No, Food Prepared During A Solar Eclipse Isn't Poisonous
If you don't already have a reminder set for the upcoming total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, now might be the time. According to NASA, the cosmic phenomenon will be at least partially visible to the entire United States, with 13 states spanning from Texas to Maine landing in the path of totality where the full eclipse can be viewed.
Those living in the Central Time Zone of the path of totality can expect to see the moon's temporary blockage of the sun between 12:30 p.m. and 3:20 p.m. In comparison, residents of the Eastern Time Zone will get the show from around 2 p.m. to 4:45 p.m —a timeframe otherwise known as lunchtime, meaning that some viewers might hear their tummies grumbling a bit as they take in the celestial event.
With rumors swirling around the internet that any food prepared during a solar eclipse will be rendered poisonous due to radiation produced by solar rays, you might feel apprehensive about fixing yourself a bite to eat during the spectacle. However, you have nothing to fear, dear Mashed reader. This is just another one of those cooking myths you should never believe. NASA itself even debunked this myth ahead of the previous solar eclipse in 2017. "If that were the case, the same radiations would harm the food in your pantry, or crops in the field," the organization explained. As if that wasn't good news enough, several food deals will be running during the solar eclipse, too.
You don't need special glasses to score these solar eclipse foods and deals
Now that you know it's safe to eat food prepared during a solar eclipse, you may be wondering what to make for the rare celestial event. DIY Cosmic Brownie cereal and copycat Denny's Moon's Over My Hammy are two potential snacks you could whip up. However, if you want to stay focused on what's going on in the sky, there are a number of restaurants offering special solar eclipse deals. Burger King, for example, is offering buy-one-get-one-free Whoppers from April 8 through April 15 to Royal Perks members who text the code "ECLIPSE" to 251251. Additionally, Pizza Hut will be dolling out large pies for just $12 in honor of the event.
As for special treats, Krispy Kreme announced that it is partnering with Oreo for the release of a Total Solar Eclipse Donut. Available from April 5 through April 8, the limited-edition treat features one of the chain's original glazed donuts topped with black icing and silver sprinkles, as well as a dollop of cookies and cream buttercream and a full Oreo cookie. Sun Chips also revealed it will be getting in on the fun with the release of a new chip flavor: pineapple habanero and black bean spicy gouda. However, unlike Krispy Kreme's specialty donut, the snack will exclusively be available for purchase during the 4 minutes and 27 seconds when the moon is eclipsing the sun.