You may recall the social media curmudgeons of yore who complained about seeing their friends’ lunches on Instagram. Well, they’re gonna hate TikTok.
People are eating up videos detailing everything the poster consumes in a single day, often hashtagged “WIEIAD” (or, “what I eat in a day”).
It’s not a brand new trend and may seem even like an obvious content type for fitness or nutrition influencers. A May article in PopSugar asked if the trend was finally over, noting that restrictive or unrealistic diets could be problematic or encourage eating disorders.
But apparently, it’s workers and their mundane office lunches that have become a big hit, per Fast Company.
Instead of protein smoothies and talk of macros, videos feature ordinary meals, snacks, beverages, and, if applicable, whatever free food a workplace might offer.
Why do people want to watch these?
It’s not like WIEIAD is the first trend that’s embraced the basic stuff we do each day. People post their workouts, their outfits, what they’re reading, and dozens of photos of the same cat.
As far as office food videos, they may appeal to people who pack their lunches at home, and who want to add some new recipes to their menu, eat healthier at work, or find the best insulated lunch bags that still look cute.
Or perhaps, the trend is most interesting to people whose offices don’t cater lunch, but who want to see how the other half live. One woman who works at tech company Carta apparently nets hundreds of thousands of views showing off her free meals and snacks.
Carta might also appreciate the views, considering it could entice prospective candidates who value such perks.
It’s also a potential opportunity for brands to get in front of new audiences. Who doesn’t want an idea for a new “fun” drink to add to their beverage goblin collection?