The TikTok Foodie Moments That Have Real Staying Power In 2023

There's no such thing as a brief visit to TikTok. Seriously, once you're on this relatively new app, it's impossible to avert your attention. Yes, TikTok is the social media equivalent to falling down a rabbit hole. While it can be easy to feel guilty about this excessive screen time, when it comes to food and novel ways to prepare it, time spent on TikTok can very well be time well spent. 

In fact, The Globe and Mail reports that TikTok videos that have the hashtag #food (a.k.a, FoodTok videos) had received over 360 billion views by September of this year. With more than a billion users, this omnipresent platform is increasingly shaking up the food world. Its influence truly exploded during the pandemic when legions of housebound people suffering from boredom decided to explore the epicurean world. The New York Times points to early TikTok-inspired food crazes like whipped coffee, baked feta pasta, and three-ingredient Oreo cake as prime examples of trends unleashed upon the world by this video-centric platform. 

Many of TikTok's novel culinary ideas have gone on to weave their way into American culture, spawning new recipes and techniques that are here for the long term. Here are a few of this year's TikTok food trends that are likely to continue into 2023. 

While cloud bread has been kicking around on TikTok since 2020, a study conducted by the Chiquito restaurant chain revealed that the fluffy creation remained this year's top food trend garnering over 3.4 billion views (via CNBC). While Eater reports that most attribute it to a @linqanaaa post from July 2020, you can now watch oodles of videos of foodies breaking open this pillowy loaf and admiring its fluffy innards. 

Made with just egg whites, sugar, and cornstarch, much of the recipe's appeal is its simplicity and lack of gluten-riddled ingredients, although not everyone is convinced cloud bread is any healthier than regular bread. With videos showing it in rainbow hues and used as pizza dough, its versatility and low cost will ensure its continued popularity. 

In September 2022, TikTok user Justine Doiron introduced a novel idea that made viewers ask, "Are butter boards the next charcuterie board?" With over 358 million views, party hosts everywhere began considering adding this sociable, spreadable appetizer to their offerings (via Times of India).  

A butter board is simply a large layer of butter topped with herbs, spices, nuts, veggies, and anything else that tickles your taste buds. Guests then dunk or swipe bread in this creation and enjoy. Its versatility — and the fact that it costs a mere fraction of what a meat and cheese-based board does — will make it a viable adversary to the traditional charcuterie board for the foreseeable future. 

If not for social media, The Suprême may have remained a New York City secret. A Lafayette Bakery specialty, this croissant/donut hybrid is so highly coveted that people stand in line for hours to get one. The Suprême, however, is said to be well worth the wait. When Food Insider shared a video of their experience devouring this concoction, it made some viewers motivated to book their next trip to the Big Apple. Yes, it looks that tasty. 

The NYC pastry that has everyone talking is no longer just a New York thing. Eateries in London and Vancouver now offer their own versions, and there are bound to be more copycats on the horizon.

You may think that the world's moved on from the dirty soda, but it hasn't. According to Yelp, searches for this beverage have climbed by 40%. Although this concoction was originally sold mostly in Utah, TikTok was largely responsible for introducing this mix of soda and milk (and many creative variations thereof) to the 21st-century masses. Baby Boomers and Gen Xers, however, are quick to point out that Penny Marshall introduced Pepsi and milk (a.k.a "pilk") way back in 1976 on the sitcom "Laverne & Shirley" (via Newsweek). This much-talked-about revelation — and a recent Pepsi commercial starring Lindsay Lohan and featuring "pilk and cookies" — are bound to increase the public's interest in this Pepsi milk TikTok trend.

Google the words "TikTok baked oats" and you'll encounter a barrage of recipes. If you've always been a reluctant oatmeal eater — perhaps you don't appreciate the sticky consistency — you may prefer it baked. What makes this option so appealing? According to Savory Nothings, this viral TikTok technique turns oatmeal into a tasty cake that can be prepared in individual ramekins or a hefty casserole dish. It's also perfect for anyone who's following a gluten-free diet. As home cooks continue to experiment with new variations, interest continues to grow. We even have our own recipe for Nutella Baked Oats.

This summer, a supposed Coca-Cola alternative on TikTok took the world by storm. Why? This concoction made using ice, a "splash" of balsamic vinegar, and your favorite sparkling beverage is said to look and taste just like Coke (via Real Simple). While Real Simple and many others who experimented with this beverage noted that it's a "refreshing" drink but tastes nothing like Coke, some still enjoyed it. TikTok user Healthy Little Peach, for instance, did a duet with the beverage's TikTok originator, Amanda Jones, and determined the drink was delicious. 

When spring 2023 rolls around and people are eager to shed winter weight, it is highly likely they will revisit TikTok's viral "healthy coke."