The Absolute 9 Worst Food Trends of 2024 That Must Remain in This Year

As 2024 draws to a close, it’s time to bid farewell to some food trends that overstayed their welcome. While the culinary world is all about evolution and experimentation, some ideas didn’t land—or worse, made us wonder, "Why did we think this was a good idea?" From TikTok's chaotic kitchen hacks to restaurant trends that left diners rolling their eyes, here’s a look back at the culinary missteps we can’t wait to leave behind.

1. Raw Milk Mania

The push for unpasteurized raw milk gained traction in 2024 as part of a broader obsession with "natural" and "unprocessed" foods. While proponents claimed it was more nutritious and flavorful, the reality was far less appealing. Raw milk’s health risks, including bacterial contamination, made this trend more dangerous than delicious. Even chefs who dabbled in raw milk desserts quickly learned that it wasn’t worth the gamble. As consumers demand safer, smarter options, raw milk is likely to curdle its way out of the food scene next year.

2. TikTok’s Love Affair with Butter Boards

Butter boards had their moment, with TikTok creators spreading butter across cutting boards and dressing it up with edible flowers, flaky salt, and herbs. While visually stunning, the practicality of scooping communal butter with bread left many feeling uneasy. By mid-year, the novelty had worn off, and butter boards became a punchline for unnecessary food gimmicks. Now, most people are ready to go back to spreading butter on bread the old-fashioned way—with a knife and some dignity.

3. QR Codes in Restaurants

Restaurants leaned heavily on QR code menus this year, turning the simple act of ordering into a digital scavenger hunt. While they were born out of necessity during the pandemic, by 2024, diners had had enough of squinting at their phones and navigating poorly designed mobile interfaces just to order a drink. Many longed for the return of printed menus, which felt more personal and less like checking work emails. The backlash was loud, and the dining world may finally be ready to retire QR codes from our tables.

4. Functional Foods That Promised Too Much

Functional foods—items marketed as offering health benefits beyond basic nutrition—were everywhere this year, from drinks laced with adaptogens to snacks claiming to reduce stress. While the concept isn’t inherently bad, 2024 saw a flood of products making overblown claims with little scientific backing. Consumers quickly grew skeptical, realizing that no mushroom latte or CBD gummy was going to fix their burnout. The functional food bubble may not have burst entirely, but it’s definitely deflating.

5. The AI-Generated Restaurant Menus

Artificial intelligence worked its way into restaurants in 2024, with some establishments experimenting with AI-generated menus or even AI-powered customer service. The results were as soulless as you’d imagine. Diners reported awkward phrasing, flavor combinations that missed the mark, and a lack of human touch in hospitality. While tech innovations have their place, AI’s attempt to replace the creativity and warmth of real chefs and servers fell flat. Next year, let’s keep the robots out of the kitchen and the dining room.

6. Over-the-Top Milkshake Madness

Giant milkshakes dripping with candy, whipped cream, and whole slices of cake on top had a brief resurgence in 2024, but the backlash was swift. These Instagram-ready monstrosities were more about aesthetics than taste, leaving diners with sticky hands, a sugar headache, and a hefty bill. Milkshake fatigue set in quickly, and by the end of the year, most people were opting for simpler, classic versions instead of these calorie-laden spectacles.

7. Deconstructed Everything

Deconstructed dishes have been around for a while, but 2024 saw this trend reach new—and absurd—heights. What started as a creative way to reimagine classic recipes became an exercise in frustration. Deconstructed tacos that required assembly at the table? A "deconstructed" lasagna that looked like random pasta sheets on a plate? Diners increasingly wanted chefs to put food together, not make them work for their meals.

8. The Obsession with Charcoal

Activated charcoal made its way into lattes, ice creams, and even pizzas this year, touted for its supposed detoxifying properties. However, the gritty texture and medicinal taste left many unimpressed. Moreover, nutritionists warned that overconsumption of activated charcoal could interfere with medication absorption, making it more of a health hazard than a health hack. By year’s end, most people agreed it was time to stop eating something that belongs in a water filter.

9. Molecular Gastronomy

Molecular gastronomy made a small comeback in 2024, with some restaurants dusting off their liquid nitrogen tanks and spherification kits. But the novelty that once wowed diners now feels tired. Foam, edible "air," and test tube presentations no longer evoke the same awe they did a decade ago. Today’s diners are craving authenticity and flavor over gimmicks, leaving this trend firmly in the rearview mirror.