Ah, the generational food feud! It’s no secret that Boomers and Millennials often find themselves at odds, especially regarding culinary preferences. From the decline of American cheese to the rise of avocado toast, Millennials have certainly shaken up the food scene, much to the chagrin of some Boomers. While Boomers reminisce about the good old days of mayonnaise-laden salads and canned tuna, Millennials are busy embracing trendy cheeses and plant-based alternatives.
Cereal for Dinner
Boomers remember cereal as a beloved breakfast staple, but millennials have turned it into a late-night snack or dinner option. With the rise of convenience culture, the simple joy of a bowl of cereal as a meal was redefined. Millennials gave cereal a second life as a quick, comfort food for any time of day, making it a “millennial move” that irked some traditionalists.
Buffalo Wings on Everything
Buffalo wings are a classic, but millennials took this snack to new extremes, slapping spicy sauce on everything from pizza to salads to cauliflower. The trend of wing sauces on everything became a bit of a food revolution. Not all Boomers were thrilled to see the original wing getting overshadowed by a millennial obsession with creative twists.
Avocado Toast
The quintessential millennial food, avocado toast, has been both praised and mocked. Boomers are especially salty about the high price of a simple pieces of toast topped with avocado, thinking it’s an overhyped trend that has no place in a traditional breakfast. But millennials have turned it into a fashionable, Instagram-worthy dish that shows no signs of going away.
Plant-Based Everything
Millennials took plant-based eating to new heights, pushing meatless options into mainstream fast food chains and restaurants. From plant-based burgers to oat milk lattes, the younger generation’s preference for cruelty-free, eco-friendly diets didn’t sit well with some who preferred a more traditional carnivorous approach to meals. Boomers, especially those who grew up on meat-centric dishes, are still holding onto the notion that “real” food must contain animal products.
Cold Brew Coffee
Forget traditional hot coffee, millennials made cold brew a year-round obsession. Cold brew coffee became the go-to caffeine fix, and it quickly made regular coffee seem old-fashioned. Boomers, however, are still loyal to their classic drip coffee and haven’t fully embraced this cold, smooth alternative.
Gluten-Free Diets
Gluten-free living exploded with millennials adopting this lifestyle, either due to health reasons or as a trend. Boomers, who may have grown up with a love for bread and pasta, still struggle to understand why gluten has become such a villain. The gluten-free movement took hold of menus everywhere, but many Boomers still see it as unnecessary and even a bit pretentious.
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American Cheese
Once a staple in every household, American cheese has fallen out of favor with Millennials who prefer artisanal and natural cheeses. While Boomers fondly remember its melting prowess on burgers, Millennials often turn up their noses at its processed nature.
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Frozen TV Dinners
Frozen TV dinners were once a go-to convenience meal for Boomers, offering an easy dinner option after a busy day. However, millennials have largely moved away from these pre-packaged meals, opting for fresher, healthier alternatives or meal delivery services. While TV dinners are nostalgic for some, they’ve taken a backseat to modern trends that focus on quality and sustainability.
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Trendy Superfoods
From chia seeds to matcha to turmeric, millennials are always on the hunt for the next superfood. While these trendy ingredients are often touted for their health benefits, Boomers, who grew up with more traditional foods, often find these new additions to be overhyped or unnecessary in their diets.
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Sriracha Everything
Millennials embraced Sriracha hot sauce like no other generation, slathering it on everything from fries to pizza to even eggs. For some Boomers, the sheer ubiquity of Sriracha, and the growing trend of spicy food in general, has been a little too much to handle. Spice was never this fashionable in their day!
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Grilled Cheese with a Twist
While the classic grilled cheese sandwich remains a comfort food staple, millennials turned it into something more creative, experimenting with different types of cheese, bread, and even adding extras like tomatoes or bacon. Boomers may prefer the classic simplicity of white bread and American cheese, leaving them a little wary of the modernized versions.
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Non-Dairy Milks
From almond milk to oat milk to coconut milk, millennials have swapped traditional cow’s milk for plant-based alternatives. This shift to non-dairy milk was driven by environmental and health concerns, but many Boomers find it unnecessary or even a bit odd. For some, it’s still hard to imagine coffee without dairy milk, despite the millennial push for milk alternatives.
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Foodie Culture
Food blogs, Instagram food influencers, and elaborate meal prep have turned food into a form of self-expression for millennials. Boomers, who were used to simple, home-cooked meals, may not always understand the idea of “food as art” and still find it odd that meals are often photographed before being eaten.
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Fusion Foods
The combination of different culinary traditions, like sushi burritos or Korean BBQ tacos, became a favorite among millennials. While Boomers may have been raised on classic, traditional dishes, fusion foods created a whole new dining landscape that some still view as unnecessarily complex or, at worst, sacrilegious.
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Food Delivery Apps
Thanks to millennials, food delivery apps like Uber Eats and DoorDash have become a regular part of everyday life. Boomers, who may have grown up with sit-down meals and home-cooked food, are still adjusting to the idea of ordering takeout with just a few taps on a smartphone. For some, it still feels like a step too far from the traditional dining experience.
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Millennials have shaken up the culinary scene with trends like avocado toast and plant-based diets. These innovations have stirred some debate among Boomers, but there’s no denying the impact. From vibrant smoothie bowls to artisanal sourdough, millennial food trends have become mainstays. Love them or hate them, these trends are here to stay. Bon appétit!
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
14 Wild Food Rules Boomers Grew Up With That Would Shock Gen Z
Boomers grew up in a world where food rules were strict, meals had a set structure, and “waste not, want not” was the golden rule. From mandatory dinner table etiquette to questionable food pairings, many of these habits would leave Gen Z scratching their heads. While some of these rules stemmed from necessity, others were simply a product of the times. Here are a couple of wild food rules that defined boomer childhoods and would completely shock today’s younger generation.
Read it here: 14 Wild Food Rules Boomers Grew Up With That Would Shock Gen Z
15 Iconic Foods Boomers Miss Every Time They Shop
Shopping today isn’t what it used to be. Many of the beloved foods boomers grew up with have disappeared from shelves, either due to changing tastes, health concerns, or companies discontinuing them. These were the flavors of childhood, the snacks that made after-school treats special, and the meals that brought families together. Here are 15 iconic foods boomers still long for every time they walk through the grocery store.
Read it here: 15 Iconic Foods Boomers Miss Every Time They Shop
12 Boomer Table Rules That Would Have Millennials Calling for Help
The dinner table once represented a place of strict etiquette, where certain behaviors were seen as essential to maintaining respect, formality, and tradition. For Baby Boomers, these table rules were non-negotiable, drilled into children from a young age. Fast forward to today, and Millennials are challenging, ignoring, or downright baffled by these old-school rules. With a much more laid-back, casual approach to dining, Millennials have reinvented the idea of what it means to eat together, prioritizing comfort over formality and focusing on connection rather than strict etiquette. Here are 12 Boomer table rules that would have Millennials scratching their heads or reaching for their phones.
Read it here: 12 Boomer Table Rules That Would Have Millennials Calling for Help