Like mom jeans, neon windbreakers and combat boots, food trends also circle in and out of popularity. Case in point: cottage cheese. Who could have imagined that the texturally challenged health food our moms used to stock at the back of the fridge would reappear on TikTok as the latest healthy food trend!? There truly is nothing new under the sun.
I hopped on the bandwagon a few weeks ago by purchasing my first tub of cottage cheese. I scrolled social media for a suitable trial recipe and went with sourdough toast slathered with cottage cheese and topped with chili crunch oil and arugula. I’m pleased to report that it exceeded my expectations as a high-protein savory breakfast.
That got me thinking — what other discarded food trends deserve another spin in the spotlight? Here are my proposals:
Who had an Aunt Debbie who never failed to bring Jell-O salad to Thanksgiving and Christmas in the ’80s? I’m raising my hand. Jell-o molds, Jell-o Jigglers, Instant Jell-o, Jell-o cups in lunchboxes — where did they all go? They went the way of history. But it's not hard to imagine another go around, perhaps with an emphasis on the health benefits of gelatin. Or a rediscovery of the pure fun of a wiggly semi-transparent food — I’ve seen little slurpable cubes that look suspiciously like jello in my daughter’s boba drinks.
Easy-Bake Oven Treats
This toy was coveted by countless children over many decades and many Hasbro models. Tiny cake pans, adorable mixes, and, of course, the sugar high at the end — what’s not to love? One could argue that the cake mug trend is a riff on the idea of a tiny single-serving confection. But perhaps we need a new wave of marketing for this vintage toy. I know my kids would go crazy over a tiny oven that popped out treats baked by a light bulb. I could see a modern take that includes gluten-free mixes, salted caramel swirls, and countless DIY recipes on TikTok, naturally.
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