This Is Not How You Use a Toaster

Do you consider yourself pretty savvy when it comes to internet scams? You would never respond to an email from a supposed Nigerian prince with your bank account info, for instance. But deep within the wilds of the web, an even more sinister force is lurking: suspiciously cheery food bloggers who want you to put sweet potatoes in your toaster. Do not, under any circumstances, fall for this racket.

This dubious new food trend goes by the name of "sweet potato toast," but it is not in fact toast. It is slices of raw sweet potato that are inexplicably inserted into the slots of a toaster and then topped with dubious ingredients such as sliced avocado or tuna salad. Tuna salad. A sweet potato topped with tuna salad isn’t "toast," it’s cruel and unusual punishment.

Meals don't get any easier than toast when you're suffering with Mondayitis, but if you don't eat bread, how about #sweetpotatotoast? This one's by @thisishowimomdotcom. What will you put on yours? #glutenfree #vego #nutrition

A photo posted by Women's Health Australia (@womenshealthaus) on Jun 19, 2016 at 6:55pm PDT

People has been so thoroughly duped by this idea that they constructed an entire slideshow out of it: "13 Sweet Potato Toast Recipes You'll Want to Devour." A more appropriate name for this listicle would be "13 Ways to Ruin Your Toaster (and Your Life)."

Toasters are for bread and bread products, and perhaps the occasional Eggo. They are not for sweet potatoes. Subbing sweet potatoes for bread is like saying "Oh hey, I ran out of peanut butter so here I made you a mayonnaise and grape jelly sandwich!" Do not be fooled.