A trending TikTokker is taking viewers on a culinary road trip of the 50 states with her new video series, “Foods of the 50 States.” In each episode, @yumlabels introduces TikTokkers to each state’s history and culture while cooking a recipe that represents the region. By our count, @yumlabels has uploaded videos of 32 states, including Hawaii, Maine, New York, and Georgia — the last of which is one of her most popular videos.
“It would not be right to exclude any of the three Ps for Georgia: pecans, peanuts, and yes, peaches,” @yumlabels says before diving into a recipe for peanut butter pecan bites.
@yumlabels Georgia (peaches) on my mind 🍑✨ #desserttiktok #bakingtiktok #pecanpie #easyrecipes #georgia #atlanta #viralfoodtrends #food #foodietiktok ♬ Hit The Road Jack - Ray Charles
Since its upload in July, the video has racked up more than 400,000 views and more than 1,500 comments. What distinguishes @yumlabels’ videos from a typical FoodTok upload is how she weaves fun facts and history into her recipes, most of which are easy to make.
“Peaches were introduced to Georgia all the way back in the 1500s, and it has since been renowned for (their) superior flavor and overall quality. We can thank the state’s climate for that one,” @yumlabels says.
Beyond the hundreds of thousands of views @yumlabels has received, she also gets plenty of enthusiastic comments.
“Please try New Mexico. I would love to see what you come up with :),” Amanda Perea commented.
@yumlabels A little taste of paradise 🥥🧁 #food #foodietiktok #bakingtiktok #recipesoftiktok #muffins #viralfoodtrends ♬ Somewhere Over The Rainbow_What A Wonderful World - Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
Though the short-form social media company is known for a lot of things, FoodTok is particularly popular. The #food hashtag has a whopping 352 billion views, and legacy media outlets like the Washington Post have covered the best of its content creators.
Other popular FoodTokkers include George Lee, a Taiwanese content creator who specializes in vegan recipes, and Michelin-trained Poppy O’Toole, whose rise on TikTok led to a book deal with Bloomsbury.
@chez_jorge Reply to @chez_jorge this is my death-row meal 🤝 #vegan #koreanfood ♬ original sound - George Lee
One popular explanation for the rise of food TikTok is the pandemic, which not only sent restaurant workers home but also generated a huge appetite for intimate cooking videos. As the pandemic recedes from the headlines, one thing is clear: FoodTok is here to stay.
@poppycooks There will be imitators, but there’s only one Potato TikTok 🙏🥔 #potatotiktok #tatertok #potatotok #potato #nottheripoff ♬ original sound - Poppy O’Toole