Avocado toast and chia: 2016's food icons—still ruling 2026

Right now Instagram feels like a curated time machine: overexposed vacation shots from Bali, past fashion faux pas, and the inescapable chant of "2026 is the new 2016." The trend? Unearthing and sharing photos from exactly ten years ago. Even Germany’s public broadcaster Tagesschau has joined in, posting what shaped the world back then. At first glance, it’s pure nostalgia. A closer look reveals a societal mood meter—longing for 2016’s carefree vibe. But was everything truly better then, and has so much really changed? Culinary trends from that year offer telling clues.