Viral UGC Video Roundup: Food & Beverage Industry

Eric Owusu Sekyere

— 2 min read
Viral UGC Video Roundup: Food & Beverage Industry
Photo by Sehajpal Singh / Unsplash
  • TikTok (Celebrity Recipe/Testimonial): One of last month’s biggest foodie crazes was courtesy of Bethenny Frankel’s now-famous “Supermodel Snack.” The former RHONY star posted her odd healthy snack combo, a turkey roll-up with a tomato slice, cottage cheese, and seasoning, and TikTok went wild with it. Countless creators dueted or stitched her recipe video, showing themselves skeptically taking a bite and then admitting “Wait…this slaps!” Content: Testimonial/reaction. Why viral: A mix of celebrity intrigue and genuine surprise. The snack itself is quirky (unusual combo = curiosity clickbait), and viewers enjoyed the narrative arc of “I thought this would be gross, but I love it.” This emotional payoff, plus the easy DIY aspect, made the trend explode. When a video has people literally tasting along at home, you know it’s a hit.
  • TikTok (Recipe Hack): TikTok is essentially the new cookbook, and a slew of weirdly inventive recipes went viral last month. To name a couple: “Spicy Ramen Lasagna” (yes, layering instant ramen in a baking dish like lasagna) and the bite-sized “Pickle-in-a-Blanket” snack were breakout hits among creators. Food TikTokers filmed themselves testing these recipes, showing steps and then cutting to the tasting. Content: Cooking tutorial/POV. Why viral: These recipes had built-in shock value. They sound wrong, which made people curious enough to watch, and in many cases they turned out surprisingly tasty, sparking a flood of “OMG I have to try this!” comments. The visuals were compelling (cheese pulls, noodle layers, etc.), and they rode TikTok’s love for novel comfort food. Ultimately, the shareability (“can you believe this exists?!”) fueled their spread across platforms.
  • TikTok & YouTube (Gadget Demo): Who would guess that a mini waffle maker would become a social media star? That’s exactly what happened with the Dash Mini Waffle Maker, a $10–$15 kitchen gadget that kept popping up in viral cooking videos. Home chefs filmed quick recipes using the petite waffle iron, from classic waffles to hash brown patties and even “chaffles” (cheese waffles). Content: Gadget demo/tutorial. Why viral: It’s the perfect marriage of a satisfying visual and a useful tip. The waffle maker’s tiny size and ease of use made it mesmerizing to watch (there’s something oddly soothing about seeing batter transform into a perfect mini waffle). And viewers thought, “Hey, I could do that!”, exactly the sentiment that drives engagement. With each video proving the gadget’s versatility, the Dash waffle maker became a must-have item, and the UGC videos doubled as authentic ads for it, earning plenty of likes and recipe shares.

(Takeaway, Food: People crave novelty and authenticity. A unique recipe or a handy gadget can catch fire if presented in a fun, relatable way. Whether it’s a celeb-endorsed snack or a crazy comfort-food hack, if it makes viewers hungry or curious (ideally both), it’s prime viral food content.)

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