One trend that I hope never dies? Turning what could be a solo activity into an event to bond with your besties. The Gen Z ability to transform a mundane task into a social media fad that inspires genuine connection is embodied in the spooky snack challenge, which is currently making its rounds on TikTok. Whether you have a fall movie night coming up or are simply looking for a way to spice up buying study snacks (how are midterms already here?), grab your best girls, choose your categories and hit the store.
What’s the spooky snack challenge?
TikTok users like @livvybud have been walking through their supermarket’s automatic doors with a mission, and no mission is successful without a strategic plan. Each participant is armed with the task of selecting their favorite foods from a list of groups. While different users have different techniques, there is a detectable pattern of categories, such as drinks, appetizers, entrees, chips, snacks, baked goods and candy.
After each individual grabs their preferred item from the sections, they reconvene, keeping their choices a secret. Then, they stand back-to-back with their selection in their hand, turning around to reveal the group’s top picks from each category. After agreeing on one item, they continue down the list until all of the courses have been decided before proceeding to checkout. For @livvybud and her bestie, this resulted in a menu of apple cider mimosas, mummies in a blanket, themed pizzas and spooky brownies.
Why do it?
No one can deny that this trend is much more time consuming than simply buying the food yourself before your besties get to your apartment — not to mention the decision fatigue of picking out your favorite eats and narrowing the group selections. (Although some groups have opted to simply buy it all.) On the other hand, the extra moments with your friends provide the perfect recipe for core memories and inside jokes, and seeing your girls’ favorite chips might unlock a new discovery about them. And what better way to set the vibe for an unforgettable movie night?
How do you make the spooky snack challenge your own?
Add your own twist to the trend to allow your personality to shine and inspire other participants. The ways to modify the spooky snack challenge are endless, but here are three ideas to fuel your brainstorming:
Pajamas, Pumpkins and (Motion) Pictures: The most important meal of the day meets a sunrise matinee. Invite the girls on a bright-and-early grocery run before your favorite fall movie. You can modify the categories to include coffee creamers, cereal, breakfast sandwiches and baked treats before pressing play in your PJs.
Cozy Color Pallette: An autumnal color palette isn’t just for Instagram feeds. For this adaptation, limit each girl in your group to shopping for one fall color. If your roommate gets orange, she might choose Olipop’s orange cream soda for the drink category and Pillsbury’s pumpkin cookies for her preferred baked goods. With classic fall colors like orange, purple, yellow, and red, this twist would be great for bigger groups.
Spooky Sustainability: There’s nothing scary about caring for the environment! Challenge your girls to research sustainable brands beforehand, and use your excursion as a chance to contribute to inspiring initiatives through products like alter eco’s Salted Caramel Truffle Thins or Quinn’s Maple Almond Butter Filled Pretzel Nuggets.