Culture

The Normcore Diet: 10 Foods for People Who Don't Want to Stand Out

Enough with the specially made foods with their delicious and varied "flavors." Today we launch the normcore diet of safe, sane, sedate dining
Image may contain Plant Food Breakfast Oatmeal and Bread

Is Normcore really a thing? Are you Normcore? How Normcore are you?

These are really important things to think about. Normcore is not just about clothes; it's about lifestyle. That's why we're here. To help you be Normcore not just in your jeans, or your baseball caps, or your cargo shorts, but also in the aisles of your local Whole Foods. Normcore really lends itself to food, because food is such a normal thing to be interested in. The trend right now, per a bunch of people, is embracing sameness. Engaging with the normal things around you. How does this apply to food? Well, here's the thing. To the untrained eye, Normcore food is almost indistinguishable from "normal" food. That's why I—Bon Appétit's Chief Normcore Correspondent—am here, to help you identify Normcore foods. Here are some examples.

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    Facebook: Pinkberry
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    Pinkberry

    One feature of Normcore is adaptability to normal things around you. For instance, Pinkberry. It's often nearby, and it's Normcore because the toppings are all very standard things, like cereal and strawberries.

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    Flickr: amylovesyah
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    Chips and Salsa

    A classic Normcore appetizer.

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    Flickr: vanhookc
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    Bottled Water

    We're 70 percent water, so what could be more normal that that?

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    Caesar Salad

    It's embraced by many different crowds, and it's very flexible: Add chicken and it's a meal; serve it in a small chilled bowl and it's a side.

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    Chicken Fajitas

    Great weeknight meal.

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    Yogurt

    It's, like, the most normal thing you can eat.

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    Facebook: Chop't
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    Chop't

    The salad version of Pinkberry.

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    Quinoa

    This kind of depends on what your 'normal' is. For an NYC young person, quinoa and kale are two true staples of the diet.

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    Flickr: thegirlsny
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    Bread Bowls

    A great way to eat soup.

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    Facebook: Taco Bell
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    Taco Bell

    Normcore adherents may be actively engaged in the foodie world, but they're not limited to the artisanal qualities of the food. Maybe they shop at Whole Foods, but they can also go to Taco Bell. They might make two stops: One at Whole Foods and one at Key Foods.

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