TikTok’s Biggest Food & Drink Trends Of 2023

With 2023 drawing to a close, it’s time to look back at the previous year and what defined it. TikTok is always a great snapshot of the zeitgeist – particularly when it comes to what people are eating and drinking. So what’s been on everyone’s plates (and for you pages) over the past twelve months? From #GirlDinner to the cottage cheese renaissance, these were TikTok’s hottest food and drink trends of 2023.

TikTok’s Biggest Food & Drink Trends Of 2023

Girl Dinner

@danielle.fewings Girl dinner to the extreme #girldinner #girldinners #girldinnersong ♬ original sound – karma carr

We’ve all been there. You come home after a long day at work, and slaving away over a complex recipe is the last thing you want to do. In fact, you’d rather not cook anything at all, and instead choose to arrange a few bits and bobs on a plate – it could be some cheese, bread, dips, whatever you’ve got in the fridge. You might call it ‘picky bits’, but TikTok crowned a new name for the low-effort meal this year: girl dinner. TikToker Olivia Maher is said to have coined the term in a video which now has over a million views, showing a meal of bread, cheese, wine, grapes and pickles and saying: ‘This is my dinner, I call this “girl dinner” or ‘medieval peasant dinner”’ – and the sound went viral, spawning many other women to share their no-prep dinners. It’s essentially a snack plate, but TikTok is the queen of romanticizing the everyday (and we are here for it).

Cottage Cheese

@eatpayylovehoping on the cottage cheese trend with this delicious avocado toast😍♬ Say So (Instrumental Version) [Originally Performed by Doja Cat] – Elliot Van Coup

An unlikely hero of 2023? Cottage cheese. What was once arguably the least cool cheese has had a rebrand this year, and it’s all thanks to TikTok’s fitterati, who have been shouting about its nutritional benefits (low calorie, high protein, rich in nutrients). The retro food was popular in the ‘60s and ‘70s, when it was typically eaten with fruit or salads – and now Gen Z have discovered it. They’re using it in all manner of ways: swirling the lumpy cheese into pasta, smoothies, ice-cream and even cookie dough. 

Feta Eggs

@graceelkus 5-minute feta fried eggs: you’ll thank me next time you’re hangry 🍳 Inpired by Ali Slagle’s potato, egg, and cheese tacos 🧀 Heat small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Crumble in feta around perimeter. Crack egg into center; season w/ black pepper & red pepper flakes (no need to add salt, the feta is plenty salty) Cover pan and cook until white is set, yolk is still runny, and cheese is unbelievably crispy. Serve atop toast, w/ hash browns, or my personal fave: in a charred tortilla with avocado & lime. You can oil the skillet, esp. if you’re not using nonstick, but I find the cheese gets crispier w/o More tips on my IG @graceelkus #friedeggs #feta ♬ Midnight City – M83

Baked feta pasta was a big TikTok trend of 2022 – but now there’s a new feta dish in town. This year, everyone has been sprinkling the Greek cheese into their eggs. Grace Elkus’ feta fried eggs video went viral: an easy recipe which involves crumbling feta into a pan, adding seasonings, then cracking an egg in and cooking it to your liking. You can jazz it up in all sorts of ways, adding spice, topping with avocado etc., but ultimately it’s so popular because it can be cooked in just five minutes, and we’re all after an easy life, right?

Date Bark

@coconutandbliss the chokehold this stuff has on me #datebark #chocolate #healthy ♬ original sound – coconutandbliss

Often, ‘healthy’ desserts are simply not desserts – but this one we can get on board with. Date bark is another of TikTok’s big food trends of 2023, hailed as a healthy Snickers. Medjool dates are used to replicate the caramel flavour of the chocolate bar, combined with ingredients like dark chocolate and peanuts. It’s easy to make in big batches and actually tastes good, with far less sugar than a real Snickers.

Tinned Fish

@alihooke Friday Night #tinfishdatenight we missed a week while traveling and are stoked for tonight! #chefsoftiktok #datenightideas #easydinnerrecipes #tinnedfish #sardines #tinnedfish ♬ original sound – Ali

2023 was the year of the tinned fish revival – and TikTok had a big part to play in that. Interest in the store cupboard basic has soared this year, fuelled by an influx of videos about tinned fish date nights, inspired by chef Ali Hooke, alongside reviews and recipes. Even top restaurants have got involved: glossy Mayfair restaurant Saltie Girl serves a dedicated Tin List. Fun can artwork is part of the appeal (sardinecore is now a thing), plus tinned fish is often a more sustainable choice than fresh.

Butter Candles

@janelleandkate Way easier than i expected! Defintiely try the viral butter candle. #candle #viral #buttercandle #recipe #food ♬ original sound – CHRISTMAS🔛🔝🎄🎁

Sure to be a regular feature at dinner parties this season are butter candles, TikTok’s latest craze. This is essentially a way to make bread and butter more exciting and aesthetic, made by rolling butter into a candle shape, freezing it and adding an edible wick – then lighting the candle to get that oozing effect. Butter candles surfaced a while ago but took off on TikTok again this winter as people longed for comfort foods. One of the early adopters of the trend was @sooziethefoodie, who told the New York Times in an interview last year that her guests ‘literally freaked out’ when they realized they could dip their baguettes into the burning candles. Since then, the platform has been awash with variations on the trend: from vegan alternatives to seasoned creations and different shapes. Check out a simple recipe here.

Marry Me Chicken

@gimme.delicious Marry Me Chicken is one of the best ways to cook chicken breasts! Tender and juicy chicken breasts cooked in a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce – the perfect combination for an easy weeknight dinner. #recipes #marrymechicken #cooking #food #dinner #lowcarb #tuscanchicken #healthydinner #dinnerideas #chickenbreast ♬ Thing of Beauty – Danger Twins

Who needs a ring when you have Marry Me Chicken? This creamy chicken recipe went viral on TikTok earlier this year, with fans claiming the recipe is so tasty it might just result in your dinner partner proposing (take this one with a pinch of salt). There are lots of variations on the dish, but it usually involves (shock) chicken, seasoned with Italian spices and coated in a creamy sauce, then served alongside pasta or potatoes. Try our version here.