The Great Gendered Dinner Debate
The internet has turned the idea of the "girl dinner" and "boy dinner" into a surprisingly entertaining way to describe how differently people can approach a meal. Girl dinner usually means a collection of small, snackable foods that don't necessarily look like a traditional meal, while boy dinner often describes a hearty, straightforward combination that requires very little fuss. Neither approach actually belongs to one gender, of course, but comparing the stereotypes makes for a fun food showdown.
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1. Girl Dinner: Cheese, Crackers, and Grapes
Girl dinner allows you to take cheese, crackers, and grapes and make it your dinner for the night. Why make a sandwich when you can just put it all on a plate and be done with it? Maybe throw on some jam or nuts, and you have a great reason to not make dinner.
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2. Boy Dinner: Steak and Potatoes
Boy dinner can be solved with one large piece of protein. There is something to be said about steak and potatoes as well. It's hearty and doesn't require a long list of ingredients. If there's a vegetable somewhere on the plate, that's nice, but nobody is necessarily making it the star of the evening.
3. Girl Dinner: Pickles and Deli Meat
If you can open your fridge and figure it out, then girl dinner can solve your problem. Maybe grab some deli meat, pickles, and cheese. The best part is that you can keep adding little things until the plate feels sufficiently satisfying.
4. Boy Dinner: A Giant Bowl of Pasta
What's better than a big bowl of pasta when you're hungry? Throw in meat sauce, chicken, sausage, or whatever happens to be available, and you've got something substantial. There may be vegetables involved, but nobody's going to complain if the serving is mostly pasta.
5. Girl Dinner: Snack Plate
Nothing has to go together for this one. You can have strawberries with crackers and hummus next to some chocolate. Even add some sliced cucumbers to the mix. It's nice to be able to try a variety of foods at once.
6. Boy Dinner: Eggs and Whatever's Left
You don't have to think about what you want to make for dinner if you have eggs. Scramble them up with toast and maybe some meat. Or you could even add cheese. It's quick, inexpensive, and somehow manages to feel like a complete meal despite being assembled with very little thought.
7. Girl Dinner: Charcuterie Board for One
Why have a snack plate when you can make a charcuterie board for one? A few cheeses, cured meats, fruit, crackers, and something salty can become a luxurious little dinner without any actual cooking. You might even arrange it nicely before eating it, because presentation still counts when you're the only person at the table.
8. Boy Dinner: Leftover Pizza
Pizza can solve dinner easily. Grab what you have out of the fridge and eat it. If there are several different slices left, there's also no reason to pretend that choosing three different toppings isn't a perfectly reasonable dinner strategy.
9. Girl Dinner: Bread With Several Toppings
Grab some bread, and you can make dinner out of that too. Maybe some toast with avocado and cheese. Each piece can be completely different, which means you get to enjoy several mini meals without actually preparing several meals.
10. Boy Dinner: Burger With Fries
You can never go wrong with a burger and fries. Protein on a bun and fries. That's basically dinner solved. Whether it's homemade or picked up from a restaurant, this is the kind of dinner that rarely requires anyone to ask what they're supposed to eat.
11. Girl Dinner: Cereal at Night
There is no reason why you can't have cereal for dinner. If you're hungry at night and don't wanna cook, grab some cereal and sit on your couch. If you're feeling ambitious, you can add fruit, but grabbing the box and going straight to the couch is also perfectly acceptable.
12. Boy Dinner: Chicken and Rice
Chicken and rice can be a healthy option for your dinner as well. Marinate your chicken however you'd like. A few vegetables or a sauce can join in if they're available, although the basic combination is already doing most of the work.
13. Girl Dinner: Fries With Dipping Sauces
Sometimes dinner is less about creating a balanced plate and more about getting exactly what you're craving. A pile of fries with several dipping sauces gives you salty food, variety, and the opportunity to switch flavors whenever you want. Ketchup, ranch, barbecue sauce, honey mustard, or something spicy can all make an appearance without anyone needing to pick just one.
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14. Boy Dinner: Chili
Who doesn't love a big bowl of chili? It's a good amount of food that you can put together. Once your bowl of chili is made, you can add toppings. Put cheese, sour cream, onions, or crackers on top, and you've officially turned a simple bowl into a serious meal.
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15. Girl Dinner: Fruit and Yogurt
If you want to have a lighter dinner, try fruit and yogurt. Add berries, bananas, granola, honey, or whatever happens to be available in the kitchen. It feels especially appropriate on those evenings when cooking an entire meal seems like an unnecessarily ambitious project.
16. Boy Dinner: Sausage on a Plate
Add some potatoes to your sausages, and dinner is made. Or you can add bread, eggs, or anything you have left over. There's a certain efficiency to a meal where the main question is simply whether the sausages are cooked yet.
17. Girl Dinner: Hummus, Vegetables, and Pita
Have some hummus on hand, and you can turn that into dinner. Grab some pita, carrots, cucumbers, peppers, olives, and anything else that works for dipping, then let everyone mingle on the plate. You get variety without having to prepare a complicated dish, and there's always room for one more snack if you're still hungry.
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18. Boy Dinner: Tacos With Everything
What boy doesn't know how to make tacos? Throw on some meat and fill the plate with other things. Seasoned meat, cheese, lettuce, salsa, sour cream, and plenty of tortillas can turn dinner into a substantial event. If some of the filling falls out while you're eating, that's simply evidence that you made a generous taco.
19. Girl Dinner: Popcorn and a Few Extras
Popcorn doesn't have to wait for movie night when you're willing to embrace the concept of a snack-based dinner. Add cheese, fruit, chocolate, nuts, or some leftover vegetables, and you've got an assortment of things to eat while relaxing. It's particularly appealing when you want dinner to feel more like casual grazing than sitting down to a traditional entrée.
20. Boy Dinner: Whatever Is on the Grill
Whatever you can throw on a grill, you can make that your dinner. Burgers, chicken, steaks, and even veggies. There may be sides involved, but the centerpiece is usually something substantial enough that nobody leaves the table wondering whether dinner was actually served.
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