This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s summer editorial intern Emma Zumbo. Find her on Instagram at @emmarzumbo. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that one must have a sweet little treat to themselves at least once a day. As always, TikTok is rife with ideas for how to turn this daily ritual into a more decadent and fun experience. Most recently, the candy salad trend and the dessert bowl trend have taken over FYPs the world over.
What Are Candy Salads And Dessert Bowls?
Well, basically exactly what they sound like they are. A candy salad essentially involves tossing a variety of different candy in a bowl together and mixing – the trend often sees a group of people telling the camera what they each brought for the salad. Similarly, a dessert bowl is a bowl filled with a variety of your favorite sweet bites – the trend originated when creator Brett’s Bites posted a video in December 2023, showing her followers the making of one of her “dessert snack bowl[s]” that she consumes “basically every single night”. The video quickly gained popularity and people soon started posting their own takes on the dessert bowl, with Brett also continuing to post her own bowls in an ongoing series.
A dessert bowl is a great way to satisfy multiple sweet and snacky cravings all at once. There is no true singular recipe for how to make one, as the format really allows everyone’s creativity to shine through. Still, there are a few key elements that seem to be repeated in every video and that will ensure your dessert bowl hits the spot every single time. Below, I take a look at the essential categories that are often seen in an optimal dessert bowl, and share with you some of my favorite treats for inspo. Let’s dig in!
Creamy
Ok ok, so, the original creator usually recommends starting with a salty snack as the base for your bowl, but, as someone whose silverware drawer is composed almost entirely of spoons, I can’t help but start my dessert bowls off with some sort of creamy base. Placing your wettest ingredient at the bottom also preserves the crunchiness of your other toppings and helps everything stick together so you can truly get a perfectly varied bite every time (there’s a science to this, people). Now, I’m a yogurt girl (seriously, my friends make fun of me for it), so that’s usually my base of choice, but, since it’s dessert, I like to try out different fun yogurt flavors rather than just plain. Some yogurt recs from a true connoisseur (availability may vary depending on your location): Ellenos Greek Yogurt (their mango flavor is insane), Icelandic Provisions Extra Creamy Skyr (try the lemon and the coffee if you haven’t yet), and this french style yogurt called La Fermiere (which gets extra points for coming in cute little pots). Of course, a hefty scoop of your favorite ice cream is always a great choice, especially now that the weather is heating up. And, if you’re looking to shake things up a bit, you could try out using a base of something like a packaged rice pudding or chocolate mousse – the bowl is your oyster! Once you’ve made your base choice, it’s time to move on to the toppings.
Chocolate
I know some people don’t like chocolate and tend to veer towards fruity or nutty desserts – I am not one of those people. My dessert bowl needs chocolate, likely in various forms. Lately, I’ve been obsessed with these chocolate covered dates, but I also usually love just a few pieces of a really nice chocolate bar. And when I’m feeling fancy, some chocolate covered orange peels or a handful of Tru Frus fruit are the perfect luxurious touch.
Candy
Why not combine two trends into one and make a hybrid dessert bowl/candy salad? If you’re on dessert bowl Tiktok, you might also be familiar with Bon Bon, the pink hued Swedish candy store taking over New York. If you don’t live in New York, or just don’t feel like standing in line for candy, I have some good news for you – Bon Bon delivers! Try out one of their premade mixes or make your own. Some other recent favorite candies I’ve tried include Smart Sweets (I’m watching my sugar intake, can’t you tell) and these really fun sour candies called Better Sour. And, honestly, I think you can also never go wrong with some classic Haribo sweets.
Salty
I still recommend adding a salty element to your bowl to balance all the sweetness. A few handfuls of your favorite popcorn or some simple pretzels work well here, but lately I’ve also been enjoying tossing in some crushed up potato chips to my bowls (don’t knock it till you try it). If you’re in the mood to try something new, these Nemi cactus sticks and these Craize crackers are snacks that I often reach for throughout the day and that I think could work really well in your bowl.
Get Funky
This is your bowl, we’re just living in it. I think what makes a dessert bowl truly great is variety, so pile on those toppings, babe, you deserve it. Some fresh baked cookies perhaps? Grown up rice crispy treats? Or maybe just some really yummy granola? And don’t be afraid to throw in some extra finishing touches in to top everything off – try drizzling some olive oil or sprinkling some bee pollen on your next bowl for some extra flavor complexity.
Ultimately, a dessert bowl can be whatever your heart desires, but I hope this list has given you some ideas for your next sweet little treat time.
Have you hopped on the dessert bowl or candy salad trend yet? Let us know in the comments below!
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