Watermelon and Mustard Is TikTok’s Latest Food Hack (and We Kind of Hate It)

We’ll be the first to admit that TikTok has brought several genius food hacks into our lives. Remember that fold-up tortilla thing everyone was doing a little while back? So brilliant! Baked oatmeal? So convenient! The feta pasta? OK, not gonna lie, that one actually left a little bit to be desired, but we love to see the innovation.

But now there’s a new food hack making the rounds on TikTok and we’ve got to admit that we are skeptical at best. It starts with watermelon — truly, the best of all fruits — and ends with mustard. Yep. You read that right.

If you ask us, there is nothing better to eat on a hot summer day than a slice of icy cold watermelon. It’s sweet. It’s crunchy. It’s hydrating. But if you ask some people on TikTok, there is something better to eat on a hot summer day: a slice of icy cold watermelon accompanied by a squirt of yellow mustard.

As far as we can tell, the somewhat questionable fruit-and-condiment combo originated with TikTok user @yayayayummy, who swears that the combo is “so tangy,” and “so vinegar-y” and that the mustard “matches so well with the watermelon’s juiciness.” Apparently, the mustard has to be French’s brand, so sorry to all the Heinz stans out there. (Or maybe you’re the lucky ones?)

We’re not the only ones who have been giving the melon-mustard-mix some serious side-eye. The comment section of @yayayayummy’s video is filled with people trying to figure out if this “hack” is actually a prank. “Were you drunk when you ate that???” one commenter asked. “OK but who hurt you?” asked another.

As the original video started gaining popularity, the trend found its way to Lizzo’s FYP — and obviously, she was not about to let it go by without trying it for herself. The “Truth Hurts” singer recorded herself trying the snack and … well, she was confused. Which makes sense!

Now, we will point out that Lizzo is clearly using Heinz brand mustard, so that could be at least partially responsible for her confusion. But it’s probably mostly due to the fact that, unless you are at a BBQ and your watermelon accidentally gets a little too close to your hamburger, watermelon plus mustard is likely not a flavor combo you are encountering very often.

It should also be noted that recipes for pickled watermelon and pickled watermelon rind have been around forever, so the idea of combining vinegar with watermelon is not an entirely new concept. There are also people who swear by putting salt or Tajin on their watermelon to achieve an ideal sweet:salty ratio.

At the end of the day, this isn’t the weirdest food combo we’ve ever seen on the popular video-sharing app (that dubious honor probably goes to Kool-Aid and pickles … or Cheetos and milk). Even if we have no intention of ever squirting mustard on a slice of watermelon and then consuming it, we’re grateful for yet another interesting TikTok video to keep us entertained.