For anyone who has ever stared down a bowl of limp lettuce and sighed, TikTok has a new solution—one that skips the dressing, the chopping, and even the bowl itself. Meet “Dinosaur Time,” the latest hack that has social media ditching salads in favor of an almost primal approach to eating greens: grabbing a handful and chomping away, just like a plant-eating dinosaur. It’s absurdly simple, but that’s exactly the point.
The term was coined by TikTok user @sahmthingsup, who, like so many, was looking for a no-fuss way to add more greens to her diet. In her viral video, she explains, “I’ve been trying to eat more greens with every meal recently, and I have figured out the best life hack that works for me.” She then demonstrates by reaching for a handful of raw spinach and eating it straight from the bag—no fork, no plate, just a quick and easy way to get more nutrients.
@sahmthingsup I’ve been going strong on dinosaur time for about a week now as a supplement to my normal lunches and I feel pretty good. So maybe try it out #greens #healthy #healthyliving #healthyrecipes #healthylifestyle #fyp #dinosaur #dinosaurtime #Fitness #fitnesstips #nutrition #nutritiontips #macros ♬ original sound – sahmthingsup
What started as a simple habit has exploded into a full-fledged movement, with thousands of people embracing the trend, sharing their own #DinosaurTime videos, and raving about the low-effort approach to healthier eating.
A no-prep solution to a common problem
The appeal of Dinosaur Time is clear: it removes every possible barrier to eating more greens. No washing, chopping, or dressing. No struggling to make a lackluster salad appealing. Just straight-up vegetables in their rawest form, eaten in seconds.
One TikTok user summed up the relief of discovering this method: “You mean I don’t have to make elaborate salads and rage wash and chop and prep all the things each week? You may have just changed my life.”
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For many, eating healthy feels like a production—something that requires planning, effort, and time. This trend flips that idea on its head. The simplicity of Dinosaur Time is what makes it so effective, turning vegetable consumption into something as mindless as a sip of water or stretching your legs.
The science of eating more greens
Leafy greens are one of the most nutrient-dense foods, packed with fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. Yet, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only one in 10 adults eats the recommended amount of vegetables per day.
By lowering the effort needed to consume greens, Dinosaur Time could help change that. Dietitians frequently emphasize that one of the biggest barriers to healthy eating is convenience—people reach for what’s easiest. If the easiest thing happens to be a handful of spinach, that’s a win.
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And despite the raw, unseasoned approach, some enthusiasts claim they’ve started craving their greens. “Adulthood is just finding increasingly strange ways of tricking yourself into doing what you’re supposed to,” one user commented.
A parenting hack disguised as playtime
Beyond its appeal to busy adults, Dinosaur Time has also become a sneaky parenting trick. By framing it as an imaginative game, parents have been able to get their kids to eat more vegetables—without the usual dinnertime struggle.
One mom shared how she and her children now do a nightly Dinosaur Time challenge: “We started doing that in my house. With my two kids before dinner every night, we have Dinosaur Time where we’ve turned it into a competition, obviously, to see who could eat their piece of lettuce the fastest,” she told Cafe Mom.
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However, results may vary. One family attempted the trend with spinach, only to find that their kids were not fans of the raw taste. But even when it doesn’t work, Dinosaur Time is sparking creativity in how parents approach healthy eating.
A trend rooted in simplicity
Dinosaur Time is a reminder that sometimes, the easiest solutions are the best ones. Unlike many viral food trends that require specialty ingredients or complex methods, this one works precisely because it is effortless.
As the creator of the trend explains, it’s not meant to replace balanced meals but to make greens less of a hassle. “This is just a supplement to an existing meal to get your greens out of the way so you can enjoy the things you actually like to eat.”
