You can technically eat crow, but the phrase “eat crow” is mainly an idiom meaning to admit you were wrong in a humiliating way, not a literal dining suggestion.

Quick Scoop: What “eat crow” really means

In everyday English, “to eat crow” means you’ve been proven wrong after speaking or acting very confidently, and now you have to admit it, usually with some embarrassment.

It’s similar to “eat humble pie”: you swallow your pride, acknowledge your mistake, and maybe even apologize publicly.

“I said there was no way they’d win the election. Looks like I’m eating crow now.”

Can you literally eat crow?

People have eaten crow meat, especially in times or places where other food was scarce.

However:

  • Crows are scavengers that eat carrion and garbage, which makes the idea of eating them culturally unappealing in many Western traditions.
  • They are often described as tough and bad‑tasting, needing long boiling just to be somewhat edible.
  • In some religious traditions (for example, Leviticus lists raven‑type birds), crow‑like birds are considered unfit for eating.

Modern “can you eat crow?” blog and forum discussions generally say: yes, it’s possible, but people rarely do, and it’s not considered good or common table fare.

Where did the phrase come from?

Origin stories are a bit fuzzy, but several 19th‑century American tales try to explain it:

  • A New York farmer or cook is said to have tricked a boastful guest into eating crow, embarrassing him when the truth came out.
  • A War of 1812 anecdote describes an American soldier forced by a British officer to eat part of a crow he had shot, turning his pride into humiliation.

All versions center on the same idea: crow is viewed as disgusting, so being forced to eat it is a vivid metaphor for swallowing your pride.

How people use it now (2020s context)

In current conversation, news, and forums, “eat crow” shows up when:

  • Pundits or influencers made bold, wrong predictions and later have to backtrack publicly.
  • Managers or leaders dismiss ideas, then see those ideas succeed elsewhere and must admit they were mistaken.
  • Friends mock trends (like apps, games, or gadgets) and then become fans themselves, joking that they’re “eating crow.”

The phrase fits especially well with today’s online culture, where screenshots and old posts make it easy to prove someone wrong later, increasing the “humiliation” factor.

Mini‑takeaway (TL;DR)

  • Idiomatic meaning: Admit you were wrong, often in an embarrassing way.
  • Literal eating: Possible but uncommon; crow is traditionally seen as tough, unpleasant, and culturally “gross” to eat.
  • Why it stuck: The image of choking down something nasty perfectly matches the feeling of swallowing your pride.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.