In the time of social distancing and strict quarantine measures, people have now turned to social media as their primary source of interaction, news, and entertainment. One of the apps that has rapidly gained traction is TikTok, a video sharing platform that allows users to create short-form video content and a site to look out for when it comes to predicting and popularizing trends in beauty, fashion, humor, and pop culture.
Although it’s infamous for viral dance challenges, food content is coming to light as one of the most viewed videos on the social network service.
Ranging from simple cooking hacks to replicating fast food chain recipes and even popularizing novel takes on kitchen essentials, TikTok is revealing food items that the public would like to consume. For restaurateurs, especially SMEs, these trends and takes on food is a nifty source for incorporating or adapting new ideas into the menu.
Dalgona coffee
This coffee trend has captivated many people (even those non-users of TikTok) owing to its simplicity and low ingredient count. With just instant coffee, milk, and sugar, you can already get a tasty, picture-perfect drink. People have also been tweaking the recipe by adding more sugar to make it sweeter or adding more coffee to give it a stronger punch.
For those who don’t consume coffee, the Dalgona trend has also given way to cocoa Dalgona or matcha Dalgona where you use the same techniques and ingredients, but swap out the coffee for chocolate or matcha powder instead.
Although it’s infamous for viral dance challenges, food content is coming to light as one of the most viewed videos on the social network service.
This is a great item to add to a menu for its relatively easy and cheap creation process. Unlike complicated drinks, machines like coffee grinders or espresso makers are not necessary when creating this drink. There are also a lot of variations to the drink that can be explored with vanilla, cinnamon, and milk tea flavors as the frontrunners.
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Mug cakes
Mug cakes have been around for a long time and many variants have been created by individual and part-time entrepreneurs. The mug cakes born out of quarantine are also made with ingredients that are already at home but not always utilized, like sprinkles, fruits, and syrups. Similar to Dalgona coffee, the ingredients are easy to get.
Popular variants from TikTok include Oreo mug cakes, where you crush Oreos and mix them up in a mug with milk; birthday cake, where sprinkles and candy flavoring are added; and the classic vanilla cake. As a menu item, these portable desserts are one way to present cakes aside from the usual sliced version normally offered.
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Soufflé pancakes
Before the enhanced community quarantine was implemented, soufflé pancake restaurants and establishments have already been making their way into many people’s food bucket list but TikTok is revealing that these fluffy pancakes can be attempted at home, too.
It is a bit more technical than the previous food trends mentioned but the results can be gratifying. Still, restaurants can offer this food item with more sophistication and better ingredients. Soufflé pancakes as a food trend had just started gaining traction so adding them to your menu definitely won’t hurt.
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One-pan breakfast
Breakfast sandwiches, although named for the first meal of the day, can be eaten any time of the day. For quarantined TikTok users, the appeal of the breakfast sandwich is that it can be assembled and created in one pan. Although this technique isn’t new to chefs and home cooks, the various ingredients they find at home give it a bit more variety.
The breakfast sandwich is also a flexible item that can satisfy those looking for an array of flavors, whether it’s protein-packed, vegetarian-friendly, or an option that caters to Filipinos’ natural affinity for sweets. Bacon, egg, and cheese is a wildly popular variant but there are also a lot more pairings that can be explored if adapted to a menu.
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Smoothie bowls
Just in time for summer, smoothie bowls are letting TikTok users eliminate the fruits that have been stuck in their fridge all while creating a refreshing and healthy quarantine snack. The smoothie bowl is a great meal alternative with its layers of flavor and texture. The dense mixture that comes from blending fruits and milk is perfect for crunchy toppings like nuts and granola.
For vegetarian and vegan restaurants, the smoothie bowl is a great menu addition. It offers a lot of variety when it comes to fruit and topping pairings. From a nutritional standpoint, smoothie bowls can also be created to serve various functions like detoxifying and energizing.
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