The 10 most popular student meals according to TikTok
Whilst moving to university is a really exciting time for many students, one of the main adjustments students have to make is cooking for themselves.
However, TikTok has students covered… Student FoodTok is booming in popularity with the hashtag #unistudentmeals receiving over 148.1 million views.
One account in particular that is going viral is @lazypotnoodle. With over 3 million followers and 77.6 million views on TikTok, @lazypotnoodle, shot to internet fame after posting videos of all the meals you can cook from your ‘dorm room’.
From pizza to fried chicken, @lazypotnoodle has shown how creative you can get with cooking even from the comfort of your own bedroom!
With students going mad for TikTok food recipes, experts at Ninja Kitchen have revealed the most popular cheap student meals according to TikTok and the results are in…
The most popular student meals according to TikTok
| Ranking | Food trend | TikTok views |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tomato and Mozzarella Pasta | 29,200,000 |
| 2 | Cheese Toastie | 12,600,000 |
| 3 | Chicken Stir Fry | 7,200,000 |
| 4 | Chicken Fried Rice | 3,200,000 |
| 5 | Beef Burritos | 2,600,000 |
| 6 | Meatballs and Mash | 2,000,000 |
| 7 | Tomato Orzo | 2,000,000 |
| 8 | Smashed Burgers | 1,700,000 |
| 9 | 15 Minute Ramen | 1,700,000 |
| 10 | Quesadillas | 1,100,000 |
Tomato and Mozzarella Pasta takes the top spot
With over 29.2 million views on TikTok, @foodandtravelswithhols’ tomato and mozzarella pasta recipe takes the top spot as the most popular student meal.
Taking only 10 minutes to cook and consisting of affordable ingredients including fresh cherry tomatoes, onions, garlic, tomato puree, cream, cheese and pasta, it is a staple recipe that all students should know about!
Cheese toasties come in second place for students
Who doesn’t love a cheese toastie? Students certainly do! With over 12.6 million views on TikTok, @naheed_xn comes in second place. Being extremely easy to make and easily personalised to individual taste buds, it’s a convenient cheap meal for students to make.
Chicken Stir Fry has received over 7.2 million views on TikTok
If students are looking for a healthy yet filling meal, @letskwoowk has the answer. Receiving over 7.2 million views on TikTok, @letskwoowk’s chicken stir fry recipe is a dish students swear by. Consisting of plenty of vegetables, protein and flavour, it's delicious, healthy and relatively affordable too.
Ninja’s Top Cooking Tips for Students
Ninja Kitchen has revealed their top cooking tips for students:
- Purchase multi-purpose ingredients: When food shopping, make sure to buy ingredients that can be used for multiple purposes. Avoid purchasing items that will only be used once and then go to waste. Instead, opt for versatile foods that will serve as crucial ingredients in several dishes you plan to prepare.
- Always look at the use by/best before dates on food: It’s important to always look at and understand use by/best before dates on food. With regards to the difference between the two, remember that a ‘use-by date’ is a deadline and a ‘best before date’ is a guideline. Ideally, the longer the date on the product, the better but do not eat anything that has exceeded its use-by date!
- Meal prep: If you’re a student, consider cooking in large batches and then portion out into multiple meals. Not only is this likely to save money, but it also saves time during the week. Equally, you’ll be able to manage your portion sizes better and reduce food wastage.
- Save money by cooking fake-aways: When at university, it is sometimes easier to order a takeaway rather than take the time to cook. However, ordering food in on a regular basis is not always a cost-effective or healthy way of living. If you love a takeaway, try to resist the temptation of ordering and make a fakeaway. With the hashtag #fakeaway receiving over 912 million views on TikTok, there are ample recipes for students to try. Not only is this likely to be more cost-effective, they are healthier and allow you to develop your skills in the kitchen.
- Invest in appliances: Cooking can be made much easier by investing in good-quality appliances. If you’re a student, consider investing in an air fryer - it will completely change the game. Cooking up to 75% faster than fan ovens*, using little to no oil and having four cooking functions including air fry, roast, dehydrate and reheat, they are perfect for creating quick, easy and healthy meals!
*Ninja Foodi MAX Dual Zone Air Fryer AF400UK tested against fish fingers and sausages, including pre-heat.