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5 food and drink trends the experts wish would just go away

Food trends can be fun, but these are a few we're totally over

Lindsay Parrill
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We all love food trends. There’s something exciting about being in on the fun and chatting knowingly about delicious newcomers like butter boards and cloud bread. Every now and then, it’s good to jump on the bandwagon because you may find you love something you might not have otherwise tried if not for TikTok or Instagram. We’re all for unique experiences and constantly learning and trying new things. Sometimes, though, these trends outstay their welcome. Sometimes, they just won’t take the hint, which means it’s time to drop the nice manners and scoot them out the door. We’ve chatted with some experts in the food world to find out which of these trends they’re most eager to see go, and we have to admit — we couldn’t agree more.

Molecular Gastronomy kit

Molecular gastronomy

Marissa Johnson, professional event planner and founder of Inflatable Blast, says, “This trend has been around for a while, and it’s time for it to go. We’re all for experimentation in the kitchen, but some of the ‘molecular’ dishes we’ve seen look more like science experiments than food.”

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Sure, the unique shapes, flamboyant colors, and wacky preparations that seem to defy science were cool for a while, but we’re over it. More often than not, this trend seems to be all smoke and mirrors without much care put into creating a dish that tastes as beautiful as it looks. Call us old-fashioned, but someone pass the spaghetti bolognese — and hold the liquid nitrogen.

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bloody mary garnish

Over-the-top cocktails

Mark Herchuck, Director of Operations at American Social Bar and Kitchen, says he’s fed up with Bloody Mary cocktails with an entire meal as a garnish. “Whenever I see one of these, I guarantee that neither the Bloody Mary nor the mini buffet on top of it will be any good. There’s a ‘wow factor,’ and then there’s whatever that is.”

We agree with Mark. These drink trends have gotten out of control. If you have to garnish your brunch cocktail with an entire fried chicken and two jars of pickled asparagus, what exactly are you trying to hide? Unfortunately, this trend reaches far beyond the Bloody Mary. Enormously sized and gaudily bedazzled beverages are everywhere, and we’ve had enough.

You know, there’s nothing wrong with a classic martini. Two olives. That’s it.

Salty snacks.

Junk food masquerading as health food

Marissa Johnson also shared with us her frustration about something we’ve been irritated about as well. “It’s great that people are becoming more conscious of their health, but some food companies are taking advantage of this trend by slapping ‘healthy’ labels on products that are anything but.”

In recent years, food labels have become increasingly cryptic, misleading customers into thinking that even their candy bars are “healthy” in some way, shape, or form. Meaningless labels and clever marketing have manipulated and deceived for too long, and we’re ready to kick this trend to the curb.

Homemade kombucha fermented.

Kombucha

This one stings a bit because we do love a good kombucha drink, but maybe it’s time to chill out a little. We’re seeing kombucha absolutely everywhere now, and while it can be delicious, perhaps it’s not quite all it’s cracked up to be in the world of health foods.

Shelly Martin, chef and blogger at Easy Kitchen Guide, has been featured in publications like Food & Wine, Eat This, and Parade. She tells us that “Some experts have pointed out that the claims made about kombucha’s health benefits are often overstated and that it can be expensive compared to other sources of probiotics.”

Chef's table at the Veranda

Food porn for “the gram”

Look. No one cares what you ate for lunch.

Stop ruining the dining experience for yourself and everyone around you by playing the role of influencer. The restaurant has spent a lot of time and money creating an ambiance for you to relax in and enjoy while savoring both the food and the environment. Enjoy it. Also, your dining partner feels like an idiot sitting there with a plate of what was once hot chicken while you get the perfect shot of something no one wants to see. Put the damned phone away.

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Lindsay Parrill
Lindsay Parrill
Contributor
Lindsay is a graduate of California Culinary Academy, Le Cordon Bleu, San Francisco, from where she holds a degree in…
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