Food trends come and go, but some of the strangest fads of the past make today’s unicorn frappuccinos seem almost normal. From jellied salads to glitter coffee, read on for some of the weirdest food trends in history.
Congealed Salads
Congealed salads, featuring gelatin containing ingredients like vegetables, meat, and seafood, were popular in America from the late 19th century through the 1950s[1]. The National Museum of American History describes congealed salads as “aquatic vegetables suspended in aspic”, often served on lettuce and garnished elaborately. Recipes mixed savory ingredients like peas, carrots, and celery with sweet fruits and nuts in brightly colored gelatin. Lime gelatin with shredded cabbage and pineapples was one example. The museum describes congealed salads as “visually appealing but gustatorily revolting”[1].
Glitter Coffee
Coffee trends come and go, but adding edible glitter to coffee was an unusually sparkly fad. Glitter coffee originated in Australia in 2017 and spread to cities like Los Angeles and London. The trend involved topping coffee drinks with edible glitter flakes or glitter syrups in a variety of colors[1]. While visually striking for social media, the glitter added no flavor. The fad led to environmental concerns about microplastics from glitter passing through the body. By 2018, most cafes had abandoned glitter coffee.
Colonial Syllabubs
Syllabubs were a popular dessert in colonial America made by curdling milk or cream with wine or cider[2]. The earliest syllabubs involved milking a cow directly into a bowl of wine or cider, curdling the milk immediately. More refined versions later whipped the ingredients into a froth. Syllabubs could be served in glasses or eaten with a spoon. They were usually sweetened with sugar and flavored with lemon, rosewater, or brandy. While odd by modern standards, colonial syllabubs were considered posh desserts at the time.
Eating Grass
In the 1850s, advocates of vegetarianism promoted eating grass as a healthy practice[1]. Proponents claimed chewing grass aided digestion and nutrition. Grass-eating was said to cure conditions like cancer and stop aging. While eating grass never became widespread, some followers wrote guides to identifying nutritious grasses. The movement faded by the late 1800s as the nutritional benefits of grass were debunked.
Freeze-Dried Astronaut Food
When astronauts went to space in the 1960s, they ate freeze-dried and tube-packed versions of foods like hot dogs and ice cream[1]. Space food needed to be lightweight, compact, and shelf-stable. Back on Earth, freeze-dried “astronaut food” became a brief fad in the early 1970s, marketed as “space age” and futuristic. However, most people didn’t enjoy the taste or texture, and it quickly faded as a food trend.
Galaxy Food
Galaxy-themed food containing colorful, sparkly, and holographic ingredients became trendy around 2010[1]. The trend started in Japan and spread to Instagram feeds worldwide. Some popular galaxy foods included rainbow grilled cheese sandwiches, unicorn galaxy toast, and mermaid galaxy lattes. While eye-catching, the edible glitter and loud colors added little flavor. Food bloggers largely consider galaxy foods more fun to look at than they are to eat.
Cheese Tea
Beverages combining tea with frothy cheese foam originated in Taiwan in the 1980s and spread abroad in the 2010s[2]. Cheese tea varieties include black tea, green tea, oolong tea, or fruit teas topped with a foamy layer of cream cheese, milk, and cream. The salty, creamy foam contrasts with the sweet or bitter tea. Instagram drove cheese tea’s popularity, but reviews are mixed on its unusual flavor combination.
Freakshakes
Freakshakes, overloaded milkshakes piled high with toppings, emerged as a trend in Australia and the UK around 2015[1]. Freakshake toppings often include whole slices of cake, piles of candy and cookies, overflowing whipped cream, and entire slices of pie. While photogenic, freakshakes make for impractical drinking. Most reviewers say freakshakes are more novelty than delicious treat. Major chains like Shake Shack offered their own versions, but freakshakes faded quickly.
Cockentrice
A cockentrice was a mythical roast dish consisting of a suckling pig sewn into a chicken and cooked whole for medieval noble feasts[5]. The fictional beast combined two high-status ingredients into one impressive dish. Recipes claimed cooking the animals together improved their flavors. While cockentrice only existed in medieval imaginations, it represented the elaborate, showy dishes expected at noble tables.
The Helmeted Cock
The helmeted cock was a swan or peacock sewn into a chicken to resemble a knight wearing a helmet[5]. It was another mythical roast beast created just for presentation at medieval feasts. The unusual ingredients showed off a cook’s skill while providing entertainment. A related recipe called for sewing a rabbit into a chicken for a similar effect.
Rôti Sans Pareil
Rôti sans pareil, meaning “roast without equal”, was a 17th-century French dish said to contain 17 different birds nested inside each other[5]. Recipes varied, but most included smaller birds like quail stuffed inside larger fowl. The extravagant roast aimed to impress guests. While likely impractical to cook, it reflected the French aristocracy’s decadent dining style.
Toast Sandwich
A Victorian-era snack, the toast sandwich consists of a slice of toast sandwiched between two thin slices of untoasted bread[5]. Invented in the 1860s, it was likely intended as an inexpensive meal. The dry sandwich became a novelty snack in British cafes in the 2000s. Its popularity is more ironic than serious, however – most still see it as underwhelming.
Hardtack
Hardtack, a simple cracker made from flour, water, and sometimes salt, is one of the oldest processed foods in history. Hardtack was a staple ration for militaries and sailors from the Roman era through World War II[6]. Cheap and long-lasting but extremely hard, it was a food of survival more than enjoyment. Even when soaked in coffee or stew, it was known to break teeth and be difficult to choke down.
Ortolans
These small birds were a French delicacy eaten whole, bones and all. Diners covered their heads with napkins to hide from God as they ate the ortolans[6]. While the birds are now protected, French gourmands ate ortolans up until the late 20th century. The process of eating them whole was part of the decadent experience.
Marmite
The savory yeast extract Marmite originated in England in 1902[6]. Made from brewer’s yeast, it has a salty, umami, concentrated flavor. The spread is famously divisive – you either love it or hate it. It was marketed as a nutritious food supplement before becoming a breakfast staple. The “love it or hate it” effect may come down to genetics – some people are more sensitive to Marmite’s polarizing taste components.
TV Dinners
Invented in the 1950s, TV dinners let people eat a whole meal conveniently while watching television[6]. The packaged meals typically included meat, vegetables, and potatoes or rice. While they took off in popularity immediately, TV dinners were never known for great taste. They did, however, change dinner culture and made eating in front of the TV normal.
Spam
The canned cooked pork product Spam was created in 1937[6]. It became a wartime staple for Allied soldiers during World War II thanks to its long shelf life. Spam’s popularity spread across the globe over the following decades. However, its inexpensive meat and long list of preservatives leave many with mixed feelings about the canned meat.
Pop Rocks
These fizzy candies were invented in 1956[6]. As the hard candy dissolves, trapped carbon dioxide bubbles are released, creating a popping sensation. Urban legends quickly spread that eating Pop Rocks with soda could make your stomach explode. However, they were proven safe to eat, just unusual. The popping candies became a novelty candy staple.
Jell-O Salads
Jell-O brand gelatin transformed American salads and desserts after its invention in 1897[6]. Adding shredded veggies, cottage cheese, or canned fruit to Jell-O was considered posh through the 1960s. Lime Jell-O with carrots was a staple potluck dish. However, the wobbly texture and flavor pairings seem unappetizing by modern standards. Jell-O salads have firmly fallen out of favor over time.
From cockentrice to cheese tea, the range of bizarre food fads throughout history is seemingly endless. While not all took off in popularity, these strange food trends provide a unique window into the dining habits and innovations of the past. Many weird food fads were more about novelty, showmanship, and status than taste. However, they show how radically food preferences and customs can change over time. The next time you see an odd food trend today, consider how future generations may look back on it.
Citations:
[1] https://www.mashed.com/99122/weirdest-food-trends-history/
[2] https://www.bonappetit.com/restaurants-travel/article/weird-food-trends-through-the-decades
[3] https://youtube.com/watch?v=MsbK1uPr1Pc
[4] https://historycollection.com/these-bizarre-food-facts-make-history-even-weirder/
[6] https://www.buzzfeed.com/williambarrios/20-historical-facts-thatll-change-the-way-you-think-about
