June 9, 2026
Martha Stewart Shares Unhinged Bagel-Eating Technique


Some people eat their bagel like a sandwich.

Others like to enjoy it in an open-faced capacity.

Martha Stewart does neither of those things.

โ€œTaught years ago by my daughter Alexis Stewart,โ€ she explained her unconventional method for consuming the New York staple in a Dec. 12 Instagram post.

  1. She buys a poppy seed bagel from PopUp Bagels, a Connecticut-founded bagel chain known for its โ€œrip and dipโ€ experience.
  2. She cuts it in half.
  3. She takes a half of a half (aka a quarter) and breaks it into โ€œsweet little pieces.โ€
  4. She tops those โ€œsweet little piecesโ€ with a โ€œmodicumโ€ of flavored or unflavored cream cheese.

This experience, she says, leaves her โ€œalways satisfiedโ€ and โ€œnever too full.โ€

Hereโ€™s what those โ€œsweet little piecesโ€ look like:

Martha Stewart's "sweet little pieces" of bagel.
Martha Stewart’s “sweet little pieces” of bagel.@marthastewart48 via Instagram

So, obviously, we have a lot of questions.

First off, and most urgently, what is going on here?

Second, why is she only eating a quarter of a bagel? Where does the rest go?

Third, why is she not ripping and dipping them as she eats?

Fourth, where does the lemon come into play?

Fifth, is this a self-induced schmear campaign?

And finally, how does PopUp Bagels feel about the way their bagel was treated?

โ€œPopUp Bagels is known for eating bagels a little differently โ€” Grip, Rip and Dip style. That being said, we encourage everyone to enjoy their bagel however they want, which is why we sell them hot and whole,โ€ founder Adam Goldberg tells TODAY.com. โ€œMartha just took that idea to a whole new level, and we love seeing all the creative ways people make it their own.โ€

Unsurprisingly, her comments section is filled with concerned citizens.

โ€œLove you Martha but itโ€™s 2025 we can eat whole bagels now โค๏ธ,โ€ wrote cookbook author Christina Musgrave, echoing other commentersโ€™ โ€œdiet cultureโ€ sentiments.

โ€œIdk about this one, diva,โ€ commented another fan.

โ€œThis is unhinged, Martha,โ€ wrote someone else.

โ€œStraight to jail,โ€ said another.

โ€œQueen Martha, this is a violation of the bagel code of ethics ๐Ÿšซ,โ€ one person warned.

โ€œAs a New Yorker, Iโ€™m against this nonsense,โ€ wrote one more.

But perhaps, in tearing her bagel to shreds, she has actually found a way to unite the internet. Thank you, Martha, for your sacrifice.



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