Lettuce club facts for kids
A lettuce club is a fun club for students where members compete to see who can eat a whole head of lettuce the fastest! It all started at the Maine School of Science and Mathematics. These clubs became popular after a post about them went viral on Tumblr, a social media site.
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What Are Lettuce Clubs?
Lettuce clubs are unique student groups. They focus on a simple, silly competition: eating lettuce. Members gather to race against each other. The goal is to be the first to finish an entire head of lettuce. It's a lighthearted way for students to have fun and meet new people.
Where Did Lettuce Clubs Start?
The very first lettuce club began at the Maine School of Science and Mathematics. This school is known for its smart students. From there, the idea of lettuce clubs spread to other schools and universities. It became a popular trend, especially after being shared widely online.
Lettuce Clubs at Colleges
University of Maryland
A lettuce club started at the University of Maryland, College Park in 2017. They held two competitions that year. However, the club was not officially recognized by the university. This meant they couldn't use the school's main student union building for events. Because of this, the club eventually stopped its activities.
University of South Carolina
In 2020, a lettuce club was formed at the University of South Carolina. It was started by a student in the school's Honors College. This club quickly became popular, getting over 80 members in its first year. It even gained official recognition from the university. The club holds one meeting each semester. The winner of the competition is called "Head of Lettuce." This person then gets to plan the next semester's meeting.
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota also has a lettuce club. As of 2021, they were holding two meetings every year. For their fall 2021 competition, students had to bring their own iceberg lettuce. Only students who had one semester left before graduating could join this specific competition. This event was even featured in a documentary film by Barstool Sports.
McGill University
A lettuce club began at McGill University in 2021. Their first meeting was a big hit, with more than 150 people attending. Competitors needed to bring their own head of iceberg lettuce. It had to weigh at least 500 grams (about 1.1 pounds). The winner in 2021 finished their lettuce in three minutes and 45 seconds. Like other clubs, this winner became the "Head of Lettuce" and planned the next meeting.
The McGill club continued to be active. They held successful meetings in 2022, 2023, and 2024. The rules were changed slightly, requiring lettuce to weigh at least 600 grams (about 1.3 pounds). These events drew over 200 attendees each year. The 2022 winner ate their lettuce in a super-fast one minute and 54 seconds! The 2023 winner finished in about 2 minutes and 10 seconds. The 2024 winner completed the challenge in 2 minutes and 58 seconds.
Lettuce Clubs at High Schools
Maine School of Science and Mathematics
At the Maine School of Science and Mathematics, where it all began, the lettuce for competitions is bought from Walmart. The first person to finish eating their head of lettuce is named "Head Lettuce." They even win a special championship belt!
Heritage High School (Frisco, Texas)
A lettuce club was started at Heritage High School in Frisco, Texas, in 2017. The founders were inspired by a post they saw on Twitter about other lettuce clubs. As of 2018, this club held its main competition at the end of each school year. The winner of the competition became the club's new president. During the 2018 competition, fun music from the 1980s was played, including the song "Eye of the Tiger."
Monte Vista High School (Spring Valley, California)
The lettuce club at Monte Vista High School has a unique history. They have had champions who eat lettuce more slowly than other schools. Even so, many students still join and participate in the club every year.
