'Girl dinner' could be the key to food joy, nutritionist says

If you are a person that frequents social media, you’ve probably heard of "girl dinner" by now.

The trend took off on TikTok earlier this month (where videos featuring it currently have over 267 million views), and it was ridiculed by Brits when it was featured in a New York Times articles with people calling it a “glorified picky bits”.

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"That's called the Can't be A**** dinner in the UK," @ChloeCombi wrote, while @SherbetKirsty said: "Erm… it’s called a ‘picky tea’ and us Brits have had it for years."

So, what exactly is "girl dinner" and what does a nutritionist think about it?

What is 'girl dinner'?

You know when, sometimes, you just cannot be bothered to cook anything for dinner so you raid your fridge and place a bunch of things on a plate and call it a day?

While this may be referred to as a "picky tea" or "picky bits" in the UK, TikTok has rebranded it as "girl dinner": a minimal-effort dinner of single-serving size charcuterie boards.

The term describes a meal that some women typically make themselves when they don't feel like cooking or if they are just sorting themselves out for dinner.

How to make 'girl dinner'

Most "girl dinners" consist of antipasti items like olives, cured meats, cheeses, nuts, raw vegetables and even some fruit.

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This can include meats like ham, pastrami, prosciutto, salami; cheeses like burrata, cheddar, and feta; vegetables like carrots, cucumber, and cherry tomatoes; and fruit like grapes, strawberries or apples.

Basically, "girl dinner" can be a combination of whatever you want it to be as long as there is enough food on your plate to make it a good substitute for dinner and not just a snack plate.

A nutritionist’s verdict on 'girl dinner'

While many have criticised the trend saying that it looks like what they feed their children, one nutritionist says that eating this way can help people enjoy their meals more.

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"The ‘girl dinner’ TikTok trend is all about celebrating food and eating in a way that feels good to you. Something that society has struggled with for a long time, with diet culture deeply ingrained in our culture," Kyle Crowley, nutritionist at Protein Works explains.

"It is centred around making things work for you. The main message with the trend is eating intuitively, listening to your body and giving it what it needs."

Crowley adds that the trend is a signal that more and more people are embracing intuitive eating.

"Intuitive eating is a non-diet approach to food that is based on listening to your body's natural hunger and fullness cues," he explains. "This is a positive development, as it moves society away from diet culture and towards a more healthful and sustainable way of eating.

"There's no one right way to have a ‘girl dinner’, for some it is a charcuterie board style plate with a variety of meats, cheeses, pickles and bread whereas others prefer a ‘whatever’s left in the fridge’ dish. The trend is a way to help you get back in tune with your body's signals for hunger, fullness and satisfaction."

"The trend is a reminder that food is meant to be enjoyed, it's not about following strict rules or diets but instead eating what you love and making sure that you're getting the nutrients you need."

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