Adapted by:
Alba Otero
Writer“Observe, listen, and reflect” is my journalistic mantra. This philosophy guides me daily and ensures I produce quality journalism. My restlessness has led me explore new areas, such as sustainability and the energy transition, which are crucial to our future. In addition, I’ve also dabbled in street photography, an art that allows me to capture the essence of journalism in action.
Karen Alfaro
WriterCommunications professional with a decade of experience as a copywriter, proofreader, and editor. As a travel and science journalist, I've collaborated with several print and digital outlets around the world. I'm passionate about culture, music, food, history, and innovative technologies.
During the ten years that the iconic show Friends was on the air, actress Jennifer Aniston ate the same salad every day on set without fail. The recipe included chickpeas, chopped chicken or turkey, turkey bacon, hard-boiled eggs, tomatoes, avocado, scallions, watercress, cheddar cheese, and mixed lettuce, tossed with vinaigrette, and topped with crumbled Roquefort.
This salad, which her co-stars christened “The Jennifer Salad,” was more than just a meal. It was a system for avoiding the mental drain of deciding what to eat each day. It was about simplicity and time-saving—an idea that’s gaining momentum again today.
Human kibble. A food trend has emerged on TikTok that takes this idea of simplifying food to another level. It’s called “human kibble,” and as the name suggests, it’s a meal that resembles pet food because it never changes. According to Health, the trend began with TikTok user @myfoodisme2, who says he’s lived on this mixture for over five years.
In his videos, he mixes the same ingredients: chicken, chopped vegetables, legumes, and grains—cooked and stored in a large container. The idea is to prepare a week’s worth of food in one go, avoiding daily cooking and decision-making.
Always the same. One inevitable question comes to mind: When did we stop seeing food as a pleasure and start viewing it solely as fuel? In a world obsessed with productivity and time optimization, eating the same meal every day is gaining popularity. It’s a mindset similar to the OMAD diet, where you eat only once a day.
But there’s a deeper issue. Can eating the same thing daily be healthy? According to Healthline, some nutritionists warn that a monotonous diet can lead to nutrient deficiencies. Dietitian Tamara Duker Freuman told Healthline that, in the case of the “human kibble” trend, the lack of variety and seasoning can reduce the enjoyment of food, potentially triggering a negative relationship with eating over time.
Similarly, a repetitive diet can harm the gut microbiome—closely tied to mood regulation, according to National Geographic.
The flip side. While the “human kibble” trend simplifies food by repeating a single meal weekly, mindful meal planning offers a less extreme approach. It balances simplicity with variety, helps control ingredients, and supports better nutrition. Planning your meals in advance also lowers the temptation to default to the same dish repeatedly.
Fuel for the body. Streamlining your diet might save time and boost performance. But what about the joy of cooking, savoring, and sharing a meal? Have we become people who just “refuel” instead of taking pleasure in nourishing our bodies and minds?
Image | Jasmin Schreiber (Unsplash)
Related | Resisting the Temptation to Buy Junk Food Is No Easy Task. This Online Tool Aims to Help You
View 0 comments