Candy salad TikTok trend explained

Every now and then, a trend that takes off is one that keeps things sweet and simple: Check out the “candy salad” trend that’s all the rage on TikTok, where people pile a huge bowl full of a variety of candies at once.

All you need to get on the candy salad trend is a group of motivated people, their own bags of candy, and a trusty container to hold all the goodies.

What is the Candy Salad TikTok Meme?

The format of the viral TikTok meme “candy salad,” which can be considered a trend or a challenge, is actually quite simple: In a candy salad video, people line up and take turns introducing themselves and describing the type of candy they’ve brought. Before moving forward in line, each person dumps the contents of their bag of candy into a large container (usually a punch bowl).

@chelseybado #goldenmeadowelementary #candysalad #fyp ♬ Original Sound – Chelsey B

The video ends with a giant bowl filled with a variety of candies — a candy salad, in other words — and the joke is, “It’s a salad, so it’s healthy, right?”

The videos are pretty funny, with most of the people either overacting in front of the camera or being completely unwilling to be dragged into the video. Every once in a while, someone will bring something completely weird and off the beaten path, like the guy who brought sprinkles and lemon poppyseed cashews in this video.

@zachkingstudio Candy Salad!! #Zachking #fyp #viral ♬ Original Sound – Zach King Studio

People who take part in the challenge tend to belong to some kind of group: a classroom, a family, an office, etc. One classroom video, which has since been deleted, particularly struck a chord with internet users because of a kindergartener named Xander, who introduced himself as “Underdingus.” Naturally, regular online users were determined to protect him at all costs.

@lahkeii #stitch with @Tara Elizabeth ♬ original sound – lahkeii

There were concerns about whether the teacher had permission to post the video, and TikTok user Tara Elizabeth (@tara_3lizbeth), a teacher, responded to the backlash by claiming that she had asked for permission but chose to delete the original video after receiving negative comments.

What is the origin of the candy salad TikTok meme?

The concept of a candy salad isn’t particularly new. It’s a big bowl filled with as much candy as you want. If you were to trace the origins of the candy salad trend, it would start with a video posted by TikTok account joshandsav (@joshandsav) in 2023. The video, which has been viewed 16.5 million times, is basically a woman mixing up a bag of candy she bought for her husband. It’s not the same as TikTok’s popular group trend, but the idea of ​​mixing up a bunch of candy bags is there.

Joshua

I’m eating a candy salad in the bath right now 😩😭 Don’t judge!!!

♬ Original Sound – joshandsav

The candy salad group-style trend really took off in April and May of 2024. It first became popular in a video posted by TikTok account Fusion Dance Company (@fusiondancecompany) on March 7, 2024. The viral video, which has garnered a staggering 11.9 million views since its debut, shows members of a high school dance team making candy salads for the end of the term.

@fusiondancecompany Final exam candy salad!! #candysalad #candy #fusion #dance #eat #danceteam #highschool ♬ Original Sound – Fusion Dance Company⚛️

What are the ingredients in Candy Salad?

While there are no hard and fast rules for making a candy salad, there are some practical things to consider: Make sure your candies are at least unwrapped and bite-sized. As a consideration for everyone who enjoys the mix, you’ll want to avoid candies with overly strong textures or flavors, like jawbreakers or cinnamon candies (according to this Reddit thread). And, of course, it makes sense to coordinate your candies as a group to avoid overlapping.

Although it’s not an official requirement, most candy salads feature sour candies rather than chocolatey or creamy candies. Popular candies in a typical candy salad include Sour Patch Kids, Skittles, Nerds Gummy Clusters, Mini Starbursts, SweetArts Ropes, Gummy Bears, Gummy Worms, Jelly Beans, Peach Rings, and nothing particularly fancy.

Here are some TikTok candy salad recipe videos to keep an eye out for, perfect for those who want to try candy salad but don’t necessarily want to join the challenge:

@_kaylaargyle_ Candy salad is a must for summer BBQs🍭✨🍬 #candysalad #candy #restock #restockasmr #snacks #Lifestyle #cookout #candy #asmr #asmrsounds #summer #foodtiktok ♬ girls like me don’t cry (spide up) – thuy

@stefinsf Candy Salad!! 🍭🍬🌈🐳🍉🍑 I prefer salty things to sweet things, but I’ve been craving sweet things lately 😛 #foodtiktok #candysalad #asmr #mukbang #sweets #fypツ ♬ original sound – Stef Ho

@mikaylamcn Candy salad is a road trip essential 🚘🍭 #candysalad #candy #restock #restockasmr #snacks #lifestyle #roadtrip #life #lifehacks #asmr #asmrsounds #vacation #foodtiktok ♬ original sound – mikayla mcneany

Examples of candy salad TikTok memes

If you want to jump on the candy salad trend, you’ll find plenty of inspiration. Here are a few examples:

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We hope you all have a wonderful summer! Our ambassadors and stars will be stopping by the office to cheer you up as the end of the term approaches 🫶🏼

♬ Original Sound – WNE Admissions

@trulue My friends and I decided to make a candy salad for movie night 🥰 @Evan James @Skyla ib: @Austin🥴 #candysalad ♬ original sound – Trulee Rodney

The Los Angeles Chargers are also getting on board with the candy salad trend.

@chargers Let’s make a candy salad 🤪 🍬#candysalad #candy #nfl #candytok #chargers ♬ original sound – Los Angeles Chargers

If you have a small group, some people can play dual roles.

@charlotteluvssu Candy salad with friends #fyp #foryou #relatable #trend #viral #candysalad #momanddad #makemefamous ♬ Original Sound – Charlotte

@matthewandryanuk Candy salad with the family 😂🍬 #candysalad #familyfun #couplecomedy ♬ original sound – Matthew and Ryan

Or, if it’s just you, you could toss various candies into a bowl while telling a fun fact about yourself (although the candy might cost a pretty penny!).

@applesauceandadhd Am I the only one who thinks this is funny?! IB: @Beans #candysalad #candysadconfessions #confessions #aggressivetutoriallady #dontdothis ♬ Original Sound – Jess|Aggressive Tutorials

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