Back in first grade, I distinctly remember Jyoti Ma’am emphasising on the need of incorporating vitamins, carbs, minerals, fats and all of that jazz into our diets. And I abide by her teachings to this very day. And only partially because I’m scared of my mother. But some girls on the internet seem to have butted heads with one of my favourite teachers of all time. They’re advocating for a newer, more coquette and apparently more feminine diet which goes by the name ‘girl dinner.’
On the nutritional value grounds, there are zero benefits tied to this girl dinner they’re talking about. Nada. Zilch. It consists of varying servings of cheese placed aesthetically on charcuterie boards, crackers and snacky leftovers coupled with a soda or an iced coffee. Grand, right?
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Look, we’re not blaming. Somedays I too, skip the usual dal chawal for a greasy plate of fries and similar junk. But what I refuse to do is take a video of the plate, and put it on the internet and romanticise the whole shebang whilst attributing the lack of nutritional value to my womanly needs. Or the lack thereof, apparently. This faction, or should I say cult of misinformed girls, mostly teenagers, have hopped on this bandwagon of clout chasing without taking stock of the repercussions.
First there was the diet culture, then they had archaic magazines borderline bullying you for the rolls on your tummy. And as a writer who’s fortunate enough to have this platform to share her two cents and vent candidly, I consider it my duty to call this duplicity out.
Now Serving, Girl Dinner
Popeyes is now offering the “Girl Dinner” meal, featuring:
• Homestyle Mac & Cheese
• Cajun Fries
• Mashed Potatoes
• Red Beans & Rice
• Coleslaw
• A la Carte Biscuits pic.twitter.com/jZbtIoKJGp— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) July 21, 2023
The internet trend’s hardly a couple weeks old and there are people already capitalising on the insecurities of young girls. American fast-food chain Popeyes recently came out with their ‘Girl Dinner’ meal which is just a platter of sides, minus anything substantial. Just call it a sides platter, it isn’t that hard. And while many is are seeing this as an marketing ploy, what they’re turning a blind eye to, is the wretched world of body dysmorphia and eating disorders millions of girls are already grappling with.
On the contrary, the ‘Boy Meal’ (yes, that’s a term too) has people flaunting pieces of their meaty chicken breasts and a gallon of milk. It’s giving pink is for girls and blue is for boys. Saddening.
The Almond Mom
If American reality TV shows weren’t your jam growing up, there’s a high probability you’re unaware of the term ‘almond mom.’ There’s this clip of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum Yolanda Hadid, mother of supermodel Gigi Hadid, advising her to eat a couple of almonds at the onset of her feeling light-headed. Facepalm emoji.
There’s also an instance of Kim Kardashian promoting diet suppressing lollipops on Instagram, which she shortly took down post a much-needed outrage on the internet. It’s safe to say that there has been no dearth of tone-deaf and insensitive terminologies, and girl dinner is the most recent addition to the mix. Maybe it’s time to move on to more pressing matters like the sorry state of women’s rights in the world, or even global warming for that matter. We can definitely do better.
Also Read: Food Thirst Trap Videos Are All Over My Social Media And I Don’t Have The Slightest Clue Why
