Food Trends
TikTok’s “Girl Dinner” Trend Is A Lazy Take On Charcuterie Boards
There’s nothing aesthetically pleasing about it — but that’s the whole point.
Deciding what to have for dinner is way more complicated than it needs to be, which is why having a list of go-to easy dinner recipes is so clutch. But sometimes, even the most minimal-effort meals can still be too much admin. When that happens, it’s time to make “girl dinner,” TikTok’s lazy take on charcuterie boards.
From Fruit Roll-Up-covered ice cream bites to cheese-wrapped pickles, TikTok has definitely seen its fair share of, er, unique food trends. But with a mix of just a few simple ingredients and little to no prep time, girl dinner definitely takes the cake — or should I say the cheese. The meal trend began after creator Olivia Maher (@liviemaher) introduced the term to the FYP, saying in a TikTok, “I cannot find the TikTok right now, but a girl just came on here and said how in medieval times, peasants had to eat nothing but bread and cheese and how awful that was, and she was like, ‘that’s my ideal meal.’ This is my dinner.”
The TikToker proceeds to show off her meal, which seemingly consists of a few grapes, a large slice of cheese, a block of butter, a jar of olives, a few slices of bread, and a glass of red wine. “I call this, ‘girl dinner,’ or medieval peasant,” says the creator. Sure, we’ve all substituted dinner for an impressive charcuterie spread before, but unlike an IG-worthy meat and cheese display, Maher’s meal featured all the goodness of a charcuterie board with none of the aesthetics. Normalize realistic meals.
Clearly, the video struck a chord with girl dinner-enjoyers everywhere, because the original TikTok has amassed over 170K likes since May 11, and the hashtag #girldinner has over 4.2 million views as of June 26. The video has also inspired dozens of users to show off their girl dinners, which can be as lazy and chaotic as you’d like.
User @__mull showed off her version of girl dinner before heading out for the night, which features a “random assortment” of snacks like cheese and crackers, a bowl of arugula with olives, and scrambled eggs with sriracha. Basically, anything you have in the house will suffice.
TikToker @frogsthatquack found the girl dinner trend at just the right time while enjoying a combo of olives, pickle slices, a large chocolate-covered strawberry, a hot chocolate with marshmallows, and what looks to be yogurt with cinnamon sprinkled on top. Her tastebuds must’ve been so confused.
User @maddie_rye pulled out all the stops for her girl dinner — Fruity Pebbles, crackers, pickles, coffee, soda, pepperoni, cheese, and possibly even a full canteloupe. “It’s so valid,” the creator wrote in the caption about how anything can be a girl dinner.
It seems as though one of the biggest appeals of girl dinner is how it takes away the pressure of having a perfectly curated meal, which is something you don’t often see on social media these days. Plus, in a busy world of on-the-go dinners over the sink, the trend also serves as a reminder that it's important to nourish your body to the best of your abilities, no matter what that looks like. Not to mention, it proves that we all love a good rat snack every once in a while, and if it makes for an unhinged meal, then so be it.
Whether your girl dinner looks like a charcuterie board without the board or can be made with pretty much anything you can find in the kitchen, the latest trend to take over #FoodTok is more relatable than you’d think. If you’re not sure what to use in your next girl dinner spread, you can’t go wrong with pre-packaged goodies like tinned fish, and of course, don’t forget to include anything that a peasant would’ve eaten during the Middle Ages and enjoy.
