From Putting Our Cucumbers Through The Ringer To "Splitting The G," These Were The Wildest Food Trends That Defined 2024
It's been a long year. As a society, we faced some hard truths in 2024, but I’m here to serve an even harder one: This year’s food trends were all over the place. Sure, we relished some of TikTok's gourmet highlights (dense bean salad, anyone?), but there are definitely a few trends we NEED to leave behind as we flip our calendars to January.
From the delicious to the downright absurd, 2024 was a buffet of unpredictability. There is only one ingredient all these food trends have in common (whether we like it or not): TikTok. With over 818 million posts tagged #food, the platform has revolutionized how we see, share, and consume food. With that in mind, here are the food trends we couldn't escape this year, for better or for worse, in no particular order:
1.The luxurious, bizarrely-textured chocolate bar that put TikTokers out $20 (but was probably worth it).
Decadent milk chocolate encases a luxurious pistachio butter and crispy knafeh filling in the viral sensation dubbed the "Dubai chocolate bar." In the summer of 2024, creators flooded TikTok with videos of themselves breaking the bars in half to expose the luscious pistachio-green filling, which went mega-viral. Cooks posted their own recreations of the deluxe candy bar in equally popular videos. There are now 140K posts tagged with #dubaichocolate on TikTok, and many chocolate purveyors here in the US are beginning to sell their own versions to capitalize on the trend.
2.Logan Moffitt started a summer salad revolution with the words: "Sometimes, you just need to eat an entire cucumber."
In August of 2024, food TikToker Logan Moffitt helped the cucumber salad skyrocket to popularity levels on par with Regina George. His quick, low-maintenance technique for cucumber salad was the perfect cooling snack for hot summer days, as proven by the over 43 million viewers who watched one of his "entire cucumber" recipes on TikTok. When BuzzFeed writer Claudia Santos covered this trend, she praised Logan's recipe: "Not only is this cucumber salad wildly easy to replicate, but it's also perfectly customizable, as you can probably guess from the many variations Logan and other creators have showcased on their platforms."
3.Food got political.
This year, the 2024 US presidential election dominated news headlines, TV commercial breaks, our dinner conversations, and even found its way into our food trends, whether it was Vice President Kamala Harris showing us how to make a sandwich on her YouTube channel or JD Vance going viral for a "very awkward" visit to a donut shop.
When BuzzFeed editor Ross Yoder tried making Tim Walz's viral Turkey Trot Tater-Tot Hotdish, he made a keen observation that food had become a "recurring theme" for the Harris-Walz presidential campaign, noting that "between Walz's viral 'white guy tacos' comment and his landmark universal free lunch program in his home state, it's clear he definitely shares Vice President Kamala Harris's love for all things food." We'll never forget you, Cooking with Kamala.
4.We learned the perfect formula for a Dense Bean Salad (aka the DBS) that would keep us full and satisfied like no other salad could.
This trend grew in popularity throughout 2024, reaching its peak popularity over the summer. People loved the protein-packed, make-ahead, fridge-friendly salad formula created by food content creator Violet Witchel. Violet dubbed these salads "dense" because they are filling and designed to energize you for hours.
5.More non-alcoholic adult beverages are on bar menus than ever, in part thanks to one celebrity who has been vocal about quitting alcohol.
This non-alcoholic beverage trend reflects shifting social norms around alcohol consumption as more people, especially young people, seek inclusivity in social settings and prioritize wellness without sacrificing the pleasure of enjoying delicious drinks. This year, Tom Holland launched his non-alcoholic beer company, Bero, to ensure everyone has a satisfying drink option at the pub.
6.Celebrities "split the G" while drinking Guinness (and the Irish stout became a hot girl drink).
Celebrities loved Guinness this year, from Irishmen like Niall Horan to all-American girls like Olivia Rodrigo. But the hype didn't start there; Guinness has grown in popularity over the past year, especially among Gen Z. So much so, both the New York Times and the BBC recently reported on pub owners experiencing difficulties meeting demands for the stout. In the Times report, they note that Guinness's parent company, Diageo, has even limited the amount of Guinness that businesses can buy due to "exceptional customer demand," according to a company statement.
7.Nara Smith made #easyrecipe videos that were anything but easy.
Regarding aspirational food trends, Nara Smith reigned supreme this year. The former model has made a huge name for herself (amassing 587.7M likes) on TikTok as an adventurous home cook who creates elaborate meals for her husband, Lucky Blue Smith, and three children. And she does all the cooking while donning equally impressive couture.
Her prominence this year has been correlated with the continuing presence of the "trad-wife" aesthetic in mainstream culture. She inspired many home cooks to try making things from scratch they might normally have picked up at the corner store. We reviewed some of her condiment recipes this fall and were (mostly) pleasantly surprised with the results.
8.A yummy, low-effort, and low-cost dish commenters say will make your skin glow: the onion boil.
doll_mimi / TikTok / Via tiktok.com, doll_mimi / TikTok / Via tiktok.com
Unlike some food content creators' hyper-curated recipe videos in pristine kitchens, other TikTok users, like Mimi Baretela, shared their relatable (and sometimes unusual) recipes for homemade, whole-food snacks, including this onion boil. Millions liked (and loved) videos of this accessible snack that calls for onions, an oven or air-fryer, and then whatever seasonings you have and enjoy.
9.Americans learned that Swedish candy is more than just fish, and it's been all over TikTok this year.
BonBon is one of several candy companies that has popularized Swedish-style sweets stateside, and their candy is uber viral on TikTok with over 281K videos tagged with the hashtag #bonbon. BuzzFeed writer Claudia Santos visited one of their stores in New York and documented her sweet experience for us to drool over.
10.Olympians became obsessed with the chocolate muffins being served at the Paris Olympic Village, and the rest of the world followed along on TikTok.
In July of 2024, Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen playfully posted about the muffins during his time at the Olympics, and people loved it. As the games unfolded, he kept posting, and more and more people tuned in, including other athletes who began seeking them out and posting their own footage of the cherished chocolate muffins.
11.Cookies became the new cupcake.
Cookies have taken center stage as the new "it" dessert, similar to the cupcake craze of the 2010s. The cookie chain Crumbl fueled the trend with oversized, indulgent creations in rotating flavors, from classic chocolate chip to unique options like churro or key lime pie. Social media amplified the craze, with viral videos showcasing cookie pulls, stuffing techniques, and creative designs.
12.Following in the footsteps of one iconic west coast burger chain, people swapped their burger buns for grilled onions to make "Flying Dutchman" burgers.
The gluten-free, flavor-packed burger alternative became a hit for its seductive combination of sweet, caramelized onions and savory, sauced beef patties. The trend quickly gained traction on TikTok, with home cooks and restaurant chefs putting their own spin on the concept.
What 2024 food trends are you excited to bring with you into the new year? And which are you leaving behind? Let us know in the comments.
