Random Bizarre Food Laws In U.S. That You Never Even Knew Existed (15 items)

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  (#1) Don't Take A Bite Of Your Friend's Burger In Oklahoma

  It sounds like residents of Oklahoma are extremely protective of their food - or at least of their burgers. It is illegal to take a bite out of someone else's hamburger throughout the state of Oklahoma.

  But in Oklahoma City, things get even weirder: it's also illegal to eat a hamburger while walking backwards downtown.
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  (#2) Lassoing Fish Is Outlawed In Tennessee

  Fishing laws around the country prohibit the use of explosives, firearms, and other implements, but in Tennessee, it's also illegal to catch a fish with a lasso. But at least you're not in Idaho, where you can't fish while riding a camel. And you can still lasso fish in Texas.
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  (#3) In Connecticut, A Pickle Is Only A Pickle If It Bounces

  It's not as easy to make a pickle in Connecticut as you may think. Unless a pickled cucumber bounces, you can't call it an actual pickle. If a pickle is deemed unfit and sold anyway, the seller is fined.  

  The pickle law goes beyond just cucumbers, however. As recently as 2010, farmers fought to pass a bill changing the 4.6 pH balance required to sell homemade pickles, salsas, and tomato sauce.
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  (#4) Avoid Oranges In The Bathtub In California

  According to numerous sources, it's illegal to eat an orange while in a bathtub in California. The origin of this possibly mythical law is unknown. Rumors say that the law was developed around 1920 to prevent any dangerous reactions between fruit acid and bath salts and oils.
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  (#5) There's A Three-Sandwich Limit At Wakes In Massachusetts

  If you attend a wake in Massachusetts, you're limited to three sandwiches during the event. No details as to the size of the sandwiches are given.
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  (#6) Don't Put Ice Cream In Your Pockets In Kentucky

  Many states have laws against carrying ice cream in your pocket, including Kentucky. It's also prohibited in Alabama, in New York City on Sundays, and on certain days in Georgia.

  These laws were probably intended to stop horse theft; horses would follow a person home if he or she had something sweet in their pocket.
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  (#7) Be Ready To Send Lots Of Chocolate In Idaho

  Buying chocolate can be tricky enough, but there was supposedly once a law in Idaho that forbade giving a gift of chocolate that weighed under 50 pounds. This rule is likely the stuff of myth, but maybe it led to some extra-generous Valentine's Day gifts.
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  (#8) Stealing Restaurant Grease Is A No-No In North Carolina

  Restaurant grease is a hot commodity and an environmental hazard, so stealing more than $1,000 of it is a felony in North Carolina.

  There are no records of anyone getting caught stealing grease, but in 2012, legislation was made more stringent to encourage law enforcement to take the theft more seriously.
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  (#9) Tomatoes Were Nearly Banned From Maine's Chowder

  In 1939, Maine attempted to pass a law banning tomatoes from clam chowder. According to State Legislator Cleveland Sleeper, tomatoes "polluted" clam chowder and shouldn't be allowed in the dish. Tomato-based chowder was just soup, after all - just ask someone in New England outside of Manhattan.
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  (#10) Only Real Butter Is Served To Wisconsin Convicts

  Wisconsin, the Dairy State, made it illegal to substitute oleo or margarine for butter in all state institutions, including prisons, schools, and hospitals, unless there's a health issue to consider. It's actually illegal to have oleo or margarine out on the table of a public restaurant unless it's been ordered by the customer.
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  (#11) Sending A Pizza In Louisiana Will Get You Fined

  If you're looking to prank a friend in Louisiana, send them something other than a pizza. If you do send a pizza to someone's house without their knowledge, you could be fined $500. That's a pretty expensive pizza.
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  (#12) Don't Eat In The Ocean In Maryland

  You've likely heard the old saying that you shouldn't swim until an hour after you eat. But in Maryland, it's illegal to eat while swimming in the ocean. Maybe it has to do with pollution?
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  (#13) Giving Alcohol To A Moose Is Illegal In Alaska

  Moose are already dangerous, so getting them drunk is not a good idea. That's probably why it's illegal to give moose alcohol in the state of Alaska. However, the animals can, and do, get drunk on their own when they eat fermented fruit that's fallen from trees.
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  (#14) Salting The Railroad Tracks Will Get You Arrested In Alabama

  A law in Alabama prohibits an individual from putting salt on railroad tracks. Perhaps this is out of concern for the construction and condition of the tracks themselves, but the general consensus is that salt attracts cattle, which could lead to a collision with a train.
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  (#15) Hawaii Doesn't Want You To Drink Too Much

  In the interest of keeping people from excessive drinking, Hawaii prohibits individuals from having more than one drink at a time if they exceed certain limits. Standard sizes for drinks are 16 ounces for spirits, 22 ounces for a beer, and 6 ounces for wine. Every server is trained to abide by the law.

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