Top 20 Most Overrated Foods

Foie gras traditionally has been created by forcefully overfeeding ducks or geese. Regardless of whether or not you like foie gras, this method of production is problematic. Now, there are newer production methods that take a more ethical approach - but even with our conscience eased, foie gras still makes the list. Sure, if prepared properly it can be quite delicious and a special culinary experience. But its reputation as a delicacy doesn’t measure up to the hype around it. Often it’s on a manu just so a restaurant can say they have it - not because they’re truly creating something special with it.

We’re not going to deny the nutritional value of cauliflower. We know it’s filled with vitamins and nutrients. And there are many people for whom it is a perfect fit for their taste buds. However, the recent explosion of using cauliflower to replace many of our favorite carbohydrate-rich foods has gotten a little out of hand. Is it just us or are there more cauliflower crust pizzas in the grocery store freezer than regular crust ones? And we don’t want to offend anyone here, but we’re just going to say it… cauliflower rice isn’t rice!

Sure, we like a little spicy on our food, and have been known to toss on some sriracha to up the hot quotient at times. However, we’ve also been known to grab some Frank’s RedHot or Tabasco or some small batch artisanal hot sauce from our local grocery store. The point being that hot sauce is great, but as good as sriracha is, we aren’t quite sure why it has become the de facto hot sauce in so many recipes and restaurants. And to make it on to some restaurant tables right there next to the ketchup and mustard - well, you have to agree that’s going overboard right? And what’s up with that pretentious extra “r” anyway?

Hundreds of years ago, the people of the Inca Empire considered quinoa a sacred food. But even that doesn’t match the reverence quinoa seems to have gained in the last couple decades. Yes, it’s super healthy and gluten-free and - the big selling point for many - is high in protein. However, if we look at the numbers it may not be as impressive as you thought. One cup of cooked quinoa has 8 grams of protein. That’s just one or two more grams than a single egg. And while quinoa needs a lot of help and flavourful accoutrements to be tasty, eggs are good all on their own.

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#16: Mac & Cheese

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At first glance you might be thinking we’re crazy for putting mac & cheese on this list. It’s delicious and comforting and you could eat it every day right? Well, think about it. Yes, the idea of mac & cheese is exciting - but when was the last time that the mac & cheese you had lived up to the pre-eating excitement? Exactly! We’ve all had amazing mac & cheese - but the problem is that that memory is what fuels our desire for more. And regardless of whether it’s made at home from a box or in a super fancy restaurant, most of the time, it isn’t as good as we want it to be. That being said, we don’t blame anyone for still chasing that mac & cheese dragon.

We understand that saying this might bring down the wrath of the entire brunch industrial complex, but here we go…. avocados are overrated. Yes, that means avocado toast is overrated as well. Sure, a perfectly ripe avocado with just a little salt is wonderful - and comes with some nutritional benefits as well. However, rarely do you get them at that perfect moment. And even more rarely is avocados mashed up on a piece of toast worth the crazy price restaurants charge for it. Sure, guacamole is awesome, but can we also agree that most of the taste and flavor in guacamole comes from the other ingredients?

Risotto is a classic Italian creamy rice dish that can be quite tasty - we’re not denying that. However, risotto, while tasty, is generally pretty one note. As New York chef Jared Gadbaw put it, with risotto it does feel like “the same bite over and over again.” And we guess if that bite is amazing, then that wouldn’t be a problem. It’s a simple dish, but maybe deceptively simple, because it's also easy to mess up. As Gadbaw went on to say, risotto “is rarely prepared as it should be.”

We can start with the fact that although it’s right there in the name, grapefruits taste nothing like grapes. However, nomenclature deception aside, grapefruits are still a somewhat controversial fruit. Sure, there are many who love them, but there are also many who hate the stuff - as the Reddit thread “Grapefruit is absolutely horrible” indicates. With that in mind the overratedness of grapefruit might come down to which side of the “absolutely horrible” fence you land on. However, putting taste aside, there is also the fact that consuming too much grapefruit can interact poorly with some medications - which is not something you want to underrate.

If Chrissy Teigen was ranking this list (and wouldn’t it be super cool if she was) hummus wouldn’t just be on the list - it would probably be at number one. Teigen has talked multiple times about her dislike for hummus - going so far as to call it “the most overrated snack-category food alive.” And while we think that might be too harsh a statement, we’re definitely on board with it being overrated. Sure, we enjoy some veggies and pita chips with some hummus, but it feels like these days hummus is being hailed as the greatest spread/dip one could ever imagine. And we just have to say… it isn’t.

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#11: Blue Cheese

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Let’s make one thing clear. When it comes to chicken wings, not only is blue cheese dip not overhyped, it is a necessity. But while that strong flavor is the perfect accompaniment to wings, things have gotten a little out of control as far as the cheese’s use in other culinary creations. You love blue cheese so you think a burger with blue cheese will be amazing or maybe a pasta dish with a blue cheese sauce. However, that strong flavor we love is also part of the problem. Because it can easily take over any dish it’s a part of - often overpowering the rest of the flavors and making it very one note. One blue cheesy note.

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#10: Dark Chocolate

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If the hype is to be believed, dark chocolate isn’t just better for you than milk chocolate, it might be one of the healthiest things you can eat. From lowering your blood pressure, to protecting your heart and even improving your eyesight, dark chocolate has been given the “superfood” moniker by many over the last few years. Now, we aren’t saying it’s all fake news, because the truth is that dark chocolate does have some benefits. However, it is also still chocolate - with sugar and fats and calories, so moderation is still the name of the game here. And adding dark chocolate to granola, snack bars, trail mix, etc, doesn’t automatically make it “healthy.”

Imagine that once upon a time lobster was the food of peasants and prisoners. It’s true, that uber-expensive dish you see on the menu at your favorite seafood restaurant was once referred to as “poor man’s chicken.” There was even once a revolt among indentured servants in protest of having to eat it so often. And yet somehow that same lobster is now revered as a delicacy worthy of a healthy portion of most of our paychecks. Expensive and not that tasty without loads of butter and/or other accouterments. You might be a wonderful metaphor for Ross and Rachel’s destiny - but culinarily we have one word for you lobster… overrated.

Sure, when we go to the deli and order a sandwich, there better be a pickle on the side. And a Big Mac wouldn’t be the same without the pickles either. However, just because they’re perfect in a few food situations, doesn’t mean they are needed or wanted in so many others. That sour taste has its place, but that place isn’t everywhere. And let’s also be honest about how awkward it is to watch someone eat a pickle. Probably something best done in private or with someone that you love and that truly loves you back. Hashtag - No judgments.

It seems like these days you can’t talk about healthy eating and not mention kale. Kale this and kale that, everyone is putting kale in everything. As far as nutrition goes, this leafy green is being touted as the best thing since spinach. But is it? Well, that depends. If you’re looking for more vitamin C, then yes. But if you’re hoping to increase your folate and vitamins A and K - well, then spinach is still the one to choose. We’re not here to diss kale - just to point out it isn’t the end-all be-all of healthy eating. So, go ahead and add some spinach to that kale salad.

It’s ok, you can say it…. Nutella is overpraised. While it might seem like everyone around you and everyone you meet loves the stuff, the truth is there are a lot of us never-Nutella folks out there. From Quora posts to Reddit boards to lengthy articles listing one reason after another why it’s not all it’s supposed to be, Nutella isn’t the universally beloved spread you might’ve thought it was. From the weird aftertaste to the fact that it isn’t chocolate, people’s reasons for disliking Nutella vary. And yet it’s hard to escape it - whether it be on the grocery store shelves or the dessert menu - Nutella versions of after dinner sweets abound. But it just needs to stop.

There’s no denying the elegance of a perfectly baked macaron. The shape, the colors, the layers all make for a wonderful visual experience. And when you eat one, the chewy outer meringue cookies combined with the filling in between, make for a unique flavor and textural experience. Now, we will admit that it is a texture that not everyone loves and the flavor can be quite strong on the sweet side of things. However, even those of us who enjoy a macaron are always shocked by how much they cost. Based on price alone, there are few who can deny that macarons are overvalued.

It’s hard to resist the allure of a chef finishing off a plate with a few slivers of dark truffle. However, it’s also hard to resist dining and dashing when you get the bill. One of the most expensive foods around, truffles are scarce, seasonal and not easily cultivated. With that being said, those truffle slivers - they actually don’t taste like much. Yes, truffle oil has loads of that rich, earthy taste that - as one food writer put it, “Have one bite, it’s amazing. But after a few, it’s too much.” So, while truffle mac and cheese, truffle hot dogs or salad with truffles all sound appealing - in actuality it’s probably going to be excessive - and we’re not just talking about the price.

We wouldn’t go so far as one forum commentator, who called them “salty snot.” Still, we do appreciate the “love them or hate them” feelings that oysters bring to the culinary table. But while those on the “hate them” side will undoubtedly cheer for their inclusion on our list, some on the other side of the argument might agree with the overratedness as well. Especially given that they can actually make you sick. Raw and undercooked oysters can contain all manner of germs - primarily Vibrio. The CDC estimates that every year in the United States 80,000 people get vibriosis—and 100 people die from it.

Wait! Before you swear at us and walk away in anger, just hear us out. Allow us to restate that this list isn’t about food that isn’t good. Because, to quote Vincent Vega, “Bacon tastes good.” With eggs in the morning or on a burger, bacon is almost perfect. And come on, bacon puts the “B” in BLT. However, this is about overrated food, and on that front you have to mention bacon, if only for the brash declaration that we’ve all heard that “bacon makes everything better.” How could anything live up to a statement like that? These days people have gone too far with stuff like bacon lollipops and bacon gumballs. And yes, bacon massage oil and bacon soda are also things.

Few foods scream “luxury” as loudly as caviar does. Especially the good stuff like Beluga, the most prestigious caviar in the world that sells for upwards of $200 per ounce. To many out there the texture and saltiness isn’t very appealing, which makes this another one of those love it or hate it dishes. Although at those prices you gotta really, really, really love it for it not to be overpriced. And personally we can think of a lot more appealing foods to spend our next $200 on than sturgeon roe.

So, tell us: we can handle it. Which one of our food takes is overrated?