Tide can try to tell people all it wants not to eat Tide Pods, but it won’t make the little poison pillows look any less delicious.
The toxic nibble that looks like candy has turned the internet into Tide Pod connoisseurs, and finally, you can bite into the forbidden fruit at Vinnie’s Pizzeria in Brooklyn.
They’re well known for pop culture-themed menu specials (Kebabadook on Halloween or X-Wings for Star Wars fans?), as well as the instantly viral pizza topped with mini pizzas served in a box made of pizza.
And now, out of concern “about the youths,” according to their Twitter announcement, behold the Pied Pod and the magic of a little food coloring:
Introducing: PIEd Pods. Listen. We’re concerned about the youths. They’re eating laundry detergent pods. Our Pied Pods (filled w/cheese and roni) have that bright, alluring colors that youths crave BUT are 100% edible and 100% not soap. Plus they’re delicious. #vinniesbrooklyn pic.twitter.com/ck4eni31VX
— Vinnie’s Pizzeria (@vinniesbrooklyn) January 18, 2018
They’re not the only ones satisfying our primal need for the toxic gummies. Hurts Donut in Nebraska has created a doughnut frosted to look like a Tide Pod, while an intrepid Tumblr user has posted a recipe for creating your own totally edible version.
Why do Tide Pods look tasty?
People being tempted to eat Tide Pods is as old as the product itself, and some have actually died from it. But this time around, the fad has reached a next level, with YouTube trying to fight a trend of Tide Pod Challenge videos.
Not since Bath & Body Works’ vanilla-scented lotions have we been so tempted to eat the inedible. So why are we so irresistibly compelled to eat Tide Pods?
The simple answer is that they look like candy, but there’s actually an evolutionary angle to your cravings.
Even grown-ups look at Tide Pods as delicious morsels because they look, feel and smell like a piece of fruit. Their floral scent, shiny exterior, berry-like colors and soft texture all mimic citrus and berries.
And we probably don’t have to tell you that sweetness is directly wired to the pleasure center of your brain.
Procter & Gamble, the maker of Tide Pods, has tried to fix at least that last part in the past: In 2015 Tide added a bitter coating to the packaging of Tide Pods to discourage children (and the rest of us) from eating them.
Hey @TheRealAsswolf want some Forbidden Fruit Pizza (hint: it ain’t pineapple!!) pic.twitter.com/hYml9CFnbB
— 10% Sass 90% Scarf (@The_Sass_Hole) December 30, 2017
What would happen if you ate a Tide Pod?
It’s practically become the full-time job of Tide’s social media team to plead with people to drink milk and call a Poison Control Center if they’ve eaten Tide Pods.
And while nobody actually needs to be told not to eat soap (right?), what would happen if you did eat an actual Tide Pod? Even just a little taste?
The consequences range from irritation in your mouth if you bite down on the Pod to burning your insides. And inhaling the concentrated detergent is even worse — it’s a major irritant to your lungs.
So seriously guys, we’re saying this with our serious faces in the most clear and necessary way: Do. Not. Eat. Tide Pods.
But by all means please keep making edible versions of forbidden fruit. Like this Porg made out of rice! Chewbacca can now chow down with a clear conscience.
