7 American Products Other Countries Consider Bizarre

Would you believe that simple everyday concepts like garbage disposal and big, yellow school buses are actually uniquely American things? Americans grew up with them so they do not seem out of place, but to other countries, they may be rather strange. And there is quite a list of things that are only really found in America, as Insider noted in a report that highlighted several items and concepts that may seem weird to people visiting the U.S. We take a look at 7 of those:

1. Spray cheese. Convenient, tasty and fun — what's not to love about spray cheese? Nothing really, if you are American, but this is a product that people outside the U.S. are struggling to understand. As blogger Expat Claptrap explained, "The idea that American people love processed cheese, squeezed out of cans seems to me to be one of the stronger notions British people have about us Yanks and our culture."
2. Yellow school busses. For decades, kids have been riding big, yellow school buses to and from school. It has become such a routine sight that we don't take a second glance when they pass by. So it is strange to think that these buses are actually a uniquely American thing. In fact, the very color "School Bus Glossy Yellow" was created in 1939 specifically for North American school buses.
3. Garbage disposals. You wouldn't give using the in-sink kitchen garbage disposal a second thought, but people outside the U.S. would be stumped. The garbage disposal may be a common amenity in American homes but in some countries they are banned because of their negative environmental impact.
4. Grape-flavored sweets. In America those purple Skittles and other sweets are grape-flavored, but this may actually confuse people who are not from the U.S. In other countries, they are black-currant flavored.
5. Coffee on the go. Americans always seem to be on the move, which is why "coffee to go" is such a popular concept, but other countries do not share the same enthusiasm. Outside of the U.S., people prefer to sit down and savor their coffee, as can be seen in Italy, where it is an unofficial tradition.
6. Window screens. Why wouldn't anyone use window screens to prevent bugs and birds from flying into homes? It may seem like a valid question but again, this is a uniquely American thing. Other countries don't really make use of window screens.
7. American white bread. Bread is bread — right? Not exactly. White bread found in the U.S. is so distinct that it is actually commonly referred to as American white bread in other parts of the world.

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