Top 10 Viral Food Trends of 2020
Despite its growing reputation for strange and alarming content, TikTok might just come in handy for culinary artists this holiday season, as unique cooking challenges and creative recipes are pushed into the limelight across the app.
Chefs in particular have embraced the app as a successful marketing platform, and the growing community of foodies on the forum is almost unparalleled.
On Dec. 2, the video-sharing platform released “The Year on TikTok: Top 100,” an extensive list of the best viral moments from 2020. Punctuating the list were several of TikTok’s biggest and best food trends during COVID-19.
Here are the top 10 food-related “recipes, trends, and hacks” submitted by popular creators this year:
1. Pancake Cereal
@myhealthydishHow to make Strawberry Pancake Cereal #pancakecereal #alwayslearning #recipes♬ Roses – Imanbek Remix – SAINt JHN
Chef and cookbook author, My Nguyen, got creative on TikTok in May with her recipe for “pancake cereal,” putting her own twist on the phenomenon with strawberry flavoring.
Combining pancake mix and strawberry Nesquik, she cooked up over 100 mini pancakes and placed them in a bowl with fresh berries, maple syrup and absolutely no milk. What a dish.
2. Whipped Coffee
@coffeebae97enjoyyyyy #homechef #homebarista♬ Summer Whisper – Tomppabeats
TikTok user Vivian really likes her coffee, regularly sharing new tips and tricks for making the fan-favorite morning drink.
A June video showed Vivian starting with whipped cream at the bottom of a cup, then adding ice, coffee and milk to create the perfect whipped coffee.
We haven’t seen this order before! Vivian’s upside-down approach to coffee earned her over 570,000 likes.
3. Banana Bread
@cookingwithshereenBest Banana Bread ? #foryоurpage #foryoupage #fyp #4u #lifeathome #tiktokfoodie #baking #bananabread #recipe #food #quarantine♬ Novice Juggler – Joey Pecoraro
Shereen Pavlides is also part of the TikTok culinary community, having risen to international fame on the platform and since authored her own cookbook, “Cooking with Shereen,” set to come out in June 2021.
In a viral video from March, which gained 4.3 million likes, Shereen exhibited her baking skills and whipped up her classic banana bread.
Her tip? Use browned bananas and mix your flour in gradually — the end result is mouthwatering.
4. BBQ Heaven
@bbqfreedom#bbq #foryourpage #xyzbca #biggreenegg♬ Running Miles – Hippie Sabotage
In February, an account for barbecue lovers shared a satisfying way to de-bone a slab of meat in a tantalizing video.
The chef simply reached into a perfectly-smoked piece of meat to grab the edge of the bone and carefully wiggled it out of the dish to preserve every scrap of meat possible. Can it really be that easy?
5. Doughnut Cereal
@soflofooodieThe cutest “cereal” yet! ?? #EatEmUp #pancakecereal #foodhacks #foodtrends #donuts♬ Roses – Imanbek Remix – SAINt JHN
Shay and Stephanie, co-owners of the Miami-based food blog SoFloFooodie, made the list with another “cerealized” recipe: their how-to video for doughnut cereal.
After cutting out mini donuts and frying them, the bloggers glazed and decorated the tiny pastries before placing them into a bowl with milk. Doughnut lovers, rejoice!
6. Ramsey Reacts to Potato Gnocchi
@gordonramsayofficialHolly !! I thought I taught you better #duet with @hollyannaramsay #ramsayreacts #fyp♬ CEO of speaking French – I.y.a
In his element judging food, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay reacted to his daughter’s viral video showing her attempt to make his gnocchi recipe.
Holly Anna peeled the potatoes before placing them in a pot to boil, prompting her father to joke, “Shame on you, Holly” for not cooking them properly. All things considered, though, the finished product looks quite tasty.
7. Cream Cheese and Bell Peppers
@janellerohnerSnackin #mukbang #keto #mukbangeatingshow #mukbangs♬ original sound – JanelleRohner
Janelle Rohner is also a cookbook author, known for her unique recipes catered to the ketogenic diet — a low carb, high fat regimen shown by several studies to be a fantastic way for dieters to lose weight and improve their health.
In late August, Rohner put all her viewers on to a new “keto” creation: bell pepper topped with cream cheese and pepperoni. The video got 1.7 million likes and nearly 1,000 comments, serving as a simple reminder that healthy food can also be delicious!
8. Ice Cream Cake
@djlemay2#experience #practice #thankful #hardwork #hardworkpaysoff #IceCream♬ Ice Cream – BLACKPINK & Selena Gomez
Cold Stone Creamery worker Dylan Lemay likes to showcase his dessert-making talents on TikTok, and one of his videos gained nearly 8 million likes in September.
Dylan created a special cake for a customer’s birthday — a masterful chocolate cake that featured vanilla ice cream with crushed peanut butter cups, chocolate chips and peanut butter filling. Yes, please.
9. Chocolate… from Scratch
@nick.digiovannifrom cacao pod to chocolate bar. don’t let this flop it took 5 days ? #chocolate #masterchef #food♬ original sound – nick.digiovanni
The youngest ever MasterChef finalist completely blew his TikTok audience away in September when he made chocolate… from scratch.
Nick DiGiovanni showed fans how to toast cacao pods, then mix them with sugar to make chocolate from the comfort of their own homes. Mind = blown.
10. DIY Hazelnut Spread
@flakeysaltNutella in case rhe shelves go blank again. #food #tiktokfood #foryoupage #chef #fyp #foryou #skills #foodlover #dessert #recipe♬ original sound – Joshua weissman
This one is for all the Nutella fans.
Popular TikTok creator Joshua Weissman loves making videos that educate viewers on how best to make store-bought food in their own kitchens, rivaling even the taste of America’s favorite food brands.
Chopping up hazelnuts and mixing them with chocolate, Weissman claimed in an August video that his Nutella recipe would save his viewers in the event that store shelves “go blank again.”
For all of its faults, it looks like TikTok is pumping out some quality culinary content, along with its somewhat unusual videos. We’re looking forward to seeing what unique food trends 2021 brings!
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