Girl Dinner: What's on Your Plate?

Men and women alike may have had this meal, but didn't know it had a name. 

"Girl Dinner" is a viral TikTok trend from 2023 attributed to Olivia Maher, a content creator, producer, and the older sister of Olympic rugby star Ilona Maher. In a video, she posted her meal of grapes, bread, cheese, and pickles and said, “This is my dinner. I call this ‘girl dinner’ or ‘medieval peasant dinner.’”

I'm also thinking tapas. I have been guilty of dining out and ordering a plate or two of tapas instead of the traditional entrees. 

Checking in about what is on the girl dinner menu, there are no rules other than small bites, easy execution, and convenience. It's also an easy meal if you are on any specific diet: breads, crackers, dips, cheese, fruits (dried and fresh), pickles, nuts, and hard-boiled eggs. Maybe add a small bowl of yogurt with berries or a scoop of cottage cheese. 

Is it payday and you're feeling generous with yourself? Add some charcuterie (smoked meats and sausages) to your dinner. If you practice the old world tradition of "Fish on Friday," the rediscovery and trend of tinned fish (sardines, herring, smoked oysters, and smoked clams) is an alternative, and healthy for you, too. 

What I foraged from the fridge: salami, pita, olives, pickles, dried cranberries, boiled eggs, cheese, and red pepper hummus. 

If you haven't made any plans for dinner and don't want to cook, you're probably going to eat this "snack food" throughout the evening anyway, so Girl Dinner gives you some self-awareness and structure. 

Girl Dinner may need some planning, but once it's in the cupboards and fridge, it will become a habit. It came easy as I followed an old habit from the late 1980s - 1990s, when my cupboards were prepared with a box or two of my favorite crackers (Triscuits and water biscuits), a bag of tortilla chips, jars of olives and pickles, a few bricks of cheese, fruit (usually apples), a jar of dry roasted peanuts, freshly made hummus (Yes, I used to make my own before it became to be a staple in the deli section of most grocery stores) and homemade salsa was often in the freezer that I could thaw in a few minutes. I was prepared for spur-of-the-moment cocktails after nine or 18 holes, or when the husband brought home some of his staff members for drinks and gossip. 

There are a couple of rules about Girl Dinner: the items on the menu should offer some nutritional value and balance. Also, be kind to yourself and don't eat over the sink. Put your chosen menu on a nice platter or charcuterie board, and find some pretty paper or cloth napkins and sit down. Slowly enjoy your meal, and it's okay to have your favorite beverage.

Yes, yes, yes, it is okay to turn on the television. Ally McBeal, Lorelai Gilmore and her daughter Rory, and Emily in Paris are always good dinner companions.