Crunchy teen trend: what parents need to know
Has wellness gone too far?
Quick summary
- The "crunchy teen" trend is gaining traction on socials, promoting a hyper-natural lifestyle that can sometimes veer into misinformation
- Some teens are inspired by it, but the pressure to be "perfectly natural" can cause anxiety and guilt
- As a parent, you can help by encouraging open conversations, critical thinking, and guiding them toward trusted health advice, like the luna app
What is a crunchy teen?
We’re pretty sure this aesthetic comes from essentially people who like to eat "crunchy granola" for health.
The trend itself encourages natural living, from clean eating to herbal remedies and eco-conscious choices.
On social media, it's often mixed with a minimalist, cottagecore look: linen clothes, home-grown food, DIY skincare.
But every account is different and the crunchy teen accounts are often more focused on playful, casual and fun ways to talk about wellness.
Some content is positive, promoting self-care and environmental awareness. But others may promote:
- Anti-vax or anti-medical messages hidden under the guise of "natural" advice – for example, suggesting garlic or herbs can replace prescribed medication
- Food fear and pseudoscientific hacks – such as advising teens to avoid all "toxins" in packaged food, or follow restrictive diets with no scientific basis; some extreme content promotes harmful trends, similar to the almond mum mindset, where overly rigid food rules and body shaming are disguised as “healthy eating” or a "healthy mindset"
- Pressure to be perfect – implying you're only healthy if you're 100% natural, organic, and self-disciplined at all times
Why are teens drawn to the crunchy teen trend?
Some teens see crunchy influencers as aspirational, relatable or funny.
These influencers may present a calming, picture-perfect lifestyle that contrasts with the fast pace and noise of other online content.
Or they’re simply very likeable and fun to watch.
And for teens trying to carve out their own identity, it can feel empowering to "opt out" of the mainstream and do things differently.
This isn’t necessarily bad, but when this spirals into guilt, fear, or obsessive behaviour, like tracking every ingredient, skipping medical advice, extreme dieting like with salt water flushing, or fearing normal snacks, it can harm a teen’s self-esteem and relationship with their body.
What can you do as a parent about the crunchy teen trend?
First: don’t panic.
Not all “crunchy” content is dangerous.
But if your teen starts skipping meals, questioning medicine they need, or spiralling into food anxiety, it’s worth checking in with them.
You could try:
- Starting a neutral chat: ask what they've seen and what they think about it
- Encouraging curiosity: who’s behind the advice? Is it evidence-based or sponsored?
- Reassuring them about balance: wanting to be healthy is great, but being happy and flexible matters too – having cake now and again is totally fine too
- Offering up reliable resources: like the luna app, which shares fact-checked advice without the scare tactics
How luna can help
luna gives your teen a calm, supportive space to ask health questions, about anything from periods to mental wellbeing.
Our team of doctors offer honest, clear answers, but there’s no scare-mongering. Just science and support.
If your teen is getting swept up in the crunchy teen trend, luna can help them sort the good from the questionable, in a kind way and with zero judgement.
What can you take away from this?
Trends like the crunchy teen aesthetic can shape how young people see themselves and their health.
This can sometimes be for the better, but not always.
There’s no need to panic if your teen is engaging with this kind of content, but keep the conversation going with them and look out for signs they are struggling – you can then take action if needed.
How we created this article:
luna's team of experts comprises GPs, Dermatologists, Safeguarding Leads and Junior Doctors as well as Medical Students with specialised interests in paediatric care, mental health and gynaecology. All articles are created by experts, and reviewed by a member of luna's senior review team.
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