KnowBeast

The Truth Behind This Bizarre Question

If you ever find yourself in an emergency situation so desperate, you start wondering if those plastic shoes on your feet could be your next meal. Would you just be hallucinating, or having a life-saving idea? Can you actually eat Crocs?

Believe it or not, it might be one of the strangest—yet oddly popular—survival questions floating around the internet! Let’s see what’s behind this wild (survival?) myth that has so many people seriously questioning their life choices!

How did the “eating crocs thing” start?

Was it plain curiosity, urban legend, or a genuine survival hack?

The question dates back to at least 2006 when a user asked Crocs if their shoes were edible. The company responded that while they are non-toxic, Crocs offer little to no nutritional value. Over time, various stories—such as a camp counselor boiling Crocs for kids or people testing the idea themselves—have kept the myth alive.

What are Crocs shoes made of? 

Crocs shoes are mainly made from Croslite™, a proprietary resin primarily composed of polyethylene vinyl acetate (PEVA), a polymer derived from fossil fuels. This material makes Crocs shoes lightweight, durable, and water-resistant. 

Recently and in response to sustainability concerns, Crocs launched a bio-based version of Croslite™ that consists of 98% feedstock, a plant-based substance derived from straw and other natural materials. But before you even think of it, hold on! Despite sounding somewhat organic, the biodegradable Croslite™ is not designed for consumption. Technically, you could chew and swallow pieces of Crocs since they are non-toxic, but practically, they are not food. Your body cannot digest Croslite™. And if you eat them, it could cause serious health problems such as choking, intestinal obstruction, or chemical exposure. 

Are Crocs edible? What science (and common sense) says

Croslite™, the material used in Crocs, is non-toxic but not meant to be eaten. While it won’t immediately poison you if ingested, that doesn’t mean it’s safe or digestible.

While it is made from plant-based materials like straw, the human body lacks the enzymes needed to break them down. So, in short, it has no nutritional value and won’t provide any sustenance in a survival situation. On the contrary, experts warn that attempting to eat Crocs could cause serious health risks like blockages, constipation, or diarrhea. Also, heating or burning the material could expose you to harmful chemical fumes. 

Some people have tried boiling and eating Crocs as an experiment, but the results only reinforce how inedible the material truly is. In extreme survival situations, experts strongly advise finding real food sources, such as plants or insects, rather than resorting to eating a shoe. Ultimately, Crocs are designed for wearing, not eating.

Just because something won’t poison you doesn’t mean it’s safe to consume. I mean, would you chow down on poop just because it’s technically not toxic?

Crocs Nutritional Information (Per 100g)

No one asked us for Crocs’ “nutritional value”, but we did it anyway. Here’s what we found:

Nutrient	Amount per 100g of Croslite™
Calories	0 kcal
Protein	0 g
Carbohydrates	0 g
Fat	0 g
Fiber	0 g
Sugar	0 g
Sodium	0 mg
Cholesterol	0 mg
Vitamins	0 mg
Minerals	0 mg
Water Content	~0%
Potential Toxic Chemicals	None (unless heated or burned)
Digestibility	Indigestible

As you can see, Crocs have absolutely no health benefit as they don’t provide calories (energy) vitamins, or nutrients. As a result, Crocs should not be considered a food source under any circumstances!

Survival Scenarios: Can Eating Crocs Save Your Life?

Let’s get it right: eating Crocs in a survival situation is technically possible but highly dangerous. Although Crocs are made from a non-toxic resin, they are not digestible. If you were in a desperate situation where your life is at risk, eating that footwear could cause even more serious problems like choking, intestinal blockages, or digestive damage. Eating Crocs can certainly cause more harm than good. 

If you ever find yourself in a survival situation, eating your Crocs should be absolutely off the table. Literally! It is far safer to seek out natural food sources that can actually keep you alive, like edible plants, roots, insects, small fish, and even the inner bark of some trees that can have essential nutrients.

In the case that you’re lost in the forest, try to find grasshoppers and crickets, they are everywhere and are rich in protein, just make sure to cook them first to kill parasites. Bird eggs are another great source of nutrition. If you are near the coast, catch fish, frogs, or small animals, they are protein and fat-rich, or eat seaweed, which has many important minerals. 

In short, eating your Crocs should never be an option; it’s a terrible idea, as they offer no nutritional value and can be dangerous. Find real food sources in a survival situation.

Eating a real croc can certainly be good for you (if you can manage to catch one without getting killed first). Crocodile meat is safe to eat, nutritious, high in protein, and low in fat.

Can Crocs at least satiate your hunger?

No, Crocs will not really satiate your hunger. While chewing them might make you feel a temporary relief, like having something in your stomach, they cannot be digested and will give you zero nutritional value. It’s best to seek real, edible survival foods over synthetic materials.

Has someone actually eaten Crocs?

Yes! Just like most products come with a “keep away from children” warning, Crocs probably should, too—at least when it comes to eating them.

The first known “eat your Croc for no reason” experiment happened in 2016 when a high school student decided to see if his lime green Croc could be turned into a gourmet meal. He boiled it with salt, pepper, and olive oil for 20 minutes, hoping for something remotely edible. The result was a softened but still chewy chunk of rubber that felt like gnawing on a mouthguard. Swallowing it was tough, and it wouldn’t break down either. It was more like a failed science experiment than a fine dining experience.

Other Crocs experiments involve, surprise, kids (why they keep trying to eat them is the real mystery here.) For science, or just curiosity, back in 2006, some preteens chewed on Croc straps, and a message board post even got a Crocs rep to confirm that, while not toxic, they’re definitely not food. 

If you’re eyeing your Crocs as a snack, just don’t. People who’ve tried say they taste like nothing, feel like chewing on a mouthguard, and can wreak havoc on your stomach since they don’t break down in your body. Even in a survival scenario, experts suggest you’d be better off using them to swat bugs than to fill your belly.

Should you eat your Crocs if there is no food? The final verdict

So, should you eat your Crocs if you’re starving and stuck in the wild? Even if you’re super hungry and feeling desperate, eating your plastic shoes (or anything that’s not food) won’t help. Crocs might be made of bio-foam, but they don’t actually provide any nutrients. Eating them won’t satisfy your hunger and could mess with your stomach. 

Instead, your best bet in an emergency is to keep those Crocs on your feet for protection, use them as a makeshift tool or container, or even wave them around to signal for help if you’re somewhere with rescuers nearby.

It seems like kids just can’t resist testing the limits of what they can chew (seriously, what’s the fascination with eating Crocs?!). But trust us, your stomach will thank you if you just use those shoes for their intended purpose—on your feet!