Bacon is the Gateway Drug

/ˈbeɪkən ɪz ðə ˈɡeɪtweɪ drʌɡ/ noun phrase

Definition: A humorous observation regarding the irresistible sensory appeal of bacon, cited as the primary reason individuals fail to maintain a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. That first hit seemed so innocent…and good

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Etymology

An adaptation of the “gateway drug theory” from pharmacology, which suggests that the use of a less deleterious drug leads to a future risk of using more dangerous hard drugs. In this culinary context, the “innocent” first taste of bacon is the catalyst for a return to meat-eating.

Usage

Context: Used colloquially among former vegetarians or within the food industry to acknowledge the difficulty of resisting cured pork. It implies that once the “barrier” is broken by bacon, all other dietary restrictions will eventually collapse.

In a sentence: He was a strict vegan for six months, but bacon is the gateway drug, and now he’s back to eating cheeseburgers.