Even if you aren’t a big social media scroller, you’ll be au fait with the concept of what people on TikTok — with 534 million views and counting — are calling a ‘girl dinner’.
It all started (you’ll be as ✨ shocked ✨ as we were) with LA-based influencer Olivia Maher, who posted a video of her dinner — panning across a smorgasbord of grapes, cheese, cornichons and a glass of red wine.
She said: 'A girl just came on here and said how in medieval times, peasants had to eat nothing but bread and cheese, and how awful that was… and she was like, "that's my ideal meal." This is my dinner. I call it "girl dinner", or "medieval peasant".'
Basically, the uniting factor is they’re easy, thrown-together, graze-friendly dishes, arguably not dissimilar to the age-old arts of tapas and mezze.
Low effort, low price, understandably trending given the cost of living and how freaking tired people are.
However it’s caused a little consternation in the nutrition world as some combos — say, pasta and butter or a burger and Diet Coke — aren't exactly ticking all the essential boxes.
Experts have weighed in, recommending women create a balanced ’girl dinner’, high in nutrients and low in processed foods. They note this charcuterie-style dinner — convenient for whipping up solo, as well as doubling when sharing a glass of wine with your gal pal — can be a healthy option.
Instead of processed meats, low levels fibre and high levels of salt, sugar and sat fats, aim for a balance of nutrients that include protein, fats, carbohydrates and fibre.
Nutritionists suggest olives, tuna, hard-boiled eggs, nuts, crudités, such as carrots, cucumber and peppers, fruits, like berries, apples and peaches, and humous.
‘Picky bits’, but with nutritional value = winner winner, #girldinner.
Bex is a wellbeing writer, brand consultant and qualified yoga and meditation teacher who likes baths, crystals, running with her pup Gustav and making unboring vegan-ish food.
