If you think of the memes as this whimsical online lingo to communicate the momentum of our everyday lives, it shouldn’t surprise you that food has a special place in memes. After all, it’s something universally relatable, which makes it a quintessential aspect of our lives.

But food has become exceptionally important in 2020, the year of the worldwide pandemic which turned the things we took for granted upside down. Before it, we never thought twice of leisurely indulgences, like dining with friends, dressing up for a restaurant, eating with a date, grabbing takeaway on a late night out, having family barbeque and so on.

Once an everyday occasion, it became a symbol of a liberating experience, of a “normal” world reminiscent of the days prior to the pandemic.

No wonder that as soon as the restrictions were lifted and people were finally able to return to normal, most of us went straight to the restaurants. The feeling of ordering food at the table was something we all were craving for all this miserable year.

Meanwhile, a recent study has shown that during the time of quarantining and social distancing, Americans have chosen to eat like kids again. No matter gender, age or location, feel-good, nostalgic food has made perhaps the biggest comeback of all time.  

The comeback of comfort food came with an uptick in such favorites as pizza (55%), hamburgers (48%), ice cream (46%), French fries (45%), mac and cheese (38%), spaghetti and meatballs (32%) and others. The survey also showed that 41% reach for comfort food to bring happiness. Moreover, 90% of respondents said that their online and social searches for food inspiration have increased during the pandemic.

Hence the recent surge in food-related memes. From baking fails to hilarious DIY restaurant editions, from sharing funny restaurant reviews and their snapback responses to tweeting funny nutrition-related one-liners, people found joy in uniting over food.