If you’re (whisper it) over the age of 25, you may think TikTok is not the place for you. It’s all teenagers doing dances to music you’ve never heard of, right? Well, yes. But if you dig a little deeper there’s loads of funny, relevant and useful content to be found, and our current favourite is #CookingTikTok.
Picture the scene – it’s Wednesday, it’s 7pm, you’re hungry but you have no idea what to cook. You’ve got a cupboard full of basics, but nothing special. You’re bored of your usual dishes… can you really order takeaway on a Wednesday? You can, but how about a quick check of TikTok first? A search on the #CookingTikTok tag brings up thousands of tasty recipes that use store cupboard staples and take 30 mins or less. The quick, choppy nature of a TikTok video lends itself nicely to recipes with minimal ingredients and even fewer steps, so dishes are simple by nature.
And it’s not (just) teens creating these delicious meals – from professional chefs to busy parents, you can choose a creator who fits your lifestyle, whether you want to spend some time making your own pasta (@peterspasta) or throw together something quick and easy for the kids (@cookingwithshereen). And there’s baking, of course – we love @_christianpaul for his amazing creations.
TikTok has become the place for cool food trends, too. The dalogna coffee hype of summer 2020 originated on TikTok, while right now it’s a simple pasta dish made with baked feta and tomatoes that people can’t get enough of.
Gone are the days when celebrity chefs and glossy websites were the gatekeepers of great food online – TikTok makes cooking much more accessible for people of all skill levels, from the wannabe home chef to the ‘chuck it all in and hope for the best’. So the next time you’re standing in front of the fridge wondering if Deliveroo do sushi, whip your phone out and browse for a minute. Top tip - @blossom has an amazing sushi hack!
