I didn't plan to write this blog post, but TikTok has birthed a new trend known as 'girl dinner,' where women celebrate the simple pleasure of snacking as a meal, so I decided to react.
With more than 30 million views, the trend showcases artfully arranged snack plates, enabling individuals to relish a personalized feast without considering others' preferences. From slices of cheese and salami to olives and fancy crackers, 'girl dinner' offers both chaotic indulgence and a reprieve from the expectations of traditional meals. While critics highlight concerns about disordered eating, proponents see it as a rebellion against diet culture, finding joy and pleasure in their eating experiences. So, who says "girl dinner" is exclusively for girls? Or that snacking is bad? It's a feast anyone can savor, regardless of gender.
You know, this "girls' dinner" trend, which is not really new and is traditionally referred to as a "cold plate", got me thinking. While my thoughts are indirectly related to the ongoing debate, I still decided to share them.
@liviemaher #girldinner #medievaltiktok ♬ original sound - Olivia Maher
From a psychosomatic perspective, I can see a rational aspect of the "girls' dinner" concept and in the arguments of supporters of this type of snacks.
The big idea behind psychosomatics is that your mind and body are super connected. It’s all about how your thoughts, feelings, and even social stuff can seriously affect your physical health. This field says that what’s going on in your head—like stress or emotions—can play a huge role in how your body feels, from random symptoms to actual diseases. It’s about realizing that mental and physical health go hand in hand, and you’ve gotta look at both to really get what’s going on with someone’s health.
So, what’s actually best for staying healthy and well-being?
Option one: Being constantly stressed out by this culture obsessed with “healthy eating” can be a lot. It’s like, you’re supposed to cook these perfect, wholesome meals all the time, and it’s exhausting. Everywhere you look, there’s some new rule about what you should or shouldn’t eat. Some foods are basically labeled as potential causes of diseases, while others are supposed to be miracles and it is depending on who you ask. And what about people who hate cooking or just don’t know how?
All this pressure can make you paranoid that every bite is gonna wreck you, or you feel guilty for not being “perfect.” Like, you grab a slice of pizza from the fridge or slap together a sandwich with some sausage, cheese, and a couple of cucumber slices, and suddenly you’re beating yourself up for not whipping up a kale salad. You’re standing in the kitchen, dreading the stove, thinking, “Ugh, I gotta cook again? I’m not even into this, but I have to eat healthy.”
On top of that, the whole “what’s healthy” thing is a mess. There’s a million diets out there—vegetarian, vegan, keto, you name it—and the info is all over the place. One day, a diet’s the best thing ever; the next, it’s trash. You’ve got studies saying one thing, then other studies saying the opposite, and it’s just too much. Regular people, who already have enough on their plates, get buried under all this noise.
That kind of stress and those negative vibes can really mess with you. From a psychosomatic angle, all that worry and guilt can actually hurt your health.
Option two: On the flip side, imagine someone who just enjoys their food. They’re stoked about a quick breakfast or a snack to keep them going, or they’re savoring a dinner with bacon, cheese, cucumbers, and tomatoes. They’re not sweating the “healthy food” rules or stressing about what they’re “supposed” to eat. No guilt, no inner battles—just good vibes and confidence that their food choices are fine. Doesn’t that sound way better?
We live our lives based on what we believe, and those beliefs kinda set the rules—or limits—we put on ourselves. So, wouldn’t it be awesome if our beliefs about food made us feel good and safe instead of stressed out?
Now, sure, deep down we all crave total freedom with no boundaries, but that’s a whole different convo.
If someone’s in a good place mentally—no hidden stress or inner battles—they’re probably not gonna deal with stuff like obesity or eating disorders. Those issues usually come from some kind of psychological conflicts bubbling under the surface, even if it’s not obvious.
Your body doesn’t just get sick for no reason; it’s reacting to stuff going on inside or around you. Things like mental stress or emotional conflicts can mess with you and sometimes even lead to eating disorders.
If you look at animals, they’ve got sensors enabling them to determine whether food is edible or not. Humans also have sensory mechanisms such as sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste. Aren’t those supposed to help us figure out what’s good to eat?
But somehow, we’ve been taught that our bodies—which are literally built perfectly to handle life on this planet—need all this extra help. Like, we’re supposed to rely on “experts,” influencers, or bloggers to tell us what’s okay. Why do we act like we need a crutch when we’ve already got everything we need?
At a certain point in my life, I came to believe that the primary objective of the human body is survival, and it accomplishes this task really good. That flipped how I think about food completely. Now, I totally trust my body and don’t stress about what I eat. I know whatever I choose isn’t gonna be “wrong.”
My meals are usually simple and quick to whip up, and I lean toward natural stuff mostly because it’s easy to get. But I’m all about enjoying some pizza, ice cream, or a McDonald’s run when I’m in the mood—no guilt here.
Sometimes I’m at the grocery store and get a random craving for, like, cookies and yogurt. So I grab ‘em, eat a bunch, and it’s awesome. It makes me happy, and I’m full. The cool thing? After that, I don’t feel the need to keep eating cookies and yogurt for ages. It’s like my body’s like, “Cool, we’re good now.” Usually, when I’m just chilling and feeling normal, I’m happy with my regular meals.
You get what I’m saying. So, why not kick back and enjoy a dinner of bread and butter, some cheese, olives, veggies, and grapes? Sounds like a vibe to me.