In praise of beige food

Beige is not a color that inspires – it is most often associated with words like dull, drab, boring, and bland. This is true even when you extend it to the food world. Instagram is not exactly brimming with glam shots of plain porridge or buttered noodles or an unadorned piece of toast. These foods get zhuzhed up with vividly colored accessories: plump berries, glistening vegetables, swirls of avocado spread. But beige foods deserve to be celebrated for many reasons.

The first of these is that beige foods are the little black dress of the culinary world. They are appropriate for every occasion from breakfast to a late night snack. And like the little black dress, they can be dolled up for special occasions or worn alone. What could be more satisfying than a slice of freshly baked bread with a smear of salted butter? It doesn’t get more drab looking than that, but oh, what a delight. Speaking of bread, Jacques Pepin recently shared one of his favorite ways to use stale bread – as a savory pancake. Another beige food FTW.

Another reason to celebrate these nondescript foods is because they provide comfort. When you are under the weather, eating a warm bowl of oatmeal, noshing on some buttered noodles, or even nibbling on saltines can be the perfect antidote to what ails you. Plus beige foods are often easy to make, which is great when you do not feel like fussing. Porridge is uncomplicated.

As a bonus, beige foods are, generally speaking, inexpensive. Whether bread, rice, noodle, or potatoes, buying a beige food rarely wrecks the grocery budget. They can be healthy, too – jacket potatoes, brown rice, and oatmeal provide plenty of vitamins and fiber. True, not every beige food is a nutrition powerhouse, but plenty of them are. Here’s a toast to beige foods: may they always be abundant.