What you see is not always what you get. Especially when it comes to the culinary world. From packaging to cookbooks and even restaurant menus, the portrayal of food often sets high expectations that reality struggles to meet.

So we at Bored Panda put together a list of pictures people shared after they realized the gap between what they wanted and what they got. Looks like there was plenty of room for dessert!

#1 Ah Come On

Image credits: boboddy111

#2 It's Blueberry Ice Cream. If You Are Allergic To Blueberries, You Can Eat It Without Worrying

Image credits: Lizyyyn

#3 Recently Got My Wisdom Teeth Out And Wanted To Eat More Solid Food. Got This Today From Ubereats

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#4 Where’s The Rice?

Image credits: FuckingTiredCat

#5 Happy Heart Shaped Krispy Kreme

Image credits: footieamddim

#6 My Boyfriend Made These Cookies From R/Foodporn. He Gave Me Grief For "Not Being Able To Bake" (Which Isn't True) So I Let Him Do All The Work. This Is What I Found This Morning

Image credits: midnightmems

#7 Trying Food Hacks

Image credits: jeremmmyy

#8 Airplane Food > Airport Food

Image credits: brunopieroni

#9 I Feel Like Majority Of The Applebee’s Menu Is Expectationvsreality

Image credits: flyoverthemooon

#10 Thanks For All Of The Stems, Lowes Foods!

Image credits: reddit.com

#11 Oldie But Goodie. The Bear That Hangs Around All Day Smoking Weed, Who Eats All Your Food, And Pays No Rent

Image credits: beroemd

#12 This "Avocado" Oil

Image credits: Anger_Puss

#13 Bacon Mac And Cheese

Image credits: heretolurkb1tch

#14 Camping Food Reality ?

Image credits: haakonhalz

#15 The Ultimate Betrayal

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#16 Rainbow Fail

Image credits: Captain_Margaret_91

#17 It Looks Sickly ?

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#18 My First Food Delivery Order In Hamburg…

Image credits: _holldoll_

#19 I Guess I’m Happy They Don’t Use Artificial Food Coloring?

Image credits: perksofbeingsteph

#20 No Cookies

Image credits: Gloomy_Evergreen

#21 Umm

Image credits: XD_Devils

#22 Meal Kit For 2 Adults

Image credits: Ekim7878

#23 This Is Why You Check Your Food Before You Leave The Restaurant

Image credits: iseeaseaanemone

#24 Dear God, What Was I Thinking

Image credits: FraternityMan

#25 My Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Contained No Peanut Butter

Image credits: njtrafficsignshopper

#26 Never Have I Been More Disappointed

Image credits: reddit.com

#27 To Be Fair, I Monched A Few Chips In The Corner Before The Pic

Image credits: crappinhammers

#28 Scam Level 10

Image credits: Sempaii_rj

#29 Chinese Takeaway Scam - Beyond Ridiculous

Image credits: darkandstormy316

#30 Weird Japanese Powdered Food

Image credits: icecream_

#31 Panera French Onion Soup

Image credits: 16carlsemm

#32 I Get That Fast Food Never Really Looks Like The Picture On The Menu, But This Is Insane. Ordered From Australian Vegan Fast Food Restaurant, Lord Of The Fries

Image credits: reddit.com

#33 Some "Tacos" My Coworker Bought

Image credits: lutherstatic

#34 Grilled Salmon At The Mall Food Court

Image credits: SCSWitch

#35 Very Dry And Sad Croissant ?

Image credits: niketyname

#36 Those Japanese Food Samples (Left) Couldn't Meet My Expectations (Right) More Than This!

Image credits: ale152

#37 “Chocolate Filled” Cakes

Image credits: S3ndNud3s

#38 Cincinnati's Famous Chili Spaghetti (X-Post R/Shittyfoodporn)

Image credits: RileyW92

#39 Didn't Realize We Bought A Bunch Of Plastic With Traces Of Food On It

Image credits: alexachan

#40 Guess The Meatballs Just All Wanted A Window Seat

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#41 Air Sandwich

Image credits: rangersmetsjets

#42 Paleta Postizo

Image credits: MerkyOne

#43 Arby's Food Stylist Knows Every Damn Trick In The Book

Image credits: rabbi-reefer

#44 Less Than Jumbo Shrimp

Image credits: RalphiesBoogers

#45 Went On A Gas Station Food Run And Came Back With These Bad Boys. Not Less Than 10 Minutes Later And I’m Hit With A Wall Of Disappointment

Image credits: reddit.com

#46 Patty Melts Of Chivuo’s In Barcelona

Image credits: pururia

#47 Happy Halloween To Everyone Whose Plans Consist Of Eating Subpar Food And Binge Watching Netflix

Image credits: mmmapplesauce

#48 This Is Why Your Food Looks Like Shit. (Experiment) Info In Comments

Image credits: reddit.com

#49 I Didn't Know That You Have To Buy The Chocolate Separately

Image credits: nomercy_ch

#50 Arby's

Image credits: Skvora

#51 Sub Par Pop Tart

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#52 Tesco UK.... Shameful

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#53 Roy Rogers Pulled Pork Sandwich

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#54 Ordered Steak Tacos From This Smokehouse Joint And The Second Pic Is What I Received

Image credits: Premarinated_Borger

#55 Airplane Food

Image credits: ontelo

#56 Was Told This Is More Suited For Here

Image credits: Nick-The-Cyber_Dick

#57 When They Said "Chocolate Chip Muffin", I Didn't Take Them Literally... But Should Have

Image credits: trubbub

#58 I Was Looking Forward To Having These The Whole Day…

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#59 This Asshole Package

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#60 "Chips Deluxe"

Image credits: Dangerous_Wishbone

#61 Where Is My Lemon Flavour Cream? :(

Image credits: 88_Lullabi_88

#62 I Was Told My 2020reo Ice Cream Belonged Here

Image credits: Krystaphonix

#63 Ripe Nothingness

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#64 "How To Lose Your Appetite" 101 Courtesy Of Texas Chicken. My Expected Breakfast Was This Sad Lump Of A Wrap. I Paid 8 Bucks For It. Worth It? Ad Pic Versus Reality Pic

Image credits: a_HerculePoirot_fan

#65 "Chocolate Cherry Sundae" Trail Mix Is 90% Sunflower Seeds

Image credits: Levangeline

#66 Even Fish Food Isn't Immune. Hard To See, But The Concave Bit Comes Up To A Quarter The Height Of The Tub. Only Just Noticed

Image credits: Grand_fat_man

#67 I Think My Wife's Mistake Was Using The Wrong Colour Bowl

Image credits: GabberZZ

#68 Prepackaged Indian Food

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#69 $12 Worth Of Loaded Fries

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#70 What I Was Promised And What I Actually Got :/

Image credits: TheSiren341

#71 Total Amount When First Opened Only Takes Up About An Inch Deep Of The Bag

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#72 Watch Out For That Tidal Wave Of Chocolate

Image credits: Zerostar39

#73 What We Ordered vs. What We Received

Image credits: ThePhantomAli

#74 Glad China Has Wax Figures Of The Food They Serve Or Else I Wouldn’t Know What To Get

Image credits: LADS2323

#75 Chicken Slop

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#76 Box vs. Reality

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#77 [oc] Definitely Looks Like Cat Food. Couldn't Eat More Than 1 Crackers Worth

Image credits: zen_carlos

#78 Officially The Worst Fast Food Experience. And This Costs $7!

Image credits: najib1312

#79 Well The Size Of The Box Was A Bit Misleading

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#80 I Tried Making Japanese Candy With My Sister

Image credits: Kitten_Girl_1123