This week’s guest post comes from Megan over at Meganotravels! After discovering her amazing blog and realizing that she runs a segment each week called “Foodie Friday” I asked her to submit a blog about the strangest food she has eaten during her travels!

Andrew Zimmern I am not, but when I’m traveling somewhere new I try my hardest to stomach some of the country’s delicacies. I figure, when in Rome, right?

While I haven’t gone as far as trying hákarl in Iceland or balut in the Philippines, I have tried a few weird foods on my travels. Here’s a round-up of what I’d consider the top 5 weirdest things I’ve tasted.

5. Haggis!

Haggis is a traditional Scottish dish made of a disgusting combination of sheep’s heart, liver, and lugs, mixed with onion, oatmeal, and a few other things all stuffed in the sheep’s stomach.

I know it’s traditional fare for a lot of people, but even my Scottish friend gave me a pat on the back for trying it (because she said she wouldn’t dare touch it). The verdict? It wasn’t terrible. But I probably won’t ever try it again.

Photo CC by David Wagner

4. Crocodile!

This is just the first of three strange things I tried while in South Africa. I stayed at a place called Lesedi Cultural Village, where they served a buffet featuring a plethora of foods I’d never tried, crocodile among them.

For some reason, I’d expected it to be kind of greasy and dark, but it was actually pretty light and easy to get down. Most people liken it to chicken (like every strange meat), while others call it a cross between chicken and crab. The verdict? Not bad.

3. Ostrich

Another South African delicacy that I talked myself into trying. Most strange foods are sort of a mind-over-matter thing for me: if I don’t know what something is and try it, I’m fine.., but convincing myself to try something after I know what it is can be very difficult.

In any case, this was part of the same buffet where I found the crocodile and so I grabbed some (the meat you see on the plate).

The verdict? No. I hadn’t expected ostrich to be a red meat (you know, because it’s a bird) and it tasted sort of steak-like. I’m not a fan of steak (I’m weird, I know) so this was a definite no for me.

Photo CC by Joe Ross

2. Springbok Biltong

First, let’s break this down. Springbok is an antelope-gazelle found in South Africa (and I think they’re really adorable and saw a few on safari before eating this). Biltong is kind like a jerky.

I had this in two forms: while on safari, it was served in muffins for breakfast. I had no idea what it was so I figured I’d give it a shot. Later, I found it in a little baggie as a snack and tried it plain.

The verdict? I’m not a fan of jerky, so I wasn’t a fan of it plain. In a muffin it was actually quite tasty!

And finally…

1. Whale

This one is controversial, I know. I had a hard time coming to terms with eating whale while in Iceland, but after taking a whale watching tour and hearing about the limited numbers and types of whales hunted, I decided to go for it.

My boyfriend at the time ordered a whale steak at a country restaurant and I snagged a little bite. The verdict? Not for me. It was too steak-like and kind of chewy/fatty.

What is the weirdest food you have ever eaten?

Megan is a professional wanderluster, always dreaming of her next adventure. Last year she launched Meganotravels as a place to chronicle her travels around the world. She’s hoping to soon break out of the 9-to-5 and embark on some long-term travel. In addition to her blog, you can follow along on Facebook and Twitter.