My homemade Boy Kibble included a protein-fiber boost and other healthy ingredients, but it wasn’t focused on fitness or muscle building like the viral trend is. Here’s my experiment and what I thought about human-focused kibble.
I recently tried a short experiment with the so-called “Boy Kibble” viral trend.
With Healthline recently covering the craze around the so-called “Boy Kibble,” I ventured into the trend to try my own homemade version.
Usually made up of ground beef and rice, the trend is being shared as an inexpensive, simple, high protein meal to support muscle building.
For me, the interest wasn’t tied to gaining muscle or upping my fitness game, as the online trend is centered around. Rather, I wanted to see what all the fuss was about and maybe introduce a couple of easy, quick, healthy meals to my weekly meal plans.
Nutrition experts say the dish can provide important nutrients, but discourage eating it daily without modification.
That’s why my homemade version is appealing.
I’m not a protein fanatic. I’m not trying to gain muscle or supplement a workout routine.
This is about eating healthier, managing my carbohydrate intake, and living with type 1 diabetes, which will also add more fiber and healthy ingredients to my daily eating routine.
Part of it’s tied to boosting my gut health, but it’s largely based on a food-as-self-care mentality.
So that’s my motivation behind this.
Learn more about the Boy Kibble craze
Check out Healthline’s recent news article exploring the TikTok trend and its implications for people’s nutrition and overall health.
Honestly, my recipes were less by-the-book and more rice-bowl hodgepodge than the traditional Boy Kibble. I opted for a variety of healthy ingredients, rather than the convenience and quickness of a meal designed to boost muscle growth.
That’s not my goal, so I opted for healthy ingredients that would make these dishes enjoyable and not omit any necessary components of a typical lunch or dinner.
Note: I didn’t measure ingredient amounts; I just eyeballed it all to taste. Here’s my base recipe:
- ground turkey (oven-browned)
- brown rice (cooked)
- soy sauce
- garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Extras added to a few other versions:
- frozen veggies of carrots, broccoli, bell peppers
- fresh mushrooms
- kale
Once everything was cooked and prepared, it was tossed into a few glass tupperware containers for easy storage in the fridge to enjoy throughout the week.
Very simple and easy to make. Provides nutritional value and variety to my meal-planning. I enjoyed it.
Still, it’s less “kibble” and more a rice-bowl hodgepodge. I tried one simple rice-and-ground-turkey dish with soy sauce, but it wasn’t anything special that made me want to eat it daily or even weekly.
Anything with “kibble” in the name is best left for my dog.
There’s nothing wrong with boy kibble or homemade varieties that include added nutrients and taste. It’s just not necessarily what I would want to spend my time and energy on as a regular meal each week.
Then again, I’m not a Gen Z man. Nor am I boosting muscle mass or slimming down.
With all of that said, I’m fine with letting the younger generations have this one, and I’ll stick to my Gen X eating styles with healthiness scattered in wherever I can manage it.
Of course, there are many other fiber-forward and protein-smart choices in my nutritional toolkit. This may be one from time to time, but others might include my homemade protein-fiber boost smoothie, a tomato basil cottage cheese bowl, and this turkey taco bowl with rice.
Can you say, “YUM?!”
A health editor shares his story
Explore more of Mike Hoskins’ story, from his diabetes care journey to how his other health habits have evolved over time, with his health-conscious journalism and editing work in mind.
