If you’ve spent at least one of the last three years in America alive, you’ve probably noticed some different variation of pumpkin product. Pumpkin spice chicken sausage, Pumpkin Spice Eggo Waffles, Thomas’ Pumpkin Spice Bagels, and most tragic of all—Philadephia Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese. Since when did pumpkin leggo our eggos? What is the relationship between the New England pumpkin and the New York bagel? Who ever thought that cream cheese should integrate with pumpkin? When did the mania begin, and when will it end?
Sure, pumpkins may “technically” be fruit in the same way tomatoes are technically fruit (scientifically fruit, but culturally and emotionally—total vegetables). They, along with kale, ramps, and the highly overblown “frisee,” belong to a long a line of fresh produce that go spontaneously viral for no apparent reason. Some of the causes may be seasonal (“Want to taste autumn? Eat Pumpkin Eggos”), others based on hysterical scientific claims, while still others trend for ridiculously adorable reasons. Here’s a quick look at vegetable and pseudo-vegetable viral history—some of it based in real scientific fact, others grounded in outright nutritional hysteria.
Screenshots of the man talking to the camera and with his momTikTok | 
Screenshots of the bakery Image Source: TikTok | 
A woman hands out food to a homeless personCanva
A female artist in her studioCanva
A woman smiling in front of her computerCanva 
A woman holds a cup of coffee while looking outside her windowCanva 
A woman flexes her bicepCanva 
A woman cooking in her kitchenCanva 
Two women console each otherCanva 
Two women talking to each otherCanva 
Two people having a lively conversationCanva 
Two women embrace in a hugCanva 
A reddit commentReddit | 
A Reddit commentReddit | 
A Reddit commentReddit | 
Stressed-out employee stares at their computerCanva
Who knows what adventures the bottle had before being discovered. 
Gif of young girl looking at someone suspiciously via 
A bartender makes a drinkCanva