We’re always down for a good social media challenge, as long as it’s safe. The “ALS Ice Bucket Challenge” was good fun. As was the “Harlem Shake” and “Mannequin Challenge.” And, um, we would die for the all those dogs in every single “What The Fluff Challenge” video. However, some food-related social media challenges have us scratching our heads. Is getting “good” content worth putting one’s health at risk? According to those who took part in some of these bonkers viral trends, the answer is “heck yes it is.”
Hmm. Questionable, but okay.
We took a trip down memory lane to recall some of the best, worst, and downright stupid food challenges that swept social media. From the viral “Cinnamon Challenge,” to the jaw-dropping “Gallon Smashing,” it’s finally starting to make sense to us why the internet has become such a lawless land. With stuff like this topping people’s feeds, it’s safe to say that anything goes when it comes to devising a successful internet challenge.
For the most part, we can’t say we’re sad that these challenges are no longer around. But knowing that history repeats itself, we’re honestly afraid for the food challenges to come. Stay safe out there, social media users. Stay safe.
1. #CinnamonChallenge
[fm_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cyk7utV_D2I"]GloZell Green made this challenge famous in 2012 after she uploaded a video of herself unsuccessfully downing a ladleful of cinnamon. The “Cinnamon Challenge” is still being put to the test on Instagram, and seemingly no one has been able to swallow a spoonful of cinnamon. We’re too scared to try. Especially because the challenge is really bad for your lungs.
2. #CheeseChallenge
Throw a piece of sliced cheese on your friend’s face, your cat, your kid — honestly, whoever is available.
It’s all about getting a great reaction (hopefully). But it’s also not very cool — especially when you’re throwing a slice of cheese at an unsuspecting baby who can’t enjoy said cheese after. I mean, what’s the point if you can’t enjoy the sweet, sweet cheese?
3. #EggChallenge
Does your dog have a “soft mouth?”
The only way to find out is to give them a raw egg to carry in their mouth. Originally started with just Golden Retrievers, who were bred to have soft mouths so as not to destroy the game they were retrieving, the “Egg Challenge” was attempted and won by many good doggos who have the softest of mouths.
4. #OreoChallenge
If you can make the Oreo placed on your forehead end up in your mouth by only moving your face, then you’ve won the “Oreo Challenge.” Sometimes you’ve gotta look real dumb to win big. But hey, at least this one isn’t overtly harming your health or the health of others in any way.
5. #LemonChallenge
No babies were actually harmed in any of the “Lemon Challenge” videos posted to social media (at least we seriously hope not). Babies do not hide how they really feel about a situation, which is why the “Lemon Challenge” is so freaking hilarious. Their sour faces are priceless — and also, very relatable.
6. #GhostPepperChallenge
[fm_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dFMCf8zi5s"]The “Ghost Pepper Challenge” is a bad idea.
It’s never going to end well. This viral challenge has been around since at least 2012, and has sent numerous people to the hospital. Most people who attempt the “Ghost Pepper Challenge” find that they just can’t handle the heat and literally have nervous breakdowns. Um… yikes. We will avoid at all costs.
7. #BananaSpriteChallenge
[fm_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dFKzSifjl8&t=343s"]This sounds like a great challenge for the whole family to try! NOT.
To partake in the “Banana Sprite Challenge,” one must eat two bananas and then drink an entire can of Sprite without vomiting. Although, some people took the challenge to an extreme, consuming numerous bananas and liters of Sprite. If you want to keep your breakfast down, we highly recommend not watching the video linked above. And remember, kids: throwing up is not fun for anyone.
8. #UnicornChallenge
This challenge that blew up in 2016 entails ordering an ice cream cone from a fast food place and then smashing it onto your forehead before leaving the establishment. Some people like to ask the fast food employee if they believe in unicorns before carrying through with the deed. Bizarre, and a waste of good vanilla soft serve, IMHO. Also, probably not great for your skin.
9. #SaltineChallenge
Can you eat six Saltine crackers without water in just 60 seconds?
Sounds easy, but as many have found out, it’s definitely not a walk in the park. This challenge has actually been around since 2005, but it began making waves on the internet about a decade later. It was so popular, the challenge even made a cameo on The Office (well, in a deleted scene, that is).
10. #ShellOnChallenge
The “Shell On Challenge” began on Snapchat and bled into Instagram in April 2019.
Basically, to take part in the challenge, kids would eat foods without removing the wrappers, peels, shells, what have you. Obviously, eating plastic is not going to do great things for your digestive system, and is also a severe choking hazard, so let’s leave this one behind us, shall we?
11. #MentosAndDietCokeChallenge
[fm_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6xXngYnVK8"]Some people decided it was a good idea to try to blow themselves up by eating a bunch of Mentos and then drinking a liter of Diet Coke. If you’re unaware, the combination of the two creates an explosive reaction. Luckily, the “human experiment” was unsuccessful and no one blew up. Phew.
12. #TidePodChallenge
No, Tide Pods are not food.
However, that didn’t stop hundreds of kids from trying to eat them in 2018. In fact, the “Tide Pod Challenge” became such a problem, YouTube and other social media sites actually took down challenge videos in an attempt to thwart other kids from eating the laundry detergent pods. Laundry detergent is not food. It is poison. Do not eat Tide Pods, you fools!
13. #GallonSmashing
[fm_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glgblV7Un_g"]In 2013, “Gallon Smashing” became an internet phenomenon after the above compilation video went viral. Kids went around supermarkets and pretended to fall while carrying gallon jugs of milk, water, and juice. We can only imagine this challenge was the bane of supermarket janitorial staffs across the country. Also, not great for other customers who might accidentally slip on a floor that has been #GallonSmashed.
14. #FlourChallenge
Similar to the “Cinnamon Challenge,” the “Flour Challenge” invited people to try to swallow a spoonful of all-purpose flour, which again, proved to be impossible. At least this challenge probably didn’t burn people’s mouths and throats like the “Cinnamon Challenge” did. However, it also sounds like a horrible thing for your lungs.
15. #ChubbyBunnyChallenge
[fm_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poJ-BtCh5EA"]GloZell once again went viral with her rendition of the “Chubby Bunny Challenge,” which is usually a game played between two or more people. Challengers try to see how many marshmallows they can fit in their mouth while still being able to say “chubby bunny.” Choking hazard? Absolutely. Funny? Sure. Kind of weird? Absolutely.
16. #WarheadChallenge
[fm_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7nUIAROsl0"]Warheads are the super-sour candies that make even the toughest of us pucker.
So, how many Warheads can you keep in your mouth at one time? The same sucker that tried to make himself blow up with Mentos and Diet Coke, Furious Pete, consumed 150 Warheads in a single sitting back in 2012. The results were… well, bad. That sounds like a nightmare for your tastebuds and digestive system.
17. #MilkChugChallenge
[fm_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBFugzV1KxI"]Perhaps inspired by Joey from Friends, who, according to his headshot, could drink a gallon of milk in less than 10 seconds, the “Milk Chug Challenge” had people trying to chug an entire gallon of milk. Our bodies really aren’t equipped to handle that much milk in such a small amount of time. And chances are, if one attempts the challenge, one will most likely vomit the milk back up almost instantly — unless you are the superhuman in the above video.
18. #HotWaterChallenge
Okay, to be fair, most of these challenges are pretty freaking stupid.
However, the “Hot Water Challenge” takes the cake. This challenge had people pouring boiling water over their friends or telling their friends to sip boiling water through a straw. One 15-year-old suffered second-degree burns after his friend dumped boiling water on him while he slept. An 8-year-old actually died from the challenge.
19. #SoySauceChallenge
[fm_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUa8ZC82gMA"]Again — the above video is truly heinous, so watch at your own risk.
The “Soy Sauce Challenge” went live soon after this video from Lloyd Cafe Cadena was uploaded, and entailed people drinking huge amounts of soy sauce, sometimes upwards of an entire quart. However, drinking that much soy sauce at a time can actually give someone salt poisoning, as one 19-year-old teen found out. He actually slipped into a coma after completing the challenge and needed six liters of IV fluids in under a half-hour.
Yikes, yikes, and more yikes. That’s really all we can say.
