The rise of social media has paved the way for the rise (and fall) of countless viral internet food trends. Since many of these originated from YouTube, Instagram, and Tiktok food videos that peaked in popularity, these trends are ever-evolving reflections of pop culture. While some sound genuinely delicious and may have changed your appetite for the better, the vast majority are more than questionable. Below, we take a look at some of the internet’s most memorable food trends.
Challenge Trends
The Cinnamon Challenge: This challenge went viral in 2011, encouraging people to do their best to eat an entire tablespoon of cinnamon in less than a minute. Most of the time, the participant either choked on the cinnamon or spit out a messy brown cloud. The danger of this trend is something that Internet culture has tried to recreate over and over again. Needless to say, as much of a cinnamon lover as you are, you shouldn’t try this trend at home.
Spicy Foods: The Internet trend of eating hot peppers peaked in 2012, but continues to reappear every few years. Starting with the “Ghost Pepper Challenge” but even working up to the Carolina Reaper, people increased their tolerance level for spices in extreme and dangerous ways. Spicy foods in the media continue to be extremely popular, with artisanal hot sauces remaining the focus of food culture and YouTube series like “Hot Ones” continuing to rack up millions of views with each video.
Honorable mentions include Most Dangerous Saltine Challenge, Sprite and Banana Challenge, and Heartbreaking Tide-Pod Challenge,
Healthy trends (green)
Everything Avocado: It’s no surprise that avocado made it to this list. With the need to put avocado on seemingly everything, millennials in particular defined this trend (particularly with the rise of avocado toast as a 21st-century breakfast staple).
Acai Bowls: These bowls have become a representation of ultimate health for the self-styled “gurus” of the internet. Usually consisting of a base of blended açai berries, topped with bananas, strawberries, blueberries, and granola, the appeal of these sugar bowls is obvious.
Honorable mentions for this category include chia seeds, kale, kombucha, and fermented foods in general.
Trends in the last month
Corn: The kid of the corn has revolutionized the Internet. A viral sensation complete with songs and interviews, the kid corn’s endearing nature has encouraged many to find simple beauty in a food many take for granted.
Butter Boards: Essentially glorified sticks of butter, spread on a board and topped with beautiful condiments, veggies, fruit, and more. This new iteration of charcuterie boards started with TikTok user Justine_Snacks and has powered everything from bagel boards to seafood derivatives.
NyQuil Chicken: Even the attention of the FDA can’t make the Internet leave the dangerous food trends you love behind. NyQuil chicken is what it sounds like: a large piece of chicken cooked in a very dangerous amount of cold medicine. This should be avoided for obvious reasons.
coffee trends
Pumpkin brings flavor to everything: With a culture in love with Starbucks, many trends related to coffees depend on their marketing at the time. The pumpkin spiced latte is no different. With a dependable consistency, fall consumers are almost guaranteed to easily find a wide variety of pumpkin-flavored pies, treats, and of course, the drink itself.
Whipped Dalgona Coffee – Composed solely of sugar, hot water, and instant coffee, this is one of the trends on this list that readers are most likely to have tried. This is usually placed on top of a glass of ice cold milk to create a deliciously refreshing drink.
Honorable mentions that continue to fuel this section of caffeine addicts include the internet version of Starbucks pink drink, matcha, and the rise of cold brew.
Pastry trends
Rainbow bagel – Rainbow cakes reached their peak of fame in 2016. Inspiring rainbow-related feelings of joy and happiness, this trend really took off with the virality of the Rainbow Bagel sold by New York City Bagel Bakery. These bagels inspired a wave of rainbow foods, like rainbow grilled cheese.
Japanese Cheesecake – Beloved for its fluffiness and wavy nature, Japanese cheesecake took the U.S. by storm. Created by beating egg whites separately before mixing them into the mix, this rich, sweet and flavorful treat The egg deserves the love it receives.
Video content on the internet has really changed the way we consume food as a society. This trip down memory lane reveals just how quickly these trends come and go. It’s easy to see many of these as ridiculous, unnecessary, or downright dangerous in hindsight; however, the cultural fascination they have created will likely persist.
Source: news.google.com