The World Ain’t All Grilled Cheese and Rainbows

The latest food craze isn’t pumpkin-spiced and doesn’t come in a mason jar. It’s actually not even a food at all—it’s a color—seven of them, to be exact.

I saw it first with Brooklyn’s The Bagel Store Rainbow Bagels, who I believe are to thank (blame?) for the colorful trend. They’ve become so popular that, unless you live near their shop, you have to sign up for a waiting list just to order their bagels. Scott Rosillo, the store’s “Bagel Artist,” will even custom-create your own rainbow bagel with the colors of your choice. Rosillo said that he wants to influence his industry, but he has started something much bigger than bagels.

Rainbows have turned into revenue, and thus, a trend has begun.

Kala Toast in Hong Kong started an outcry on social media with their rainbow grilled cheese. When you pull apart the bread, a rainbow of cheesy goodness appears. But the colors aren’t just the working of food dye: they each have an infused flavor (lavender, basil, tomato, or “cheese” flavor—which, okay, is not really a “cheese-flavored” cheese but a mixture of four different cheeses to ensure full cheese capacity in your sandwich). Their motto? Have a Kala-ful day.

Now, the dyes have intruded (or joyfully collaborated with?) our beloved mac and cheese. I guess it doesn’t seem that crazy when most store brands already have an unnatural shade of basketball orange going on, but it still feels a little personal to mess with an already perfect meal.
All it takes to create this rainbow comfort food is a few separate mixes of the classic with a little food dye added.

Photo Credit: Nerdist

Something I probably could get on board with, though, is rainbow cheesecake. It’s really hard to ruin cheesecake. Actually, I think this might be the one where the rainbow effect actually enhances the cheese.

Photo Credit: Kraft

Even with all the hype, not everyone is welcoming this trend. Buzzfeed even wrote an article about why rainbow foods need to be stopped. But, if you’re pro-rainbow and have food coloring and cheese sitting in your fridge, here’s how to make your own. Don’t forget to hashtag #rainbowgrilledcheese, since sharing a picture is 90 percent of a rainbow meal’s worth.

Feature Photo Credit: Lady Iron Chef

Becca McGilloway

Becca McGilloway studied Writing, Literature, and Publishing at Emerson College. When she isn't on the hunt for the latest cheese-permeated vegetarian recipe on Pinterest, she's probably binge-watching Gilmore Girls on Netflix.