People Are Confused Over Whether or Not You Can Eat Crocs

Crocs have been a household name since 2004, when they made their unassuming debut during a Florida boating event. And while none of us likely expected them to become an enduring style beloved by elementary school children and retirees alike, that's exactly what happened with the versatile shoe. But, the most surprising thing about Crocs isn't their growing popularity and ever increasing versatility, it's the never ending rumor that you can eat your Crocs shoes.

People have been convinced that the shoes everyone loves to hate will serve as a quick bite to eat in a pinch for so long that people have reached out to the company to find out if there's any truth to the story. You're going to want to read this before you go grab you knife and fork though, because the truth of the matter may come as a surprise!

While yes, you can physically cut off a piece of shoe and swallow it, it's not something you should do, as Crocs are not edible, and should never be eaten.

The company's Director of Global Communications, Melissa Layton, offered her take on the question in a 2022 Vice interview, where she said that the company takes a very strong stance when it comes to this rumor. According to Layton, their answer is no, you cannot and should not eat your Crocs. But, despite this very clear and direct response, it seems like rumors refuse to die.

As with any modern myth, this one can be traced back to a post online. In 2006, someone posted to the Straight Dope message board saying that they had emailed Crocs to find out if the shoes were edible and were told that the shoes had "little, if any, nutritional value" as part of the response. That wording was apparently enough to spark the rumor about the shoes being edible, and thus an urban legend was born.

While the Vice story noted that there have been plenty of folks who have tried to eat the shoes over the years, including Kendall Jenner who took a bite of the shoe during an appearance on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon as part of a "Food or Not Food" segment, the shoes remain inedible.

Part of the reason why these rumors won't go away likely has to do with the materials used to make Crocs, which are advertised as being bio-based and nontoxic. In fact, they're made mostly out of feedstock, which sounds edible enough and is typically crafted using plant-based materials like straw, and is lead- and phthalate-free.

While all of that is enough to add fuel to the edible Crocs fire, those in the know warn that you shouldn't let any of that fool you into thinking you can satisfy your hanger pangs by noshing on the controversial clog. Instead, the only way these shoes should play any role in your meal prep is when you slip them on before running to the grocery store to grab some actual food.