It’s wild how food prices can flip over time. Some ingredients were once considered “poor man’s food” and now, they’re status symbols at restaurants and on Instagram feeds. Let’s take a look at 10 foods that climbed from cheap eats to expensive indulgences.
10. Pork Belly
Just a decade ago, pork belly was a cheap, fatty cut mainly destined for bacon or to be rendered into lard. Now, it’s a star on upscale menus, and you’ll find it in everything from ramen to tacos. Chefs fell in love with its flavor and texture, driving demand through the roof. This surge in popularity caused prices to more than double in a single year recently.
9. Chicken Thighs
For decades, chicken breast was the premium, healthier choice. But with many chefs and foodies praising the superior flavor and juiciness of chicken thighs, the tables have turned. Chicken thighs are now often more expensive than breasts, thanks to the new technology making them easier to debone.
8. Avocado (Toast)
Avocados have been cultivated for centuries, but their recent transformation into a cultural icon sent prices soaring. The rise of “avocado toast” as a trendy, Instagrammable brunch has made it a symbol of millennial luxury. A single avocado may not break the bank, but the markup at restaurants? Often over $8 for a single slice of toast.
7. Quinoa
Quinoa was once a staple grain for poor, rural populations in the Andes. When more people discovered its high-protein, gluten-free profile, quinoa has exploded into a global “superfood.” The demand surge caused prices to triple between 2006 and 2013, making it too expensive for the communities in Peru and Bolivia that traditionally relied on it.
6. Oysters
In the 19th century, oysters were so cheap and abundant they were considered street food. Today, they’re a luxury appetizer, with a dozen often costing more than $20. Modern oyster farming also adds to the cost, because it’s a slow, two-to-three-year labor-intensive process, and there’s a need for constant refrigeration during transport.
5. Caviar
Believe it or not, American caviar was so plentiful in the 1800s that saloons gave it away for free. The Delaware River was teeming with sturgeon, and the U.S. was a leading global exporter. Later, this abundance led to overfishing, and by the early 1900s, sturgeon populations had collapsed. With sturgeon fishing now highly restricted, caviar has become one of the world’s most expensive foods.
4. Short Ribs
There was a time when short ribs were just a butcher’s bargain. They often went to the grinder to become hamburger meat, as their toughness made them undesirable for most home cooks. But when chefs started braising them for hours until they were fall-off-the-bone tender, short ribs became a sensation.
3. Brisket
Brisket used to be one of the most affordable beef cuts out there. But then, the American barbecue renaissance happened. As smoking and slow-cooking became an obsession for many, brisket was crowned king. Every cow only has two briskets, and so the increased demand quickly outpaced the limited supply.
2. Chicken Wings
Chicken wings were once considered a not-so-desirable part of the chicken, often thrown into the stockpot or sold for pennies. But things changed when a Buffalo, New York bar served them as a late-night snack in the 1960s. The “Buffalo wing” became a national obsession, and today, the demand for wings, especially during major sporting events, is so high that they often cost more per pound than chicken breasts.
1. Lobster
In the 18th and 19th centuries, lobsters were abundant along the East Coast, and they were considered “poor man’s chicken.” They were seen as pests and even used as fertilizer. When the railroad was invented, it allowed live lobsters to be transported inland, where they were perceived as an exotic delicacy. This shift in perception transformed lobster into a symbol of luxury dining.