Food trends come and go, but some stir up more than just curiosity. They spark controversy, strong opinions, and sometimes even outrage. While some food movements gain traction and become mainstream, others encounter fierce backlash for various reasons, including ethical concerns, environmental impacts, or simply because they push the boundaries of what people consider acceptable or appetizing. In this article, we explore 11 global food trends that stirred major backlash and why they made waves in the food world.
Cronuts
The croissant-doughnut hybrid took the culinary world by storm, but not everyone was a fan. Critics argued that the cronut was a blatant example of food trends becoming overly commercialized and “gimmicky.” Some felt it insulted both croissants and doughnuts, two beloved treats. Flaky, decadent, deep-fried, sugary, and divisive.
Bone Broth
Bone broth became a health trend, touted for its healing properties and collagen content. Critics argued that the craze was overhyped and the benefits exaggerated. Some even questioned the ethics of animal products. Nutritious, collagen-packed, hearty, controversial, and polarizing.
Kale
Kale became the face of health food, often hailed as a “superfood” for its nutritional benefits. However, the promotion of kale caused some to roll their eyes, with critics calling it overhyped. It sparked discussions about food trends creating unnecessary pressure to consume certain foods. Trendy, fibrous, overhyped, bitter, and eye-roll inducing.
Activated Charcoal
From smoothies to lattes, activated charcoal became trendy for its supposed detox properties. However, health experts warned against its overconsumption, as it could interfere with medications and nutrient absorption. The aesthetic appeal of black food came with serious health concerns. Blackened, detoxifying, controversial, visually striking, and cautionary.
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Oat Milk
Oat milk gained popularity as a dairy alternative, praised for its creamy texture and sustainability compared to almond milk. Yet, it faced backlash from environmentalists over its water consumption. Some brands’ high sugar content raised concerns. Creamy, sustainable, trendy, over-sweetened, and contentious.
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Sriracha Everything
Sriracha, the spicy chili sauce, became so popular that it was slathered on almost everything, from fries to popcorn. While it had many supporters, some argued that the overuse of the sauce led to a dilution of its unique flavor and turned it into a marketing gimmick. Spicy, flavorful, ubiquitous, overused, and polarizing.
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Avocado Toast
Avocado toast became a symbol of millennial food culture, but not without controversy. Critics decried the dish as overpriced and overhyped, calling it a symbol of privilege. Some blamed it for contributing to the housing crisis in cities with skyrocketing living costs. Creamy, trendy, overpriced, divisive, and emblematic.
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Imitation Meat (Beyond Meat, Impossible Burger)
The rise of plant-based meat alternatives like Beyond Meat and Impossible Burger sparked excitement and backlash. While many embraced reducing meat consumption, others criticized the products as overly processed. Some accused the brands of misleading consumers with health claims. Plant-based, processed, divisive, innovative, and controversial.
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Gold Leaf on Food
Edible gold became a luxury food trend, adorning everything from sushi to ice cream. While some considered it fun, others saw it as a wasteful and ridiculous use of resources. The trend sparked debate on the ethics of spending money on luxury food items. Extravagant, wasteful, shiny, costly, and divisive.
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Rice Cakes as a Health Food
Rice cakes, once a snack for weight loss, were rebranded as a health food in certain circles. However, critics pointed out they lacked real nutritional value and were often made with refined white rice. Their bland taste led many to dismiss them as a fad. Crunchy, empty-calorie, overhyped, boring, and nutritionally lacking.
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Unicorn Food
Unicorn-themed foods, with their bright colors, glitter, and whimsical designs, went viral on social media. However, food critics and health experts criticized these treats for being excessive, unhealthy, and just for show. The trend was seen as a way to capitalize on Instagram culture, not provide flavorful food. Bright, sugary, colorful, gimmicky, and fleeting.
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Food trends have the power to unite or divide people, depending on individual tastes, values, and cultural norms. While some trends have come and gone, others remain a testament to how food can push boundaries or spark contention. Whether you love or hate them, these trends have made an impact on global food culture, stirring conversation and sparking new ideas.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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It’s time to take a nostalgic (and sometimes bewildering) trip down memory lane as we explore diet trends that Boomers once swore by, but make no sense today! From cabbage soup diets to grapefruit-only regimes, these once-popular fads seemed like the ultimate solution back in the day. Nowadays, however, they leave us scratching our heads and wondering how they ever caught on. Ready to dive into these bygone dietary quirks?
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