Remember 2015? It was a simpler time when we thought putting everything in a mason jar was revolutionary. Looking back, we were all collectively losing our minds over some pretty ridiculous food trends. If you participated in any of these, don’t worry, we all did things we’re probably cringing about. Here are the 10 most cringe-worthy food obsessions that defined 2015, that still proved they were a good time.
10. Activated Charcoal Everything
2015 was apparently the year we decided eating charcoal was a good idea. Activated charcoal ice cream, bread, drinks, everything turned black and we thought it was revolutionary. We ignored the fact that activated charcoal can interfere with medications and basically has no proven health benefits when eaten. Most of it tasted like nothing and turned our teeth and tongues black. Well, it’s a good thing we got over it and returned charcoals in grills.
9. Cronuts
Here’s the funny thing: The cronut craze had people waiting in line for a croissant turned sandwich. While the original creator was cool enough to combine them, the trend spawned cafes recreating them with nothing special. Eventually, the hype died down, and people would rather get these classics separately, like how it used to be.
8. Galaxy Foods
For some reason, 2015 was the year we got pulled into space prints and patterns. But it’s more than just in fashion, as they were also applied to food. Admittedly, it looks cool with all the purple, black, and blue swirls. But when we think about it, it’s just artificial food dyes that we would rather not consume.
7. Bone Broth Bars
Remember when we opened the year 2015 with the new food trend on bone broth? Yup, we used to pay $8-15 for cups that our grandmother called soup stock. We lined up for hours to see what the hype was about, and you either regret it or laugh about it now. But maybe this trend is a reflection of how we missed home-cooked meals back when we were staying at our parents’ home.
6. Bulletproof Coffee
Someone convinced us that adding butter and MCT oil to coffee was the secret to productivity and weight loss. We spent money on “special” grass-fed butter and expensive oils to blend into our morning coffee, creating a greasy, calorie-dense drink that was supposed to replace breakfast. The result was often an upset stomach and coffee that tasted like… well, butter. Most of us quietly went back to regular coffee and actual breakfast.
5. Unicorn Frappuccino
2015 was the year when everyone became obsessed with a mythological creature called a unicorn. This spawned food trends of rainbow drinks that Starbucks capitalized on. Their Unicorn Frappuccino features pink and blue coloring with sugar that’s enough to make your 2025 self scream. Thankfully, we’ve moved past this trend as we transition to healthier food choices.
4. Deconstructed Foods
Pretentiousness in 2015 took a turn with the deconstructed food trend that was too Instagrammable to skip. It involves taking apart familiar favorites that we somehow found amazing back then. Honestly, we spent a large amount on a small portion of food with separate ingredients, enough to make us cringe.
3. Kale Chips
2015 was the peak kale chip delusion. Remember how we used to bake kale leaves until they were crispy to convince ourselves that they were a satisfying substitute. At stores, we paid $8 for seasoned leaves that crumbled into dust. Well, so much for believing that vegetables could substitute junk food.
2. Mason Jar Salads
Someone convinced us that eating salad out of a mason jar was both trendy and practical. We spent Sunday nights carefully layering vegetables in glass jars, only to struggle with eating them later. The dressing at the bottom would make everything soggy, the opening was too narrow for normal eating, and carrying glass jars everywhere was a disaster waiting to happen. But hey, at least they looked cute in photos before we realized we needed a fork with a 6-inch handle to reach the bottom.
1. Huge Milkshakes
These over-the-top milkshakes were loaded with entire slices of cake, cookies, donuts, and candy. They were creating towering monsters that contained a day’s worth of calories in a single drink. We waited in line and paid $15+ for Instagram-worthy shakes that were impossible to actually drink. Most ended up partially eaten and completely regretted.