In 2017, Australian property developer Tim Gurner suggested that young people could buy homes if they stopped splurging on “avocado toast and $4 coffees.” He meant it as a warning about small luxuries, but the avocado stole the spotlight.

Social media pounced, and “avocado toast killed millennials’ housing dreams” became an instant punchline. Articles, tweets, and late-night jokes mocked the idea that an $8 brunch was the reason so many were priced out of the housing market.

The truth is that housing costs, stagnant wages, and student debt explain far more than fancy breakfasts. Still, the phrase lives on as a reminder that catchy lines, even misguided ones, can shape a whole cultural debate.