At the beginning of this month, TikTok sensation Emily Mariko rose to the public eye because of her viral salmon and rice bowl recipe. After seeing the type of content Mariko posts and scrolling through her comment section, it isn’t hard to tell that viewers find her videos refreshing. The food positive messages behind her videos are a nice break from social media shoving diet culture down the throats of every woman who uses the internet.
Mariko’s salmon rice bowl recipe, at its base, is straightforward. All she does is take leftover rice and salmon and microwaves them with an ice cube on top. Once the food is heated, she seasons it with mayo, sriracha, and soy sauce, and eats it with seaweed and avocados.
For anyone who has not spent endless hours scrolling through Mariko’s page, her videos center around the simple things in life. From watching her make a BLT to seeing her grocery hauls, her page is about positivity and making everyone feel as comfortable as possible.
Something many people find highly shocking is the influx of “real” food found in her recipe. Typically when scouring social media for healthy meals, onlookers are met with an influx of influencers encouraging them to eat like rabbits and not fuel their bodies. However, Mariko’s content includes many foods that diet culture discourages such as white rice and mayo, foods that women “aren’t supposed to eat” because they are “unhealthy”
Because of all the positivity Mariko’s TikTok page received, she decided to start a blog called “Emily’s Life Plan for the Week.” Here, she details her meal plans, grocery list, and anything interesting happening in her life. In the future, she plans on including recipes, cleaning routines, and general weekly recaps.
There is something calming about watching Emily Mariko’s videos. Whether it be her minimalistic approach to life or the joy of watching someone enjoy food, Mariko makes people want to enjoy the simple things in life.