Molly Christie
Many products and services have been replaced by modern technology in recent years. But now, the popularity of TikTok may be a threat to cookbooks. CookTok (a hashtag packed full of meal, snack, and dessert ideas) could make written recipes totally obsolete.
More than 70% of adults use social media for recipes, instead of cookbooks. You might assume that Pinterest (arguably the mumsiest social media) or Instagram are the culprits behind this takeover. But, surprisingly, it’s the youngest app driving seasoned chefs out of the kitchen. A recent survey found that more than one in ten adults use TikTok specifically to plan their meals.
What’s cooking on TikTok?
It doesn’t take an expert to figure out accessibility is the biggest advantage TikTok provides.
Recipes can be saved easily, as and when you find them. They can be stored on your phone with the press of a button – you don’t even need to pause your scrolling, as you can look at the full video later. TikToks are easier to store than recipe books and don’t take up space in your cluttered kitchen. Users can also sort saved videos into folders, which replaces the need to flick through several books in search of a recipe.
Unlike clunky cookbooks, you can access your saved recipes anywhere. This makes it easier to check what ingredients you need at the supermarket, without the need for a shopping list. Showing a recipe to friends or family (simply by opening your saved videos tab) has also never been more convenient.
That said, cookbook sales did grow during the pandemic. We can assume that this was because people had more time to spend on cooking and learning new recipes from scratch. However, most of us don’t have the time in our day-to-day lives to buy and peruse cooking books. It’s more convenient to comb through the #EasyRecipe or #LazyCooking tags during a spare moment on the bus or lunch break.
The TikTok algorithm is intelligent and will quickly pick up on the user being interested in recipes. It will promote similar videos on the ‘For You’ page, making it easier for amateur chefs to find other snacks and dishes. This is cheaper and easier than buying multiple cooking books.
On top of that, the tagging system on TikTok makes it easy to research specific dishes you want to make. Diving into tags like #PastaTikTok offers a wide range of ways to cook and serve pasta, for example.
Any food you can think of, there’s a million recipes available in seconds. The difficulty ranges from cooking in a microwave to professional sous chefs, so there’s something for everyone.
CookTok has something for everybody
As well as being convenient, CookTok helps people to discover a wider variety of cuisines. Anyone from around the world can upload a video to TikTok, which makes it easy to find new and unique recipes. A lot of creators on CookTok share dishes from their countries and cultures, sometimes fusing multiple together to make a new meal. For example, one of the most popular dishes on CookTok is tteokbokki (Korean rice cakes). Following different cooking videos is a fun way to make sure your diet isn’t bland and repetitive.
Watch on TikTok
Some creators cook with specific dietary requirements in mind, providing a wealth of recipes for people with allergies or intolerances. This can help people (who don’t often see recipes they can make in cookbooks or on TV) feel like they’re part of a community. It can also be educational for people who want to make food for their friends, but don’t know how to make something gluten-free, for example.
There are influencers on TikTok who specialise in making vegetarian or vegan dishes. Others might make food for particular diets, such as Keto or Paleo. Many people on TikTok advertise their recipes as promoting weight loss, muscle gain, or a healthy lifestyle. If you’re interested in following a specific diet, the site can be a great place to research and bookmark recipes for it.
The financial side of recipes
In part, the recent growth of CookTok and FoodTok can be linked to people having less money to spend. In the current cost of living crisis, TikTok’s free access to millions of recipes is more appealing than buying a cookbook with limited recipes.
Prestigious TV cook Nigella Lawson’s most recent book costs a total of £26. Even the down-to-earth chef Jamie Oliver charges £28 for his ‘budget-friendly’ recipes. These simply aren’t affordable for struggling families and students. It isn’t hard to understand why most people choose to get their recipes online instead.
Watch on TikTok
However, many TikTok users have gone viral for their recipes and now have a platform of their own, like a modern TV chef. Several influencers have published their own cookbooks: Eloise Head, known online as FitWaffle, has already published two books containing her TikTok recipes. Deliciously Ella, now a popular supermarket brand, started out by making cooking and baking videos online. This suggests CookTok may contribute to the market of recipe books, rather than replacing it.
When it comes to TikTok vs cookbooks, those who are smart choose to pursue both. Deliciously Ella sells a wide range of books, but also shares free recipes on social media every day. This means anyone can access the brand’s meal and snack ideas without spending any money. But those who can afford to buy their books and products are also able to get a taste for what’s in them before they do so.
The problem with CookTok
Although it is more convenient to follow recipes on TikTok, most of the videos aren’t produced by professional chefs and bakers. Therefore, the quality of the recipe and instructions may not be the same standard as those published in a cookbook. For this reason, plenty of other influencers have made videos where they ‘try’ making viral TikTok foods to see if they actually work. In some instances, professionals have even responded to cooking videos and debunked the ‘hacks’ they use.
As misinformation and bad advice is rife on TikTok, many CookTok videos have promoted dangerous behaviour. One common example is sticking a sandwich or a wrap into a toaster, which is an easy way to start a kitchen fire. Other recipes are impractical or downright – the shock value attracts views.
Making food in a Dorito bag? Or a toilet? It’s a hard pass from us.
https://www.tiktok.com/@pleese/video/7115841380210969862?q=foodtok%20hack%20bad&t=1693394519140
Despite the popularity of TikTok and the potential threat it poses to traditional cookbooks, it is unlikely that cookbooks will be eradicated. Most people will continue to own books (even just for kitchen decor) and pass family recipes down through generations. No doubt, cookbooks will remain the go-to for staple dishes and iconic bakes.
While TikTok is more convenient and accessible than cookbooks, it won’t replace other sources of recipes: books, TV, and online. It will just become another common source to use.
Pinterest, on the other hand, may have been replaced. RIP.
READ MORE:
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WHAT I EAT IN A DAY: INSPIRING OR HARMFUL?
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DOOMSCROLLING: HOW TO BREAK THE VICIOUS CYCLE
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‘PICK-ME GIRLS’: THE MISOGYNY BEHIND THIS NOTORIOUS TIKTOK TREND
Featured image courtesy of Mike Gattorna via Unsplash. No changes were made to this image. Image licence found here.
