Is the Girl Dinner trend just a fancy snack plate? No matter what it is, it’s an opportunity to enjoy a bit of what you fancy and an example of intuitive eating.
TikTok, you’ve done it again! I’m not even on the app and I’m seeing examples of Girl Dinners everywhere. It’s a trend that’s generated a lot of derision, as it’s basically a rebrand on a snack plate, a picky tea (The British classic) or an antipasti board.
What goes into a Girl Dinner?
Basically, it’s a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Common girl Dinner ingredients include:
- Charcuterie such as parma ham and salami
- Nuts and seeds
- Cheese
- Salad vegetables like cucumbers and tomatoes
- Fresh fruit such as grapes, peaches and berries
- A carb such as crackers or pitta bread
Girl Dinner is a great example of intuitive eating
If you think of your standard healthy eating methods, like meal prep or calorie controlled meals, Girl Dinner feels like the opposite. But the thing is… it’s a good thing! In my mind, Girl Dinner is a form of intuitive eating as it allows you to focus on what you’re craving and make up your mind in the moment.
For example, you’ve got your Girl Dinner in front of you. You want a piece of cheese on a cracker? Done. You want a bite of fruit next? Done. There’s a flexibility in its style of eating that goes against the rigid controls of something like meal prep (this is not me slagging meal prep off though, who doesn’t love a homemade ready meal?) and it’s refreshing to see.
Another important element of intuitive eating is recognising and honouring your hunger. So if you’re feeling peckish, know you need to eat but don’t want a large meal… then Girl Dinner is a way to go. And if you don’t finish everything – odds are you can pack the leftovers away in containers for another dinner.
Isn’t Girl Dinner just a millennial charcuterie board?
As a millennial, I feel insulted. We love our boards!
For me, Girl Dinner is a simplified and plated version of the board – there’s less variety overall, but it’s all about the potential combinations. It’s the capsule wardrobe of dinners.
Is Girl Dinner for girls only?
Absolutely not.
Despite what you may see in TikTok and Instagram, you don’t need to be a female, white, slim, young woman living in a minimalist apartment to enjoy Girl Dinner.
Sadly, ‘Woman Dinner’ and ‘Lady Dinner’ just don’t have the same ring.
Looking for some inspiration? Here are 3 Girl Dinner ideas?
The Scandi Dinner
This plate focuses on a staple in Scandinavia: smoked or cooked fish and shellfish. Imagine you’re at a traditional Swedish restaurant or Stockholm apartment (no, not IKEA) and start building your dinner:
- Smoked/cured/cooked salmon
- Prawns
- Cucumber slices (pickled if you prefer)
- Beetroot (again, could be pickled)
- Rye bread or crackers
- Cream cheese
- Apple
- Dill for garnish
The Gallic Dinner
Embrace your inner Parisian (you know you want to) with this French inspired plate:
- Charcuterie i.e. dry cured Jambon or
- Meat paté e.g. Ardennes paté or a vegetarian paté
- Baguette slices
- Soft cheese i.e. brie, Camembert or goats cheese (chevre)
- French radishes
- Cornichon
- Grapes
- Fig jam
- Salted almonds
The Anglophile Dinner
I couldn’t help myself, I’m a Brit who loves a picky tea! For this dinner, I’ve been inspired by that pub lunch classic, the ploughmans:
- Ham slices (or a posh pork pie)
- Cream crackers or country loaf slices
- Strong cheese i.e. cheddar, red Leicester or Stilton
- Hard boiled eggs
- Celery
- Cucumber and radishes
- Tomato or onion chutney
- Apple
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