Move Over Paleo Diet, TikTok Says It’s Dinosaur Time

Leafy greens like kale and spinach are full of fiber, vitamins and minerals, and nutritionists want to see us eating more of them to stave off chronic disease.

But turning this rabbit’s food into a delicious dish takes patience and skill that some people lack. If you aren’t up for dealing with food prep and cleanup, you can go for days without eating anything green.

Just 1 in 10 of Americans meet the daily recommendations for veggies, which is 2-4 cups a day.

Now a silly food hack has emerged on TikTok to make eating them easier: People have taken to shoving fistfuls of greens into their mouths, sometimes straight from the bag, so they can get all of the nutrients — fiber, vitamins C and K, calcium, iron — with minimal effort.

The trend has been dubbed “Dinosaur Time,” and it may have been started by a former middle school science teacher in California named Amy Garrett, who uses the TikTok handle @sahmthingsup and has over 50,000 followers.

@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

Eating them regularly helps decrease the risks of heart disease and certain cancers. Studies have also found that they can slow age-related cognitive decline and help people maintain bone density.

So the more you can get them in your diet the better, says Stefanski, even if your meal isn’t exactly elegant. “We often strive for so much perfection with food or culinary techniques, and it’s really not necessary.”

Garrett told NPR she first started doing Dinosaur Time when she was doing CrossFit semi-competitively and was struggling to hit her daily nutrition goals. Another athlete shared they accomplished this by eating handfuls of plain greens before meals; Garrett gave it a try and found that gnashing the big, messy bites of raw spinach, bok choy or microgreens was both easy and made her feel like a monstrous herbivore.

Now a stay-at-home mom with limited time, she’s picked up Dino Time again.

“Instead of feeling guilty about not eating vegetables. I’m just gonna stuff them down my face and eat what I’d normally have eaten without any guilt,” she says.

@sylver.witch Hands down one of the best things I’ve learned to do because of this app #dinosaurtime #trend #hilarious #nutrition #parenting #funny #altmom #mama #momlife #parenting #fyp #viral ♬ original sound – Olivia Sylvia

Or if someone wants to get their recommended daily servings of vegetables in one sitting, then microwaving a bag of frozen veggies and putting a little seasoning on top is nearly as easy as Dinosaur Time. And it probably tastes better. Research shows frozen vegetables are nearly as good for you as fresh.

People prone to kidney stones should be cautious when doing Dinosaur Time, warns Mathis: Spinach and some other greens are high in oxalate, a compound that binds to calcium. Also, those who take blood thinners should consult their physician before adding Dinosaur Time to their diets.

One group on TikTok that seems to really enjoy Dinosaur Time is parents with kids. That doesn’t surprise Stefanski, who used to work with kids with autism and sensory processing disorders, which can led to selective eating. She says one of the few things children can control is what they eat and they can hesitate to try a new food because they don’t like how it looks or feels.

@ashlynntoledo 🦖🥗🦕🥬 my two year old watched one video of this trend and immediately asked if we could please do dinosaur time too. The best kind of influencing #dinosaurtime ♬ original sound – Ashlynn

By pretending to be giant reptiles, kids touch vegetables that they might otherwise avoid — which is a win, even if they don’t end up eating anything since they’re still exploring a new food.

“Giving kids the space to do that on their own is so important,” Stefanski says.

Stefanski doubts Dinosaur Time will become a permanent fixture in most peoples’ diets as most food trends eventually go extinct. However, if you hate doing dishes then Dinosaur Time might be worth a try.

To be clear, Stefanski and Mathis don’t want people to replace their meals with large quantities of raw greens. Dinosaur Time should be additive to people’s normal eating patterns, not a weight-loss strategy.

Garrett agrees, which is why she shows what she’s eating for lunch at the end of each TikTok. Recent meals include barbacoa, a tuna sandwich, and shawarma.

@sahmthingsup Grab your greens 🥬? It’s Dinosaur Times 50k celebration! 🦖 🦕 🍃 🥬 #dinosaurtimerecipes #dinosaurtime #dinotime #dinosaurs #dinosaurfacts #50kfollowers💖❤ #greens #healthyrecipes #fyp #getyourgreens #coachella ♬ At Jurassic World’s End Credits / Suite – Michael Giacchino