Why, oh why, do we love poke bowls? Is it because of their simplicity? There’s very little prep other than opening cans and chopping, and cleanup is basically washing a bowl and fork. But there has to be more than that to why we’re obsessed with poke bowls. (Aching to make one of my favorite poke bowls? Check out this recipe for my Spicy Chickpea Poke Bowl with Sriracha Kick!) the early 2000s, American foodies opened their eyes to Italian slow eating, and this transitioned over time into what we now call “mindful eating.” Then charcuterie boards came back in style, where cooks draw on their artistic skills to arrange foods on platters. Poke bowls were a natural next move, intertwining the desire to build a beautiful meal of fresh foods. 

Let’s not forget, too, our need to film our food, and share our photos and videos with the world. Think about how pretty the pictures of poke bowls come out. The visually appealing arrangement of colorful ingredients in a bowl, often layered and topped with various sauces and textures, makes for great photos and social media sharing. Anyone can appreciate how these dishes present beautifully and garner online engagement.

Poke bowls are also incredibly easy to customize and control. We build our bowls to cater to our individual preferences and dietary needs. “I basically grab what’s in the fridge and put it on my bowl,” a woman named Krissy told me over brunch last Saturday. She said she made a fruit poke one day, when she only had pineapple, strawberries, and oranges in the fridge. 

People can choose their own base (grains like rice or couscous, salad greens, or even a thick soup), proteins, vegetables, toppings, and dressings to create a personalized meal that aligns with their tastes and dietary restrictions. 

Because of all this customization and choice, bowls fit well with popular dietary trends like vegetarianism, veganism, keto, and gluten-free eating. My pescetarian boyfriend loves to top his with salmon. 

And there’s no judgements with poke bowl ingredients. If I were to invite boomer friends over, I’d probably have sliced hot dogs or browned ground beef to suit their flavor preferences. 

Poke bowls are also likely to be popular because of their portability and convenience. Bowls are typically single-serving, easy to eat on the go, and less messy than a plate with multiple components. Food doesn’t tend to slide out of a bowl — unlike food on a plate. You can easily eat a poke bowl from your car.

Bowls offer a wide range of flavor combinations and textures. The mix of warm and cold, crunchy and soft, sweet and savory creates a dynamic eating experience that can be more exciting than a traditional meat-and-potatoes plate.

Bowls often highlight fresh, high-quality ingredients, which aligns with modern values of sustainability and local sourcing.

It’s true that poke ingredients tend to be Asian inspired, but you can draw inspiration from diverse cuisines, allowing for exploration of flavors from around the world.

Ultimately, the appeal of building bowls lies in their combination of aesthetics, customization, convenience, and health-conscious options, factors that resonate with foodies today.