Why Social Media Influencer Eitan Bernath’s Trick for Freezing Vegetables Went Viral

Last summer as temperatures peaked and produce did too, several content creators went viral for their simple, refreshing treat: grated frozen fruit. Starting with Frankie Gaw who topped a bowl of frozen strawberry shaving with condensed milk, and Carolina Gelen who used the trick to make a frozen spin on peaches and cream, the trend was both ideal for the season and required no recipe. But this year, it’s evolving even further.

Social media influencer and culinary contributor for The Drew Barrymore Show Eitan Bernath recently went viral for giving savory produce the frozen treatment. A video of him grating frozen tomatoes over burrata has racked up 33.6 million views to date, and a subsequent reel featuring shaved cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions is at 20.2 million views so far. One of his most recent posts goes a step further, grating frozen avocados, garlic, and jalapeño to create an icy “guacamole.”

Comments responding to the videos have been mixed, ranging from calling Bernath’s idea “genius” to likening frozen tomatoes on burrata to putting water on cheese. But if we eat frozen fruit in smoothies all the time, is there really any difference? Other food accounts on social media have been posting icy soups — literally — this summer, indicating that people might be on board with giving frozen produce a savory spin.

Bernath, Gaw, and Gelen all use a Microplane to shave their frozen fruits and vegetables. This kitchen accessory’s design was actually initially based on the rasp, a long and slender woodworking tool that’s used to shape and carve materials. A Microplane has small holes and blades, making it ideal for grating ingredients very finely — typically cheese or citrus zest, but as the internet has now taught us, also frozen produce. 

To enjoy this Instagram and Tiktok trick you will need to make sure the ingredients are delicately shaved into small pieces; using a typical box grater might yield chunks of icy tomato or cucumber that are too thick to be easily chewed. Instead, a Microplane will create such minuscule pieces of the frozen fruit that they immediately melt on your tongue, akin to shaved ice or the pile of parmesan that a waiter cranks on top of your pasta at Olive Garden.

Tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, strawberries, and peaches all have a high water content, which makes them ideal for this trend. Because the ingredients are frozen whole and uncooked, you can’t apply this technique to any produce you wouldn’t eat raw — so please don’t freeze and shave a potato. It would also likely be less successful with something particularly fibrous or difficult to grip while grating on a microplane, like celery or greens. 

There are some vegetables that would technically work, but simply wouldn’t be very good when given this treatment, like cauliflower and and anything else cruciferous. If it seems like it’d be refreshing, then it probably will be, and if it sounds unpleasant, then trust your gut.

I’m not a content creator, but if I were recreating this trick at home I’d be tempted to shave some frozen cucumber onto cottage cheese, finish it with a squeeze of lime, and serve with toast. As an added bonus, freezing fresh cucumbers and tomatoes would be an easy way to quickly save any overflowing bounty from your summer garden.