Viral Food Trends in 2025
The most viral food trends in 2025 are equal parts visual, functional, and flavor-forward. From Japanese strawberries to smashed potatoes, the year is shaping up to blend indulgence with simplicity, and the data shows it. Japanese strawberries, for example, are seeing a 28.14% YoY growth, with more than 23 million posts and over 87 million dishes online.
While some foods take Tiktok by Storm (as seen with Dubai chocolate), others emerge more slowly, building relevance over time. As summer pushes more seasonal hype toward things like cold noodles, tropical fruit, and mocktails to the surface, it’s important to understand what people want to eat, and why it sticks.
Why food trends matter in 2025
Buzz dictate what people eat, share, and search for. Whether it’s a high-velocity TikTok moment or a slow-growing movement across menus, food trends signal consumer intent. They reveal what’s indulgent, what’s functional, and what’s worth replicating across CPG, foodservice, and retail.
How social media continues to drive what we eat
TikTok is still the biggest engine behind food virality. The format is visual, quick, and replicable, perfect for creators. A simple idea like cucumber salad with soy sauce might generate millions of views in a week. It saw a 7.22% YoY growth, it remains highly relevant across 176K+ dishes and 66K+ restaurant mentions. These numbers matter when planning flavor drops, LTOs, or even content creators.
The role of health and sustainability in modern dining
Functional ingredients and natural solutions continue to rise. Functional drinks like the Sleepy Girl Mocktail continue to fuel health-first buzz across social, especially when ingredients like tart cherry juice see a 13.51% YoY growth. These trends cross into food: juice-glazed proteins, mocktail-inspired desserts, and functional dressings are showing up across TikTok and retail.
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What makes a food trend go viral in 2025
A viral food trend or recipe usually checks three boxes: (besides the fact that it’s trending) it looks good, it’s easy to make, and it gives people something to talk about. That’s why foods like crostini and smashed potatoes keep returning to the top. They allow for personalization and creativity, and they’re visually satisfying.
Cream cheese plays a big role here. It’s a versatile base for sweet and savory builds. Tastewise predicted its rise early, and it’s now a regular part of TikTok food trends, creator recipes, and foodservice menus. Viral food trends may change, but their mechanics stay the same.
Japanese strawberries
This is 2025’s breakout food trend. 28.14% YoY growth, 23M+ social posts, and 5.3M recipes. Japanese strawberries are prized for their appearance, sweetness, and exclusivity, but they wouldn’t be popular in the media if people didn’t want to actually eat them. They’re being used in everything from layered cakes to minimalist desserts, and the luxury angle is helping brands justify premium pricing.
Mango pastries
While smaller in total volume, mango pastries recipes are growing fast with 7.21% YoY growth. These tropical, fruit-forward desserts appeal to both indulgent and health-aware consumers, especially when made with alternative flours or dairy-free fillings. The best viral TikTok videos that showcase this recipe have bright colors and flaky textures.
Crostini with cream cheese
Crostini are snackable, visual, and endlessly customizable, and the right profile to be a viral TikTok food. Pair them with whipped cream cheese, roasted vegetables, or fruit and honey, this format is everywhere. 6.19% YoY growth, 6K+ recipes, and climbing restaurant use signal steady momentum. These builds are especially popular for entertaining and brunch-style menus.
Smashed potatoes
Comfort food reimagined. Smashed potatoes are crisped, topped, and served with sauces, olive oil, cheeses, or herbs. They’ve seen a 20.29% YoY growth, with momentum across creators and foodservice alike. What makes them viral recipes? They’re easy to film, hard to mess up, and infinitely flexible.
Rice noodles
With 3.56% YoY growth, rice noodles are showing staying power on the internet. They’re used in stir-frys, cold salads, and broths, often paired with ingredients like onion or soy sauce. Their popularity is tied to street food influence, especially from Southeast Asian cuisines. The format is gluten-free, versatile, and easy to prepare.
Leverage 2025 food trends with Tastewise
Understanding food trends means acting on them, before they peak. Tastewise tracks behavior across social, menus, recipes, and product development so you can bring new ideas to market faster. Whether you’re creating your next limited-time offer or planning a launch, Tastewise helps you build what’s relevant now. Start fast. Move smart. Build what works.