Ever see your friend post a picture of her new absolute favorite food that’s super in right now because it’s unbelievably delicious and (of course) unbelievably healthy?! Here are a few munchies that, in my opinion, have been hogging the social media spotlight.
Avocado toast
The simple snack that’s taken Instagram by storm in the past year. You’ve seen it on restaurant menus, on food blogs, or maybe you’ve even seen your friends make their own in the dining halls. But what is it that’s so great about this trendy treat?
It’s hard for me to see the appeal here. First of all, you mash up half and avocado and throw it on a slice of toasted multigrain. That’s really just it. And that alone to me seems like a pretty serious downgrade from chips and guacamole.
As often advertised, avocado toast is served at breakfast. You’ll get carbs from the bread and healthy fats from the avocado, but no protein? That’s not exactly brainpower. Also, a slice of bread with avocado can go for high prices, some places charging more than $10!
Improve it: However, if you insist on eating this dish, try to make it interesting by giving it a personal touch. Add and egg, tomato, or smoked salmon to get in a few more flavors and nutrients. Also, don’t hesitate sprinkle on some superfoods like chia seeds, hemp seeds, or goji berries to really pack some power into your breakfast!
Acai bowl
These colorful smoothie creations are guaranteed to brighten up a Facebook page. With a thick base of some blend of fruit and acai berries, these bowls really shine in the creative array of toppings available. Sliced banana, granola, blueberries, nuts, honey, and coconut shavings are all popular choices, sometimes even complemented by more unique additions like hemp seeds or chocolate shavings.
Have I tried one? Yes. Was it delicious? Yes. It was a liquefied bowl of fruit with a bunch of yummy mix-ins, what more do I need?
Maybe I just need a bowl of fruit. These bowls, while not only enormous in portion size, offer pretty limited nutritional benefits. Sure, fruit is good for you, but when you break down the amount of carbs and sugar in a bowl, not to mention the hundred of empty calories added on with toppings like granola and honey, you honestly could be better off with an ice cream cone—which most likely will have less grams of sugar than one of these monstrosities.
Improve it: Just get a smoothie! The portion size is much more suitable and the sugar content will not be nearly as astronomical—but you’ll still get that refreshing fruity fix!
Sushirrito
Raw fish fanatics and burrito enthusiasts were thrilled at the innovation of this mouth-watering treat. Imagine all the ingredients of your favorite sushi roll tucked into a sheet of seaweed and rolled up like your customized Chipotle meal.
Now this, I have to admit, is pretty cool—two incredibly popular foods combined into one very unique meal. I remember finding out about this and instantly feeling the pressing need to go out and get one.
But isn’t part of sushi’s appeal using chopsticks to pick up dainty, bite-sized pieces? Where do you put the soy sauce with this? The ginger? Wasabi? Eating sushi is just as much of an art as it is a meal, and the sushi-ritto completely revokes the cuisine’s appreciated characteristics, which sometimes just feels like missing out on something. Imagine going out to sushi and lifting up the roll, taking a big bite out of it. Yeah, it seems pretty wrong.
Improve it: Still want to bite into your shrimp tempura? Next time you’re at a Japanese restaurant, request to get one of your rolls hand-rolled. You’ll end up getting what looks like an ice cream cone of sushi, which you can eat as you wish while still enjoying the authentic method of enjoying the food.
Remember, just because it’s at the top of your news feed, doesn’t mean it’s at the top of your must-eats.