TikTokers have managed to make even the most commonplace veggies (carrots among them) new again with their creative recipes. What do you get when you add peeled carrots, lemon juice, olive oil, rice vinegar, and seasoning? Carrot salad. It sounds simple enough, but TikTokers rave about this refreshing take […]
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What do you get when you add peeled carrots, lemon juice, olive oil, rice vinegar, and seasoning? Carrot salad. It sounds simple enough, but TikTokers rave about this refreshing take on a popular vegetable. The trend blossomed in February 2022 as a way to kick in an extra dose of veggies. The hashtags #carrotsalad (4.3 million [M] views) and #carrotsaladchallenge (3.3 thousand [K] views) are making headway on the social platform and appear on staple TikTok accounts like @lovelydelites (347.5K followers). Some videos season it with sesame seeds and sesame oil, like @mydelicioustiktok (37.7K followers). Others use apple cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar, like @jademesqhealth (17.1K followers).
Maddie Pasquariello, RDN, a New York City–based registered dietitian-nutritionist and wellness advocate, weighs in on the trend, vouching for its nutritional benefits. “This recipe uses all whole, unprocessed or minimally processed ingredients; the main ingredient is whole carrots, which contain vitamins C and B6, as well as dietary fiber.”
She does mention that if you’re planning to eat this as more than a snack, there are food groups you can add in for more nutritional benefits. “Make this recipe more balanced by adding any source of protein and an additional carbohydrate or grain.” Pasquariello suggests whole-grain rice or farro.
Under the hashtag #cucumberkimchi (25M views), this food trend has been going wild on the platform in 2022. Users such as My Nguyen of @myhealthydish (3.9M followers) say they are “obsessed” with the dish, which offers a spin on the Korean recipe.
One caveat: Unlike said classic dish, this one doesn’t use fermented vegetables. Kaleigh McMordie, RDN, of Abilene, Texas, says without the fermentation, TikTok’s kimchi cucumbers don’t contain the probiotic benefits that traditional kimchi is known for.
Nonetheless, she says the snack does contain fiber and antioxidants. “All the vegetables in this dish make it a good source of fiber, which many Americans lack in their diets. Cucumbers are hydrating,” she says. “Garlic and onions are both allium vegetables, which are high in antioxidants and could even help protect against certain cancers.” An article published in July 2021 in Cell suggested that a fiber-rich diet can increase efficiency in the microbiome (the collection of good and bad microbes in the gut), while fermentation increases its diversity and decreases inflammation.
Overall, McMordie considers this a healthy snack for anyone looking to sneak in some veggies. She cautions those who are allergic to sesame or sensitive to spices to take a pass on those ingredients.
The hashtag #jenniferanistonsalad (509K views) took the TikTok world by storm in February when users re-created a favorite salad by Friends alum Jennifer Aniston. Per outlets like Shape magazine, Aniston reportedly ate this meal every day while on the set of Friends and considered it “the perfect salad.”
According to TikTokers @themodernnonna (956.3K followers), @kelseyvenkov (2.6M followers), and @serveitupsteph, the recipe contains cucumber, red onion, bulgur, parsley, mint, pistachios, chickpeas, feta, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper.
“This recipe is definitely one of the more healthy trending recipes,” says McCordie. “It has all the things I’m looking for in a filling and satisfying salad that is also nutritious: fiber-rich veggies, healthy fats, and protein. Whole grains are a bonus for satiety!”
Speaking of satiety, according to the Buffalo, New York–based DJ Mazzoni, RD, CSCS, this recipe may be helpful if you’re looking to lose weight. “The high fiber and protein content will make the salad satiating at a relatively low calorie count.”
McCordie cautions those with celiac disease or who have gluten-sensitive stomachs that bulgur wheat contains gluten. If you need to, opt for a gluten-free whole grain such as brown rice or quinoa.
One of the earliest videos to show the technique, from @_moody_day_ (534.8K followers), calls it an “easy cheesecake copycat.” Custard toast is still gaining traction today via the hashtags #custardtoast (37.5M views) and #yogurttoast (46.3M views). The recipe for most custard toast videos, as posted by the plant-focused TikToker @cookingwithayeh (2.3M followers), is:
- Whisk together an egg, 2 to 3 tablespoons (tbsp) Greek yogurt, and a dash of maple syrup.
- Indent your bread using your fingers and pour in the custard.
- Add toppings such as fruit or chocolate.
- Bake in the oven or air fryer until golden.
Pasquariello says this recipe is relatively healthy. “Fresh berries (or even frozen, thawed berries if fresh aren't in season) are a good source of antioxidants as well as dietary fiber,” she says. “Greek yogurt is a great source of protein for vegetarians.”
She suggests choosing Greek yogurt without added sugar. To make the recipe even healthier, she suggests increasing the fiber by using whole grain or seedy bread. (Or, of course, if you’re gluten-free, there are gluten-free bread options.)
Overall, she considers this recipe to be family-friendly and easy to make.
After the supermodel Hailey Bieber posted her pizza toast on TikTok on January 29, 2022, the recipe went viral. Her recipe is as follows:
- Butter sourdough bread on both sides.
- Drizzle truffle oil on the bread.
- Toast bread in a skillet on both sides.
- Add burrata to the toast.
- Slice tomatoes, and mix them with olive oil, lemon, and salt.
- Add the sliced tomatoes to the toast.
- Warm up marinara sauce.
- Add more truffle oil to the tops of the toast.
- Bake at 375 degrees.
- Add some Parmesan and bake for a couple more minutes.
- Add the warm marinara.
- Top with fresh parmesan, oregano, and red pepper flakes.
Since then, the hashtags #pizzatoast (108.2M views) and #pizzatoastchallenge (102.3K views) keep popping up in TikTok videos by creators such as @charlenetruong_ (48.1K views) and @brialem (432.2K views), offering how-tos.
McCordie mentions that while this recipe “isn’t the worst in terms of nutrition,” that depends on the amount of each ingredient you use (particularly the butter and cheese). Overall, she says, it lacks fiber and could be higher in protein and veggies.
For those looking to make the snack a little healthier, McCordie has some suggestions. “I might cook the toast in olive oil instead of butter and perhaps swap the bread for whole grain to add a bit of fiber,” she suggests. “The best option is probably to serve it with a side salad for more veggies.”
Pasquariello adds that if you want to lower the fat content, you could use less burrata and oil. Alternatively or in addition, you might consider replacing the burrata with a fried egg to increase protein. One last thing: If you’re dairy-free or have dairy issues, buy lactose-free burrata or replace the Parmesan with a sprinkle of hemp seeds or chopped cashews.
When @bakedbymelissa (1.2M followers) posted her green goddess salad in September 2021, TikTok users could not stop making the recipe. Even now in 2022, popular accounts like @myhealthydish (3.9M followers) and @thesaladlab (1.6M followers) are continuing to post with the hashtag #greengoddesssalad, which has garnered over 30 million views.
Baked by Melissa uses cabbage and cucumbers as the base of the salad. For the dressing, she combines garlic, shallots, chives, lemon juice, olive oil, rice vinegar, walnuts, cashews, basil, spinach, and nutritional yeast.
McCordie says the salad is full of nutrition from the fiber-rich vegetables and heart-healthy olive oil and nuts, but “there isn’t a lot of protein in the recipe, so I might eat it as a side dish with a lean protein to balance it out.”
McCordie notes that the recipe is vegan, which is good news if you’re trying to follow a plant-based diet.
“Patients with mast cell disorder and histamine sensitivity may want to replace the nutritional yeast with an ingredient like lemon juice,” Mazzoni says.
Overall, nutritionists consider this recipe to be a “healthy” salad that isn’t boring.
Arguably one of the most prominent TikTok food trends, cloud bread rose to popularity in August 2020 as a keto-friendly snack. Since then, the hashtags #cloudbread (3.3 billion views), #cloudbreadrecipe (35.1M), and #cloudbreadtutorial (5.4M) are running the show.
For starters, “cloud bread is not really bread at all,” McCordie comments. The bread contains just three ingredients: egg whites, sugar, and cornstarch as seen on the TikTok page @matthewinthekitchen (2.5M followers).
Even though the bread is touted as low-carb, McCordie notes that the sugar and cornstarch bring plenty. At 2.5 tbsp or 7.5 teaspoons (tsp) of sugar, the recipe contains over half the amount (12 tsp daily) advised by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That tips this dish into the not-so-healthy bucket, and given this high carb content, those with diabetes, who are watching their blood sugar levels, are best off avoiding the trend, Mazzoni says.
McCordie notes that discarding the egg yolks makes you lose some of the eggs' nutritional value, but leaving them in might ruin the meringue foundation.
Overall, though this recipe is good for gluten-sensitive people, she's not a huge fan. “I’d stick to enjoying this recipe in moderation,” she says.
