When cracking an egg, serving noodles, or pouring a pot of tea — all seemingly innocent actions — you might be surprised to learn that there are some longstanding superstitions behind them.

Superstitions have been around for as long as we have, often stemming from cultural and religious beliefs at different times and different places in history. In some ancient societies, lucky charms were worn around the neck to ward off evil spirits, or rituals were performed to protect one’s home from the devil.

For some, they may just be spooky superstitions; but for others, they’re based on a cultural belief and are taken seriously. And some of the freakiest superstitions just happen to involve food.