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Discover what's in a typical โ€œBoy Dinnerโ€
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Youโ€™re probably familiar with the โ€œGirl Dinnerโ€ trend taking over TikTok, but what the heck is โ€œBoy Dinner?โ€ This viral term refers to any low-effort meal a guy eats for dinner, whether itโ€™s frozen pizza, instant noodles, or an entire rotisserie chicken. In this article, weโ€™ll teach you everything you need to know about โ€œBoy Dinner,โ€ including its meaning, origins, and differences to โ€œGirl Dinner.โ€

Things You Should Know

  • โ€œBoy Dinnerโ€ is any quick and easy meal a guy makes for dinner. Itโ€™s usually a piece of protein, like chicken breast or ground beef, without any sides.
  • The term โ€œBoy Dinnerโ€ was coined by TikTok user @bryaninheelee in July 2023, as a funny response to the viral โ€œGirl Dinnerโ€ trend.
  • โ€œBoy Dinnerโ€ is all about consuming the requisite amount of calories, while โ€œGirl Dinnerโ€ focuses on the ambiance of the meal. Girl dinners also include more variety in foods.
Section 1 of 3:

What is โ€œBoy Dinner?โ€

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  1. Itโ€™s typically unhealthy or protein-packed, but itโ€™s always easy to toss together. Think frozen pizza, a protein bar, or an entire steak with no sidesโ€”in other words, anything that lacks significant variety. [1]
    • Other popular boy dinners include: instant ramen, scrambled eggs, a bowl of ground beef, a whole chicken breast, and a random mishmash of snacks (like potato chips paired with beef jerky, washed down with a Baja Blast).
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Section 2 of 3:

Origin & Spread

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  1. On July 2, 2023, TikTok user @bryaninheelee uploaded his hilarious response to the โ€œGirl Dinnerโ€ trend. In the video, Bryan says โ€œBoy Dinnerโ€ is what you imagine a single guy has in his grocery basketโ€”frozen pizza, deli meats, potato chipsโ€ฆand no vegetables. His TikTok went viral in just 12 days, gaining roughly 1.7 million views and 230,000+ likes. [2]
    • Over the next few weeks, TikTok users began posting their own videos about โ€œBoy Dinnerโ€ vs โ€œGirl Dinner,โ€ and the trend quickly moved to X, too.
  2. On July 11, 2023, TikTok user @arkaneskye posted a video of his โ€œBoy Dinner,โ€ with a song he made about the trend playing in the background. The video features Skye panning over his messy bedroom, before lifting his comforter to reveal a half-eaten box of pizza. He gained about 2.2 million views and 382,000 likes in just 10 days. [3]
    • After his video went viral, โ€œBoy Dinnerโ€ evolved from showcasing a lazy meal to showing off how lazy and messy guys could be. Many users began posting videos of where they were eating their boy dinnersโ€”over the kitchen sink, in front of the TV, or on top of a pile of laundry.
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Section 3 of 3:

โ€œBoy Dinnerโ€ vs โ€œGirl Dinnerโ€

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  1. According to TikTok, โ€œBoy Dinnerโ€ is all about getting the requisite amount of calories in one meal, using as little time and effort as possible. โ€œGirl Dinner,โ€ on the other hand, also involves preparing a low-effort dinner, but most girls take the time to make it look cute and presentable. Both are grab-and-go meals, but โ€œGirl Dinnerโ€ pays extra attention to the ambiance. [4]
    • For instance, a typical โ€œBoy Dinnerโ€ might be chicken breast eaten off a fork, while โ€œGirl Dinnerโ€ might look like instant mac and cheese served in a wine glass.
  2. For most girls, โ€œGirl Dinnerโ€ is an assortment of different snacks and leftovers, sort of like having a bunch of mini meals in one sitting. โ€œBoy Dinnerโ€ is usually a single piece of protein without any sides, and according to TikTok users, thereโ€™s no variety in flavor or texture. This makes โ€œBoy Dinnerโ€ more boring than โ€œGirl Dinner,โ€ and boy dinners are generally not as balanced either.
    • On โ€œGirl Dinnerโ€ vs โ€œBoy Dinnerโ€ TikTok videos, thereโ€™s also a running joke on how many guys seem to be โ€œallergic to leftoversโ€โ€”theyโ€™d rather grab a granola bar than heat something up in the microwave.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How do I estimate the amount of calories that I'm consuming?
    John Diaz
    Personal Trainer
    John Diaz is a personal trainer and exercise professional with over 35 years of experience, based in Los Angeles, CA. John was first certified as a personal trainer in 1984 and later in 1989 co-founded Ultimate Health Medical Exercise Center with his sister Joanne. He creates prescriptive exercise programs designed specifically for his clientsโ€™ needs ranging from chronic pain relief, sports injury recovery, weight loss goals, and more. John has a degree in Exercise Science, is a member of the American College of Sports Medicine, and is certified through the National Federation of Personal Trainers (NFPT). He also holds a 2nd degree Black Belt in martial arts and is a certified self-defense instructor.
    Personal Trainer
    Expert Answer
    First, you need to understand portion sizes and general calorie content for most common foods. Familiarize yourself with what a typical serving looks like. Maybe a handful of nuts, a piece of fruit, a serving of meat the size of your palmโ€”and learn their approximate calorie counts. This way, you can mentally tally your intake throughout the day. If youโ€™re having meals at home, measuring your food a few times can help you get a sense of how many calories youโ€™re adding to your plate. For example, one cup of cooked rice has around 200 calories, while a tablespoon of oil adds about 120 calories. Estimating portions this way helps you gauge your intake even when youโ€™re not measuring precisely. When eating out, use visual cues to make educated guesses, but sometimes they include calorie content on their menu. Going back, a restaurant portion of pasta might be two or three standard servings, so consider how that impacts your estimate. If youโ€™re eating something more calorie-dense, like pizza or desserts, keep in mind that a slice or piece may pack more calories than expected. Also, be mindful of sauces and dressingsโ€”they can quickly add your calorie intake without you realizing it.
  • Question
    I'm a trans guy, can I still have boy dinner?
    Bookteanblanket12
    Community Answer
    Yeah, totally donโ€™t let gender choose what you eat even a girl could have boy dinner
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