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6 Min
13/02/2026
The year 2016 has had a massive revival, and for a good reason! In an information-saturated online world, with algorithms watching your every move, novelty is quite missed. 2016, though, was defined by boldness, especially on Instagram, which was just about taking off in popularity. With fashion and liberty the theme of that era, the internet just about lived unfiltered through freakshakes, rainbow foods, galaxy-themed items and more.
With burnout being met with burnout literally everywhere, in social circles and even on social media, the internet is collectively craving a less controlled media. It was a new age, the year 2016, where people lived unfiltered on the web and actually did not care or think twice before posting. Certain foods like matcha, extra cheese and rolled ice cream were trending, and avocado was just sprouting baby hair in the world of food trends. So, here’s reliving nostalgia and iconic foodstuff from 2016, some gone but not forgotten and some still here and cherished.
As ‘extra’ was the unofficial theme of 2016, here’s kicking off the list with the most outrageous one of them all – a freakshake. This is a milkshake that went all out, with its presentation or rather, the topping. Think cookies, burger, marshmallow fluff with whipped cream and chocolate sauce - it had it all or a mix of most. It’s like the milkshake donned one of the fancy birthday hats Violet Bridgerton (from the Bridgerton series) owns, a family heirloom from her dad, but more extra. It’s great for show, and if you can stomach it, then you can eat the entire sugar-loaded glory.
The number one trending food from the rainbow trend here is the rainbow burrito, which remains fresh in the minds of the teary-eyed nostalgics. There was also grilled cheese, rainbow sliders, and shakes. Around the same time he unicorn trend also took its rightful place, beside rainbow foods and fashion. It seems 2016 was also the year of celebrating childhood fantasies, with vividly coloured food, playful moulds, and more. India also jumped on the trend, and rainbow-food showed up in fancy cafe and local mithai shops with rainbow sandwiches, and sweets, respectively.
If freakshakes were the chaotic party kids of 2016, açai bowls were the Pilates-going, green-juice-carrying cousins. Thick, smoothie-like blends of Brazilian açai berries served in bowls and topped with granola, banana slices, chia seeds, coconut flakes and whatever else screamed ‘I have my life together’ in a high-pitched tone. They looked expensive, tasted fresh, and it was the perfect meal for those wanting to eat healthy and refresh their palate. It was a reflection of the wellness trend that was creeping into mainstream food culture. Açai bowls still reign supreme, but more variations have come in, making it simpler and more accessible.
This is not some fancy term for a frilly undergarment, but for the ‘melted cheese thingie’ that dominated 2016 feeds. In a move straight out of a modern American horror film, a serve comes with half a wheel of cheese that is heated on one end. Itpiles up the melted cheese on a plate filled with anything from meat, seafood to vegetables. Some even melted a whole lot of cheese in a pan and poured it over meat or fries. The year 2016 was the year of everything extra, and this cheese trend proves that.
Every trend starts somewhere, and matcha started its global dominance somewhere around 2014 or 2015, and by 2016, it was there to rule the charts of viral foods forever. This was driven by wellness trends and the fact that bright and bold colours were trending back then. Matcha is an acquired taste and a thing that might be healthy, but it does not necessarily taste good. And still, matcha dominated doughnuts, shakes, ice creams, and more. The taste is fairly tolerable for some when sugar is introduced to the mix.
While Turkish ice cream makers were trending with their tomfoolery tricks, some special ice cream makers were creating art with ice cream. Ice cream, like pizza dough, was stretched and spread into a sheet on an ice-cold steel slab, and then rolled into little tubes and topped with colourful toppings. It was a low-key dish, making for an elegant dessert. Watching it happen was half the thrill, and customisation made it more fun. Served upright in cups like edible scrolls, it felt futuristic in 2016.
Because moderation simply was not invited to 2016. Burrito was already popular, and then, this spinoff happened – burrito sandwiches, which took everything chaotic about wraps and stuffed it between bread that could barely cope. Layers of rice, beans, meats, cheese, sauces and sometimes fries, all pressed, grilled or just aggressively assembled. It was handheld excess in all its messy, heavy, and unapologetic glory. The kind of thing you ordered when diets were theoretical and gym memberships were aspirational. It blurred cuisines, ignored structure and fully embraced the ‘more is more’ energy dominating feeds at the time.
Before it became a personality trait, avocado toast was the café order of 2016. The most basic avocado toast needs a thick-cut sourdough, generously smashed avocado, or artfully sliced one, chilli flakes, lemon, sea salt, and, if you are feeling indulgent, a perfectly poached egg wobbling on top. It was simple but aesthetic, and unlike freakshakes and the raclette chaos, avocado toast felt grown-up, kind of feeding a transitional phase, leaving childhood behind and embracing adulthood as school and college ended and responsibility came knocking.
2016 was chaotic, excessive and completely unserious, and that’s why many adults miss its presence, especially in the midst of excessively moderated feeds. It was a time when aesthetic, the loud, messy, and unique kind, took over curated feeds and plates. And it was when experimenting wasn’t a trend to hop on, but a genuine desire. Even though some of these 2016 dishes have gone out of focus, the desire to experiment can definitely make a comeback.
