Network’s Ed, Edd n Eddy, however, jawbreakers were the ultimate treat. These cartoon jawbreakers aren’t on our list solely for their deliciousness, but primarily for their sheer size. These are colossal candies, guaranteed to induce a sugar coma long before we get to sample the rest of the items on our list.
The trio of childhood friends in Ed, Edd n Eddy spend their days devising schemes to scam their Peach Creek neighbors. Apparently lacking allowances, they hustle for cash to fund trips to the Candy Store, the local kid hangout. For a mere quarter, they acquire basketball-sized jawbreakers. An incredible bargain, and the flavors are endless. They may not be the most sophisticated sugary treats, but as the show suggests, they provide a lifetime’s worth of flavor for pocket change, leaving you salivating for more.
10. Chef’s Chocolate Salty Balls (South Park)
Alt text: Chef from South Park cartoon holding a tray of Chocolate Salty Balls, a controversial yet popular cartoon food.
Before anyone protests the absence of Eric Cartman’s Cheesy Poofs, hear us out. Cheesy Poofs played a recurring, if minor, role in early South Park seasons, even inspiring Cartman to audition for a commercial in season two. But, realistically, Cheesy Poofs are essentially just puffed cheese snacks, akin to Cheetos. Once you’ve had one, you’ve had them all. Instead, we’re opting for a South Park snack that offers a more unique flavor journey: Chef’s Chocolate Salty Balls.
In the season two episode “Chef’s Chocolate Salty Balls,” these treats take South Park by storm when Chef sets up a stand to sell them at the Sundance Film Festival. The chocolate-covered cookies become an instant sensation, boosted by a catchy song and popular demand. We, too, would gladly sample these tasty morsels. Sweet and savory, with a hint of coolness, they seem perfect for enjoying while listening to the smooth soul vocals of Isaac Hayes, who voiced Chef. Need a quick mood lift? Pop a Chocolate Salty Ball in your mouth, and you’ll feel good as new.
9. Bob’s Burgers (Bob’s Burgers)
Alt text: Bob Belcher from Bob’s Burgers cartoon flipping a burger on the grill, showcasing the show’s focus on cartoon food.
A struggling burger joint unafraid to experiment with eccentric creations sounds like a restaurant only a true food aficionado could appreciate. In fact, we could dedicate an entire list to ranking the best burger ideas from Bob’s Burgers. The menu features over a hundred unique burger-of-the-day creations. With pun-laden names like the “Don’t You Four Cheddar ‘Bout Me Burger” and the “Eggers Can’t Be Cheesers Burger,” each option feels fresh, even if not always conventionally appetizing. It’s all in the name, and Bob Belcher proves his mastery of pun-tastic burger titles.
Dining at Bob’s Burgers is more than just eating; it’s experiencing life with an endearingly absurd family in a restaurant run by a third-generation owner. The burgers are a reflection of this family’s dynamic, evident in every bite. The ever-inventive burger menu ensures you’ll never tire of visiting. Whether driven by curiosity or genuine appetite, these beef patty, cheese, and veggie combinations are not to be missed. So, head down to Bob’s Burgers and try the Burger of the Day. You won’t regret it.
8. Ratatouille (Ratatouille)
Alt text: Remy the rat from Ratatouille cartoon cooking ratatouille, a beautifully presented cartoon food dish.
In 2007, Ratatouille introduced Remy, a rat with a passion for cooking, whose extraordinary culinary talent lands him in a prestigious Parisian restaurant. Remy creates numerous exquisite dishes while secretly working as a chef at Gusteau’s, but the pièce de résistance is undoubtedly the titular ratatouille. This classic French dish, a summery medley of stewed vegetables with garlic and herbs, promises a bon appétit experience.
Remy prepares ratatouille when he learns that France’s most formidable food critic, Anton Ego, is visiting Gusteau’s. Under immense pressure, Remy must prove his skill with a dish only the most refined palates can truly appreciate. While ratatouille is a real-world dish, its on-screen presentation in the Pixar film is exceptionally vibrant. Anton Ego’s reaction, triggering a childhood memory of his mother’s ratatouille, ignites our own curiosity. Having a rat cook your food might seem unsanitary, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. To truly experience ratatouille, we want Remy’s version, and we’re confident he’d be happy to oblige.
7. Grubs and Bugs (The Lion King)
Alt text: Timon and Pumbaa from The Lion King cartoon offering grubs and bugs to Simba, presenting cartoon insects as food.
If a “no worries” philosophy is your goal, it takes more than just chanting “Hakuna Matata.” As the saying goes, “when in Rome…” So, when Timon and Pumbaa rescue young Simba from vultures, they offer more than just escapism. The meerkat and warthog duo introduce him to a new culinary world. Eating bugs and larvae might not sound appealing, unless you’re on a reality TV show, but The Lion King‘s colorful depiction of juicy insects might make you reconsider your food prejudices.
“Slimy, yet satisfying,” grubs and bugs are delicacies in the wild. Though Timon claims they taste like chicken, they resemble fruity candy gushers. While our adult minds may balk at eating anything crawling from under a log, our childhood selves are tempted by the “no rules, no responsibilities” lifestyle that comes with nature’s candy. If Simba can learn to love them, they can’t be that bad. They may not be the sweet, fruity treats we imagine, but curiosity outweighs rationality here. Sometimes, you have to try new things, and who better to share a bug-eating experience with than the cast of a Disney classic?
6. Scooby Snacks (Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!)
Alt text: Scooby-Doo from Scooby-Doo cartoon reaching for a box of Scooby Snacks, an iconic cartoon dog treat.
Forget ghosts for a moment. Solving mysteries about masked villains terrorizing towns is enough to make anyone, even an anthropomorphic dog, hungry. Hence, the need for a rewarding snack. You might wonder, following grubs, how could we include dog biscuits? But if they’re good enough for Shaggy, why should Scooby Snacks be canine-exclusive? We imagine these treats as more akin to cookies. If Scooby has been bribed with them since puppyhood, there must be something truly special inside that box.
Across numerous Scooby-Doo iterations, Scooby Snacks have appeared in vending machines and even had their own factory in Coolsville. Judging by their appearance, we envision them as caramel-flavored cookies or butterscotch biscuits. With a color and shape reminiscent of vanilla wafers and just enough sugar to fuel supernatural encounters, Scooby Snacks are arguably the ultimate comfort food on this list. The Mystery Machine never departs without Scooby Snacks, and we bet once we try them, we won’t be able to put them down either.
5. The Naco (Kim Possible)
Alt text: Ron Stoppable from Kim Possible cartoon holding a Naco from Bueno Nacho, a signature cartoon fast food item.
Finally, taco and nachos unite in perfect harmony: the Naco. This incredibly satisfying invention is thanks to Ron Stoppable and Bueno Nacho, the greasiest, cheesiest Tex-Mex chain on this side of the US-Mexico border. Bueno Nacho provides all the nutritional requirements for a teenage crime-fighting spy and her clumsy sidekick. Whether you bring your naked mole rat Rufus or a friend, the Naco caters to everyone. It’s generous enough to share, or order a platter for the whole table.
The Naco’s construction is simple yet brilliant: a balanced blend of nachos and cheese, with your choice of toppings, all folded into a large, wrapped taco filled with warm beef, crisp lettuce, fresh tomato, and even more cheese. Add Diablo Sauce for a spicy kick – but be warned, the five-alarm sauce is potent enough to warm your hands in a blizzard. With so much packed into one meal, expect some spillage, so grab extra napkins and dive in. Trust us, you’ll be glad you did.
4. Pizza (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)
Alt text: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon enjoying pizza, a classic and beloved cartoon food.
Pizza: it has everything a growing turtle needs, covering every food group. Dairy from the cheese, meat from the pepperoni, bread from the crust, vegetable toppings, and even fruit if you opt for pineapple. No wonder Michelangelo, Leonardo, Donatello, and Raphael are in such great shape. Perhaps it wasn’t just the chemical spill that transformed them into ninja turtles; maybe it was the pizza. There must be something special in New York City water that makes the dough extraordinary. One bite, and you too might find yourself battling Shredder or learning ninjutsu from a human-sized rat. Now, to just get a slice.
As legend has it, Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird incorporated their favorite food into the original TMNT comics, inspired by pizza breaks during creation. The 1987 animated series instilled pizza cravings in children everywhere, often leading to dinner requests for pizza over home-cooked meals. Often opting for classic pepperoni, the turtles always shared their pizza as a communal experience. With this cartoon pizza, we desire more than just its gooey, melt-in-your-mouth cheese. We want to share it with our childhood heroes. It’s a childhood dream and the only way to truly satisfy our pizza desires today.
3. The Perfect Candy and a Purple Flurp (The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius)
Alt text: Jimmy Neutron from Jimmy Neutron cartoon holding the Perfect Candy and a Purple Flurp drink, innovative cartoon food and beverage.
Remember the Everlasting Gobstopper from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory? The colorful, jack-shaped candy designed to be so perfect it would eliminate all candy competition? Well, a Nickelodeon boy genius may have outdone Wonka. The Perfect Candy, embodying every flavor imaginable, all in one delectable piece – that’s what Jimmy Neutron creates in the episode “Krunch Time” to appease his friends Carl and Sheen. A round purple ball speckled with yellow, this mega-candy supposedly contains everything from sour and gummy to sweet and chocolate in a single bite. We’re undeniably curious. But there’s another Jimmy Neutron food item vying for our attention.
The Purple Flurp is a favorite among the show’s characters. Jimmy is frequently seen slurping down a large cup while working on his inventions. The soda comes in a purple can, though the flavor is never specified. Grape soda with an unearthly addictive substance is our best guess, especially considering Jimmy’s dad used a time-travel remote to relive drinking a can. The true contents remain a mystery, further fueling our intrigue.
2. Brontosaurus Ribs (The Flintstones)
Alt text: Fred Flintstone from The Flintstones cartoon eating a giant Brontosaurus rib, a comically large cartoon prehistoric food.
One might assume a Stone Age town would have limited dining options, but Bedrock proves otherwise. In The Flintstones episode “Fred: Before and After,” Fred joins an overeaters group to address his food issues, embarking on a series of failed diets. It’s easy to see why his plans consistently failed. The show features hearty, meaty delights like bronto-burgers and colossal prehistoric steaks. The live-action movies even showcase RocDonald’s and Bronto King fast food chains. But for the ultimate Flintstones food, look to the closing credits of each animated episode.
After a workday at the quarry, Fred packs his family into the footmobile for a drive-in movie night. They cap off the evening with a family-sized portion of Brontosaurus ribs, so massive they nearly tip the car. This mammoth serving of dinosaur meat is the ideal centerpiece for a family barbecue. Ideally, we’d slather it in sauce or a dry rub, but it seems perfect as is. The Flintstones were undeniably carnivorous, with ribs being a fast-food staple in Bedrock. Sadly, with Brontosauruses extinct, a Jurassic Park-style resurrection is our only hope of ever tasting these ribs ourselves.
