When a TikTok Recipe Becomes a Food Rule

Not every TikTok recipe is harmless.

I see young people every week whose eating disorder didn’t start with dieting. It started with “just trying to eat better.”

A smoothie.A “high-protein lunch.”A 30-second What I Eat in a Day video.

And slowly — often quietly — food stops being flexible and starts becoming a rule.

The quiet shift parents often miss

Social media food content rarely looks dangerous at first. It's framed as:

• “Healthy”

• “Balanced”

• “Clean”

• “High protein”

• “Low sugar”

• “Gut-friendly”

But over time, these messages can turn food into moral categories:✔️ Good foods❌ Bad foods

For some young people, especially those who are anxious, perfectionistic, or neurodivergent, this can quickly shift from inspiration into restriction.

What starts as curiosity becomes control.

How algorithms amplify extremes

TikTok (and Instagram) don’t show variety — they show more of the same.

Once a young person engages with:

• Wellness content

• Fitness routines

• “Healthy eating” videos

The algorithm responds by feeding them increasingly extreme versions of that content:

• Tighter food rules

• Smaller portions framed as “normal”

• Highly controlled meals presented as aspirational

The content becomes louder, narrower, and more rigid — often without the young person (or their family) realising it’s happening.

Why neurodivergent teens are more vulnerable

Young people with ASD and ADHD are particularly at risk of rigid food rules developing from social media content.

This is not about being naïve, it’s about how their brains work.

Common vulnerabilities include:

• Black-and-white thinking (“This food is good / this food is bad”)

• A strong desire for structure and predictability

• Sensory sensitivities that already limit food variety

• Difficulty recognising hunger and fullness cues

• Intense focus on rules, routines, or “doing things right”

When TikTok provides clear, repeatable food rules, it can feel relieving, until it becomes limiting and anxiety-provoking.

Red flags parents often overlook

Because this behaviour is often praised, it’s easy to miss early warning signs.

Some subtle red flags include:

• Increasing rigidity around food choices

• Cutting out entire food groups “for health”

• Anxiety if a meal doesn’t look like what they’ve seen online

• Needing meals to look a certain way

• Guilt or distress after eating “off plan”

• Saying things like “I can’t eat that” rather than “I don’t feel like it”

These behaviours are often reinforced by comments like:

“At least they’re eating healthy.”

But health is not about fear, rules, or control.

What supportive conversations can sound like

Parents often worry that saying the wrong thing will make things worse and that fear can lead to silence.

Supportive conversations don’t need to be confrontational or dramatic. They sound curious, calm, and open.

Try:

• “I’ve noticed food seems more stressful lately — how is it feeling for you?”

• “Where did that idea about food come from?”

• “What happens if that food isn’t available?”

• “Would it be helpful to talk to someone together?”

Avoid:

• Debating nutrition facts

• Criticising social media directly

• Policing or monitoring every bite

The goal is safety and support — not control.

When to seek extra support

If food rules are increasing, anxiety is rising, or meals are becoming a daily source of distress, early support matters.

This is especially important for:

• Neurodivergent young people

• Teens navigating high academic or performance pressure

• Families feeling unsure how to help without making things worse

Support does not mean failure, it means noticing early and responding with care.

A final thought

Social media is not going away. But neither should our conversations about how it impacts young people’s relationship with food.

When a TikTok recipe becomes a food rule, it’s a sign to pause, not panic.

If you’re concerned about your child’s eating, or if food has started to feel stressful rather than nourishing, support is available.

You don’t have to navigate this alone.

💗 Early support can make a meaningful difference.