Lettuce Head - © Eisenhower High School - Kansas

Competitive Eating Gets ‘Clubby’…

It’s crazy enough that some folks make their living as competitive eaters. But, now, a new craze is sweeping North American colleges and high schools: Kids are actually forming clubs dedicated to the staging of eating competitions. And what they’re eating is guaranteed to surprise you…


This video will tell you everything you need to know about Lettuce Clubs.
And lots more you probably don’t need to know…

Hot Dogs? Burgers? Pizza? Bacon? Nope. The latest student craze is Lettuce Clubs! They actually form clubs to organize lettuce-eating competitions. Why, you ask? Apparently, it’s just a vehicle to let students express their competitiveness and vie for totally ephemeral honours. The whole thing started at the Maine School of Science and Mathematics in 2016, according to Buzzfeed.

Here’s how it works…

Kids register for the competition in advance, knowing they’ll be expected to devour a whole head of lettuce in the shortest time possible.At a recent Lettuce Club event at the University of Maryland, some 40 participants took part, all vying for the title of – this is not a joke – Head of Lettuce! Otherwise known as the leader of the club. A witness to the competition swears that the winner ate a whole head of lettuce in under ten minutes. Another competition (see: #lettuceleaflegacy) saw the winner eat a full head of lettuce in 3 minutes, 41 seconds!

This is only the beginning…

But we can say this much: Lettuce Club and it’s events may be the healthiest eating competition concept ever! Parents! Urge your kids to join their local Lettuce Club. You’ve been begging them for years to eat their veggies. Now, they’ll be begging you to serve more veggies! Change the name of the evening meal to “training camp”!

Elders can also guide their offspring in the broadening of their tastes: Introduce your young Lettuce Club members to Romaine, Frisée and Radiccio. Encourage an interest in Kale, Collards and Spinach. Explore the realm of root vegetables beyond the French Fry. By the time your kids graduate high school, they’ll be eating healthy, balanced diets all by themselves, because they want to!

Parents: This is a gift – albeit, one you weren’t expecting! Accept it. Cherish it! and, whatever you do, don’t let this opportunity get away!

~ Maggie J.