Move Over, Charcuterie — TikTok's "Girl Dinner" Is Here
The latest trending meals on the TikTok dining table are no longer intricate crockpot concoctions or superbly stacked sandwiches – they’re a new take on no-cook meals, and they’re called girl dinners. Crafted from a (sometimes chaotic) assortment of everyday snacks like cheese, bread, fruit, and deli meats, the charcuterie-inspired plates have taken the internet by storm, with #GirlDinner reaching almost 20M views. Aside from being a total time-saver in the kitchen and the ultimate rat snack indulgence, are girl dinners actually good for you?
What is the TikTok girl dinner?
The snacky meals gained virality after the originator posted what she called “medieval peasant” food – a meal consisting only of sliced bread, hunks of cheese, a few grapes and pickles straight from the jar. A majority of commenters resonated with the concept, and I can see why.
#GirlDinner is essentially a scaled-down version of a charcuterie board, taking the planning, prep, and cooking time completely out of the equation. This is great news for the lazy gals, the single ladies, and the girlies who are simply too sweaty to turn their ovens on in summer.Girl dinners come together in minutes with the ingredients you already have, eliminating those last-minute grocery runs. What’s even more appealing about them is the ease in controlling your portions. When I was living alone, I often found myself cooking a literal ton of food for one night, then subsequently drowning in leftovers – girl dinners are meant for one-time indulgence, no need for clean-up, and no food is left uneaten.The Benefits of #GirlDinner
Photo by Gül Isik / PEXELS
Beyond this, just how beneficial are girl dinners for your health? You might be scrolling the trend and wondering whether or not the bare-bones plates are really nutritious and fulfilling. Nutritionist Kathrine Kofoed says they are, because girl dinners account for all your satiety needs.
When you build the girl dinner of your dreams, you’re letting your true cravings guide you instead of simply ticking off the boxes of each food group for mealtime. While this may seem destructive (only if you're not crafting a well-rounded plate), prioritizing your favorite flavors, textures, and mouth feels can extinguish the desire to overeat or binge later on.
So, whether you just can’t stand cooking in the summer, need a quick fix, or have an affection for top-tier snacking, the girl dinner might just be for you!
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Header image by cottonbro studio / PEXELS
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