45. Spaghetti Squash And Microwaves Don’t Mix

Est. Cost: $4.90 for a spaghetti squash at Walmart*
What Happened: A squash-tastic explosion in the microwave
There’s a lot to love about the hardy spaghetti squash, as this winter vegetable has vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber. Also, it doesn’t have a lot of calories, so people tend to enjoy it as a low-carb version of pasta.

Spaghetti Squash And Microwaves Don’t Mix @shirleyawilson /Instagram
Word to the wise: don’t put your spaghetti squash in the microwave like @shirleyawilson on Instagram did, lest you want your “dinner to start out with a bang.” It’s best to stick to the oven, as per recipes from Love and Lemons and Food Network.

46. Little Mishap

Est. Cost: $100-$500 to fix the ceiling*
What Happened: A strong-force explosion
How…? How did this happen? That’s our question when looking at this kitchen “mishap” (the word doesn’t seem strong enough. This is going to take hours to clean, not to mention hundreds to fix the ceiling.

Little Mishap @boredpanda/Pinterest
The only thing that could’ve happened is some sort of explosion on the stove, one strong enough to propel the lid off the pot, sending food flying everywhere and the lid slamming into the ceiling hard enough to stick.      

47. Expectation vs. Reality

Est. Cost: $15-$20*
What Happened: Snowman turned into Slimer
Always make sure to account for expansion when you’re cooking. Things expand in the oven, and by “things,” we mean dough and batter. To take this picture as an example, what looks like a cute snowman on the tray might turn into something else after baking.

Expectaton vs. Reality @boredpanda/Pinterest
This snowman was an adorable idea, but it just didn’t pan out after the cookie went in the oven. It went from a Christmas treat to Slimer from Ghostbusters. All she has to do is frost it green, and this cookie is back in action. 

48. Not Microwaveable, Apparently

Est. Cost: A lot of cleanup
What Happened: A microwave lava flow
It’s hard to tell what the problem was here—the cup or the thing in the cup. What’s crazy about this photo is that the cup appears to be empty, which means it exploded strong enough to send all of its contents out into the microwave.

Not Microwaveable, Apparently @boredpanda/Pinterest
From there, the liquid or solid (it’s hard to see what it is, exactly) spread out like a slow, oozing lava flow. Bottom line, always make sure that what you’re microwaving can actually be microwaved…otherwise, this will be the result.

49. Nightmare Meatloaf Baby

Est. Cost: $20-$30*
What Happened: A meatloaf, bacon, and onion baby-shaped dinner
Meatloaf is a quintessential American family-style dish, and you can make it a ton of different ways. Sure, it doesn’t have any appeal to the meat-shy and vegan among us, but some people swear by this red-meat-filled dish.

Nightmare Meatloaf Baby @boredpanda/Pinterest
Even when it’s in horrific form. This person, for some unknown mad-genius reason, chose to make a baby-shaped meatloaf wearing a bacon diaper with onions for its eyes and mouth. We’re horrified and concerned (also, how did it taste?).

50. Don’t Forget The Caramel

Est. Cost: $20-$30 to replace the pot*
What Happened: A forgotten caramel turned volcanic
According to the person who made this dish, they were attempting to make caramel. They got distracted, forgot about it until they smelled burning, and came back to this shocking, volcanic scene straight out of Mount Vesuvius.

Don’t Forget The Caramel @boredpanda/Pinterest
At this point, you just have to turn off the oven and wait for the pot to cool before throwing it out. It’s got to be impossible to save at this point, unless this person knows some cleaning hacks we don’t.

51. Always Cook Sober

Est. Cost: $10-$20*
What Happened: Drunk cooking = burnt pizza
Jack Morlen on X, formerly known as Twitter, shared a bit of wisdom with the rest of us during the summer of 2016, and we can’t deny he has a point. “Note to self… Don’t cook when drunk…” was his caption.

Always Cook Sober @jackMorienMusic/Twitter
Pictured with the caption was a totally-burnt pizza, the kind you’re supposed to put in the oven for just twenty minutes or so. But, drunk Jack wasn’t paying attention to his pizza, and this charred mess was the result.

52. An Omelette (Kind Of)

Est. Cost: $5-$10*
What Happened: Omelette cooked on too high a heat
We have @stephmunchies on Instagram to thank for this cooking fail, which consisted of an omelet being turned, basically, to rubble. Steph added the right hashtags for this, including #homecooking and #funnyfails.

An Omelette (Kind Of) @stephmunchies/Instagram.com
According to a well-meaning commenter, Steph probably had “the heat up too high.” Omelets need to be cooked on a low heat, slowly so that they don’t turn out like this well-intentioned cooking disaster.

53. Ramen With…Ketchup?

Est. Cost: $5*
What Happened: A very interesting struggle meal
“I was still hungry, so I made another one that looks better. #terriblecook.” So read the caption from @dathockeyskelton on IG, who made the interesting cooking choice of making ramen noodles with ketchup.

Ramen With…Ketchup? @dathockeyskelton/Instagram.com
We get struggle meals, but this is one for only the bravest of palettes. Ramen is pretty cheap, as is ketchup, so it’s a meal in a pinch (we won’t say good or bad). Would you eat this? And if so, why?

54. Tupperware Can Melt

Est. Cost: $5-$10 to replace*
What Happened: Melted plastic container
According to @arkhangelllsk on Instagram, they were emptying their cooked sauce and pasta into a container. But, they put the container on the hot, left burner. As a result, the pasta was “full of strings of burnt plastic.”

Tupperware Can Melt @arkhangelllsk/Instagram.com
That plastic container is done for good, sadly. Pasta is a dish that might seem easy for even the most novice of cooks, but this list has proven, if anything, that it can be screwed up without a lot of effort.

55. Pancake Expectations Vs. Pancake Reality

Est. Cost: $10-$20*
What Happened: Really burnt pancakes
This is a classic expectations-versus-reality situation. Posted by @doribadar on Instagram, the picture on the red looks like a hot mess (literally), while the stock-photo-esque image on the left looks like breakfast for the Queen.

Pancake Expectations Vs. Pancake Reality @doribadar/Instagram.com
It can be tricky to find the right heat setting for pancakes. You’ll want to cook them at medium low. Too hot, and you will burn the edges before the insides. Too low, and there won’t be any crispy edges or sizzle.

56. A Lot Going On In This Photo

Est. Cost: $1*
What Happened: Burnt, rock-hard egg
This egg is a classic case of should-have-gone-out-for-breakfast, but it looks as though this person’s dog wouldn’t say no to it. Eggs can definitely be finicky, and it’s hard to get them just right in a lot of instances.

A Lot Going On In This Photo @leilei_dee/Instagram.com
Plus, there are a million ways to cook an egg, each with their own recipe. Boiled, scrambled, sauteed, coddled, over-easy, and more are all ways you can eat an egg…if you’re brave enough to attempt a cooking challenge.

57. The Oven Caught Fire

Est. Cost: $20*
What Happened: A very burnt chicken dish
Posted on @screwedcook on Instagram, this dish was originally supposed to be a chicken dish with satay and cheese coating. All was well…until the oven caught fire, that is. Alas, the chicken dish was totally ruined.

The Oven Caught Fire @screwedcook/Instagram.com
“Sometimes things don’t work out the way you’d like,” was @screwedcook’s caption, and that’s an understatement. This dish looks like it has been to hell and back…time to go to McDonald’s instead.