11 Freaky Food Superstitions (Slideshow)

Beware of the devil lurking near your loaf of bread. It's been said that if you don't cut a cross into the top of the dough before baking it, the devil will sit on your loaf. Hence, one of the origin stories for Hot Cross Buns. Other superstitions around bread say that you should only cut one end of the loaf, otherwise you'll free the devil and he'll fly all around your house. And watch out for holes in your loaf, as they've been said to symbolize a coffin and mean someone is going to die soon. And finally, keep your loaf upright — an upside-down loaf reportedly brings bad luck.

Whatever you do, don't smell basil. According to ancient superstition, doing so will bring a scorpion into your brain.

According to superstition, always crush an eggshell after it's cracked. If not, a witch will supposedly use the pieces to build a boat, set sail, and cause terrible storms at sea. And after boiling an egg, a superstition that reportedly originated in England says to push a spoon through the bottom of the empty shell to let out the devil, who likes the sulfurous smell of yolk because it reminds him of home — hell.

That it's bad luck to spill the salt is one of the most common food superstitions out there. In case you spill the salt, legend goes that you should throw some over your left shoulder to blind the devil and prevent him from stealing your soul. In Hungary, salt is also thrown on the entrance of a new home to keep evil out.

This superstition says that each family member should take a turn stirring the Christmas cake mixture, or bad luck will befall them if they don't — particularly, unmarried girls, who will supposedly remain alone for another year.

According to lore, carry a piece of garlic with you to avoid getting the Evil Eye, which will give you bad luck.

This superstition says you should never cut noodles before serving them. In Chinese culture, a long noodle represents a long life. If you cut noodles before serving them to someone, the life of that person will be cut short. 

Ancient Egyptians reportedly kept onions around to ward off evil spirits

Pour your own pot of tea... according to superstition, it's bad luck to share. Be sure the lid is on when brewing, and be careful not to spill. Otherwise, in both instances, you might get a visit from a stranger.

Never hand a hot pepper to a friend, or your friendship will end in discord. Instead, place the pepper on a table for your friend to pick up.

This might seem like an odd rule, but don't bring bananas on a boat. For centuries, fishermen have banned them from their boats. Rumor has it that an illness once befell a fisherman who ate a banana.