TikTok has its pros and cons. Decreasing attention spans, concerning challenges, all co-exist alongside skincare tutorials, funny anecdotes, and more interestingly, an unusual yet compelling range of food combinations and trends to try out. Some might sound great— a two-ingredient watermelon sorbet? Sign me up! However, you might want to skip some more… unique ones.
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Lemon Possets
Originally based from BBC Good Food's recipe, making this citrusy, tangy and creamy dessert is surprisingly extremely low-effort. It uses easily available ingredients like heavy cream, sugar, lemon juice and zest, and vanilla, and takes around 1-2 hours to prepare (most of this time is just waiting for them to set in the refrigerator). They are definitely worth trying out, especially during these hot summers. When life gives you lemons, please do make lemon possets!
Chopped Italian Sandwiches
These sandwiches have had a chokehold on people all over TikTok. These nutritious yet delicious sandwiches can be made within minutes for a quick brunch to have on the go, or for those days where you just need something easy and filling as a meal. They first came about a few years ago as a classic Italian sandwich, then in 2022, evolved into a grinder salad sandwich and more recently were brought back as chopped sandwiches. Simply chop some leafy greens, tomatoes, and chicken with any dressing of your choice, put between a preferred bun and you're ready for a hearty, texture-filled dish.
Ice Cream Fruit Roll-Ups
On hearing about them for the first time, you migt be skeptical, and I don't think you're in the wrong for that. It sounds like a weirdly textured, chewy-on-the-outside, cold-and-soft-on-the-inside frankenstein dessert, but some fans say that the roll-ups freeze when in contact with the ice cream and give a surprising crunch. However, many people think it's best to stick to enjoying Fruit Roll-Ups and ice cream separately. What do you think?
Hwachae
Does an icy, fruity, and fun dessert sound like something you need on hot sunny days? Try making hwachae! Derived from a popular Korean fruit-punch usually served in a watermelon with the fruit scooped out (or just a bowl) with a large spoon to slurp all the diced fruits and jellies with drinks like Sprite, sodas or strawberry milk, this refreshing dessert will surely replace your cravings for ice creams and juices. It became popular from a creator @amyflamy1 (Amy Flame) who ordered a bowl of hwachae because she once woke up at 3 a.m. severely dehydrated; crazy how that was followed by a spree of people trying it out for themselves!
Chamoy Pickle Kits
Lastly, let's talk about a trend that really has FoodTok divided. What even are chamoy pickle kits? Well, chamoy is dark-red and spicy paste made with pickled fruit, which is a popular condiment in Mexico. It's also found in a lot of Mexican gummies, sour candies, or lollipops because of its slightly tangy and sour flavor. Chamoy pickles are dill pickles dipped in a brine of this condiment and are nowadays sold in "kits" with other toppings like Takis, Gushers and seasonings. Many TikTokers who popularized this snack, roll the pickle in some Fruit by the Foot and stuff the pickles with the toppings. Many say they're oddly addicting and enjoyable, but others say they aren't worth the stomach-ache.
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So, which one of these trends intrigued you? I'd say the sandwiches and hwachae might be my favorites. At the same time, I'm curious about that last one; I'm not a big fan of sweet-and-spicy combinations, but this one actually made me contemplate trying chamoy pickles out. Let us know which of these food trends sounded yum, and which ones sounded dumb! :D
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Sources:
Morillo, Alexis. “Chamoy Pickle Kit Review: Where to Buy, Price, and More.” Bustle, 20 Feb. 2024, www.bustle.com/life/chamoy-pickle-kit-review-tiktok-shop-where-to-buy.
Santos, Claudia, and Ross Yoder. “23 Most Viral TikTok Food Trends and Recipes of 2023.” BuzzFeed, 24 Dec. 2023, www.buzzfeed.com/claudiasantos/2023-viral-tiktok-recipes-food-trends.
Tobin, Taylor. “5 Actually-Good TikTok Food Trends From 2023, and 4 We Don’t Want to See Again.” HuffPost UK, 29 Dec. 2023, www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/5-actually-good-tiktok-food-trends-from-2023-and-4-we-dont-want-to-see-again_uk_658ea763e4b0cd3cf0e5089c.
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