‘I Had No Clue’: Texas Woman Shares ‘Adulting 101’ Grocery Tip. She Demonstrates With A Can Of Progresso Soup

To the casual eye, a viral TikTok clip appears to show a typical can of Progresso soup. But a Houston woman spotted a dent and delivered a warning that sent TikTok into a spiral of shock, confusion, and frantic pantry re-checking.

The clip from TikToker Victoria Aromoloran (@iiamvictoriiaa) finds her in a grocery store aisle, clearly concerned about the potential health risks posed by the dented can of soup she’s holding up for the camera. It’s a “the more you know” adulting moment for folks who grew up on dented-discount canned goods.

If you pick up a can and it's dented or bloated or puffy, … bacteria, bacteria, bacteria,” she said in the clip that’s been viewed more than 223,000 times. “Especially if it's dented on the seam, leave it.”

While TikTok discussions often veer into rumor or exaggeration, Aromoloran’s caution is grounded in long-standing food-safety guidance from federal agencies. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, cans that are leaking, bulging, heavily rusted, or severely dented along seams should not be purchased or consumed because their airtight seal may be compromised. A broken seal creates the low-oxygen environment that allows Clostridium botulinum, the bacteria responsible for botulism, to grow.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that botulism is rare but dangerous, and contaminated canned foods remain one of the documented sources. Symptoms can include blurred vision, difficulty breathing, and muscle paralysis.

Experts say not all dents are equal. Minor dents away from seams are usually harmless. But damage at the seams can disrupt the vacuum inside the can, allowing bacteria to enter or multiply.

TikTok Reacts: “I Had No Clue”

What elevated the clip’s reach wasn’t the can itself but the stunned reaction from thousands of commenters who admitted they’d never learned any of this.

“Everyone saying common knowledge… I had no clue,” one viewer wrote.

Others shared similar experiences, including people who grew up in households where dented cans were preferred because of discounts. “I grew up hella poor and my mom would purposely look for the dented cans,” one comment read. Another viewer added, “This wasn’t common knowledge??”

The video struck a nerve across generations. Several people who worked in grocery stores chimed in to say dents often come from stocking errors or transport bumps, not necessarily from internal contamination, but agreed that seam damage is still a red flag. And dozens of personal shoppers insisted they never intentionally deliver dented cans to customers.

Research published by the Journal of Food Protection has shown that consumer food-safety knowledge varies widely and is strongly influenced by what’s modeled or taught in childhood.
The post also set off side conversations about other warning signs in grocery aisles. One widely liked comment warned about puffy or inflated plastic packaging on meat, something shoppers often report but rarely understand.

Food-safety experts say swollen packaging can indicate bacterial gas production, though not all “puffiness” equals spoilage. Some meat packaging uses modified-atmosphere systems that naturally trap additionalair. Still, researchers advise shoppers to avoid meat packaging with tears, leaks, or unusual swelling, and to check the color and smell of meat when opening.

Why the Lesson Resonated So Widely

The TikTok thread morphed into an impromptu public service clinic as commenters shared knowledge from culinary classes, health certifications, or past work in grocery retail. Others, meanwhile, used the moment to humorously acknowledge a learning gap: “Every day someone new is becoming an adult,” one person wrote. “Certain things have to be taught because we’re not born knowing everything.”

The clip struck a chord because it touched a surprisingly common experience: Many people reach adulthood without being explicitly taught how to evaluate food safety at the store. What feels like “common sense” to some is brand-new information to others.

“Common knowledge is knowing this is not common knowledge,” one viewer noted, summing up the cultural divide.

Aromoloran herself seemed surprised by the intensity of the response, commenting back with heart emojis and saying she simply filmed what she saw in the moment. But viewers thanked her for helping them rethink how they shop and, in some cases, for prompting them to quietly inspect the cans already in their pantries.

State and federal agencies recommend avoiding cans that are bulging, leaking, rusting through, or dented along seams. Cosmetic dents away from the seams are usually safe, but any sign of swelling or structural compromise is reason to discard a can or leave it on the shelf.

For thousands who watched the clip, a routine grocery errand turned into a crash course in Food Safety 101, and a reminder that even small dents can spark big discussions when the internet is paying attention.

Patch reached out to Aromoloran via email and direct message. We’ll update this if they respond.

@iiamvictoriiaa more gen z adulting tips 💋 #adulting101 #postgradlife #postgrad #genz #adulting ♬ original sound - iiamvictoriiaa

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