7 Biggest Viral Food Trends of 2023—So Far
If you're looking for recipe inspiration, there's no better place to start than on social media—especially TikTok. The video-sharing platform is chock-full of cooking hacks, original recipes, and unique twists on classic dishes. Last year, cloud bread, baked oats, and charcuterie boards were just some of the many viral food trends that dominated TikTok.
This year, a new group of recipes infiltrated the social media platform, racking up copious views, likes, and comments. These trends span across multiple categories, including snacks, desserts, and beverages.
Although we're only halfway through 2023, the year has been filled with several captivating recipes that have generated significant buzz. Here are seven of the biggest viral food trends that have hit the internet so far this year.
Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Yogurt Clusters
These chocolate-covered strawberry yogurt clusters are the latest sweet treat to take over TikTok. In April, cookbook author and KaleJunkie founder Nicole Keshishian Modic shared her recipe for the snack, which has since blown up on social media. The hashtag #strawberryyogurtclusters currently has 11.2 million views on TikTok.
In her video, Modic chopped up some strawberries, coated them in yogurt, and popped them in the freezer. She then covered the clusters in a mixture of melted chocolate and coconut oil, put them back into the freezer, and sprinkled them with some flaky salt after they hardened. Modic said, "I think that balances out the sweet, but as always, you do you."
And it looks like people have been doing just that. Social media users have put their own spins on the fruity clusters by adding honey to the yogurt and using different types of chocolate, such as white and dark.
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Fruit Roll-Up Ice Cream
This frozen treat captured people's attention not only because of the unique ingredient combination but also because of the attention-grabbing sound it produces upon biting into it. Back in February, TikTok user Golnar Ghavami, whose TikTok username is @golisdream, posted a video of herself making and eating ice cream wrapped in a Fruit Roll-Up. Within seconds, the ice cream froze the Fruit Roll-Up, giving it a satisfying, potato chip-like crunch that had viewers raising their eyebrows.
Ghavami's video now has 14.5 million views, while the TikTok hashtag #fruitrollupandicecream has amassed 146.5 million views. Over the last few months, social media users have hopped on the viral food trend by creating their own versions of it with different flavors of ice cream and Fruit Roll-Ups.
Cottage Cheese Ice Cream
Also trending in the ice cream world is the viral cottage cheese ice cream. The better-for-you, protein-packed frozen dessert gained heightened attention after content creator Lainie Kates—also known as @lainiecooks—shared her recipe for strawberry cheesecake cottage cheese ice cream. This flavor only calls for four ingredients: cottage cheese, a sweetener such as maple syrup, strawberries, and crushed graham crackers.
Since Kates' video went viral, social media users have replicated the recipe and created their own versions by adding various sweeteners and mix-ins to cottage cheese and then freezing it. At 32.3 million TikTok views, the hashtag #cottagecheeseicecream covers a range of flavors, such as birthday cake, banana cream pie, and cookies and cream.
Flavored Water
While flavored water is nothing new, the concept exploded on TikTok after Tonya Spanglo, whose username is @takingmylifebackat42, went viral for sharing her "water recipes." From piña colada water to salted caramel apple water, Spanglo has shared numerous water concoctions that feature water flavored with different syrups and powdered drink mixes. The content creator told Vox that making these beverages helped her reach her daily water goal and break her soda drinking habit after undergoing gastric sleeve surgery.
Among the social media users on what is known as "WaterTok," many have said these drinks have helped them drink more water, lose weight, or stop drinking soda. However, the trend has not gone without controversy. While some have expressed concerns about the ingredients found in drink flavorings, others have called the trend a diet culture fad, as these dessert-flavored waters are made with powders and syrups that are often sugar-free and zero-calorie.
Lemon Popcorn
Lemon popcorn recently got people talking after TikTok user @leels_ shared a video of herself making the simple recipe, which she called a "new obsession snack." The poster combined lemon zest and sea salt in a small bowl before adding it to a larger bowl of freshly popped microwave popcorn. She then topped it off with fresh lemon juice, mixed the ingredients together, and delighted over her creation. Her video now has 21.3 million views while #lemonpoporn has received 23.8 million views.
Within the post's comments section, TikTok users offered suggestions on how to enhance the snack, such as adding hot sauce, tajin, or parmesan cheese. Another TikToker recommended using air-popped popcorn and drizzling with with a combination of lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic salt, and melted butter.
Smashburger Tacos
Why choose between burgers and tacos when you can bring them together in one bite? In a viral video that currently has 3.8 million views, Phoenix-based chef Brad Prose—aka @chilesandsmoke—shared his recipe for the food mashup.
To make his smashburger tacos, Brose put seasoned ground beef patties onto a hot griddle and placed a tortilla on top of each one before pressing them down with a burger press. Once the meat was cooked, he flipped the tortilla-topped burgers over, added cheese, and loaded on other burger toppings like pickles, shredded lettuce, and sauce. "These are amazing," he said.
Upside Down Pastries
Whether you prefer your pastries sweet or savory, TikTok's recent puff pastry hack is sure to satisfy. Simply place any kind of filling onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, cover the filling with a square of puff pastry, press the edges down, paint it with egg wash, and bake until golden brown. The final product will look like a normal pastry once you flip it over.
As recipes continue to circulate on social media, the hashtag#upsidedownpastry has racked up 53.2 million TikTok views. Pastry fillings range from caramelized honey and nectarines to caramelized shallots, ham, and gruyere cheese—though the possibilities are endless.
