Some of the world’s most beloved foods weren’t carefully planned—they were happy accidents! From kitchen mishaps to unexpected discoveries, these foods became iconic purely by chance. Here are seven delicious foods that were invented by accident.
Potato Chips
In 1853, chef George Crum was frustrated by a picky customer who kept complaining that his fried potatoes were too thick. Out of spite, Crum sliced the potatoes as thin as possible, fried them until crispy, and heavily salted them. To his surprise, the customer loved them, and potato chips were born!
Chocolate Chip Cookies
In the 1930s, Ruth Wakefield of the Toll House Inn was baking chocolate cookies when she ran out of baker’s chocolate. She substituted it with chopped-up pieces of Nestlé’s semi-sweet chocolate, expecting them to melt into the dough. Instead, the chocolate stayed intact, creating the first-ever chocolate chip cookie.
Popsicles
In 1905, 11-year-old Frank Epperson accidentally left a glass of soda with a stirring stick outside on a cold night. The next morning, he found it had frozen solid. Years later, he commercialized his childhood invention, calling them “Epsicles,” which his children later renamed “Popsicles.”
Corn Flakes
The Kellogg brothers, John and Will, were trying to make a new type of bread when they accidentally left boiled wheat sitting out too long. When they rolled it out, it formed flakes instead of a smooth dough. They later experimented with corn, leading to the creation of Corn Flakes.
Ice Cream Cones
During the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, an ice cream vendor ran out of dishes. A nearby waffle vendor, Ernest Hamwi, rolled up his waffles to hold the ice cream, creating the first edible ice cream cone—a concept that quickly caught on.
Worcestershire Sauce
Two English chemists, John Lea and William Perrins, attempted to recreate an Indian sauce for a nobleman. Their first batch tasted awful, so they left it to ferment. Months later, they revisited it and found the flavors had transformed into the tangy Worcestershire sauce we know today.
Sandwich
The sandwich was supposedly invented in the 18th century by John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich. He was so engrossed in a card game that he asked for meat to be served between two slices of bread so he could eat without stopping his game—creating the now-iconic meal.
[Contributed By Anushka Gaikwad]