As another year comes to a close, it’s fun to look back on trends that came and went. However, it might be even more enjoyable when food is involved. And if you were among the 1 billion people regularly using TikTok in 2022, you likely watched several enticing, intriguing and perhaps questionable food-related videos (let’s face it, as TikTok creator @christophermillsmusic sings, “You can’t eat at everybody’s house”).
But which trending eats and treats prompted the most people to try something new this year? Sasha Storey, food expert at U.K.-based restaurant chain Chiquito, sourced and parsed data to compile a list of the top TikTok food trends.“
Despite being a difficult year in some ways, 2022 has inspired us to get creative to make the best out of the worst,” Storey told The Birmingham Mail. “And, thanks to TikTok, we’ve been given quick and fun inspiration recipes that are flipping classics on their head and combining bold flavours.”
10. Butter Boards
This creamy take on charcuterie boards had more than 358 million views on TikTok this year. The butter board trend took off this fall, although credit has been given to chef Joshua McFadden, who included recipes for butter boards in his 2017 cookbook “Six Seasons: a New Way With Vegetables.”
Justine Doiron (@justine_snacks) made one on a bread-shaped board, saying she wanted to make them the next charcuterie board. She suggested starting with softened butter topped with “tons of flaky salt, tons of lemon zest, any herbs and toppings you want,” and serving it with warm bread.
9. Nacho Tables
Although they were big early on in the pandemic, nacho tables saw a resurgence on TikTok this year with more than 415 million views across the platform. With this finger food, no plates are necessary, and half the fun is in making the nachos, as you can see in this video by @eatitkatie.
There’s no right or wrong way to make a nacho table (or would you call them table nachos)? But most people cover their dining tables or another surface with foil, pour on the tortilla chips and dole out toppings like taco meat and spicy, creamy cheese sauce.
8. Cinnamon Rolls
Cracking open a can of cinnamon rolls to bake on a Sunday morning is fine, but this trending TikTok upgrade garnered more than 597 million views. People who made the viral recipe say the results rival Cinnabon.
Of course, there are several variations. Tiktoker @marian.designerstouch starts by drizzling heavy cream into a baking dish, followed by the cinnamon roll dough. Then, before baking, she tops them with a melted butter and brown sugar mixture and some more heavy cream.
7. Pink Sauce
They say any press is good press, and Pink Sauce definitely had its share of controversy on TikTok. It also had more than 599 million views. The pastel-colored mystery condiment, created by TikTok creator Chef Pii (@Chef.Pii) in her home kitchen, saw mixed reactions, to say the least. Tiktoker @ninixccpop gives a rundown of the ups and downs of Pink Sauce.
Despite the drawbacks, Dave’s Gourmet announced a partnership with Chef Pii in August, stating it would participate in the commercial production of Pink Sauce. However, no date for retail sales has yet been announced.
6. Birria Tacos
Another food trend that has carried over the past couple of years, birria tacos had more than 922.2 million views on TikTok. Birria is a traditional Mexican street food originally made with goat meat, but most TikTokers (like @saltycocina, shown here) use a marbled cut of beef, such as brisket or chuck roast.
The boiled meat is simmered with flavors like onion, garlic and chili peppers. Once it is tender, the meat is fried with cheese and other toppings in corn tortillas.
5. Mug Cake
Sweet, decadent and ready in minutes, mug cakes were popular on TikTok this year, with more than one billion views. One mug cake recipe, in particular, seemed to be the most viral: The Oreo mug cake. Although we’re not sure who made it first, this video created by TikToker @guitarman3245 appears to be the one used most for the recipe.
A quick search for mug cakes on TikTok turns up dozens more, including lava cakes, cinnamon roll cakes and Nutella mug cakes.
4. Pasta Chips
With 1.1 billion views, pasta chips were at the top of the list for crunchy snacks. TikTokers everywhere tossed cooked pasta in various shapes and sizes in oil and seasoning. In this video, Alexis Frost uses olive oil, garlic salt, basil, oregano, parsley, red pepper flakes and parmesan.
You can cook pasta chips in several ways, including deep frying, air frying or baking them. Snackers love to dip them in marinara, pesto and other sauces or dips, but you can also enjoy them on their own.
3. Charcuterie Boards
With cookbooks, stores and even eateries dedicated to them, it’s no wonder charcuterie boards are so popular. The delicious, aesthetically-pleasing spreads enjoyed more than 1.2 billion views on TikTok in 2022.
This entertaining stop-motion video by creator @justjennysboards has 1.6 million views and is almost too pretty to eat. Almost.
2. Baked Oats
This breakfast dish almost topped the list of food trends with 1.3 billion views. Fans of the food like that it can be made ahead of time. Some, such as TikTok creator Tia Glover, RD, who shared this video, say that the texture appeals to many people who won’t otherwise eat oatmeal.
1. Cloud Bread
Coming in on top, with a whopping 3.4 billion views, cloud bread is part of the quarantine cooking craze that seems to have stuck around. Although it originated as a low-carb recipe made with eggs and cream cheese, most TikTokers, such as @abimhn, whose own video on it has been viewed 5.5 million times, make a different version.
They create a colorful, fluffy “loaf” that resembles angel food cake using egg whites, corn starch, sugar and food coloring.
Of course, countless other viral recipes didn’t rank in the top 10, like “Marry Me Chicken” and Snoop Dogg’s Billionaire’s Bacon, but there’s always 2023.
Perhaps the biggest surprise is that corn did not make the list.
