Several online creators are going viral for sharing what they call warnings shoppers need to heed before buying food at their local grocery stores.
Kayla Krasnow (@kaylakrasnow) recorded herself grocery shopping and explained why she’s avoiding certain foods above the “load line.”
“I can never look at grocery shopping the same after learning about the load limit through TikTok and realizing how many products are outside of this line in the store,” she wrote in the text overlay of her clip, which had more than 121,600 views as of Friday.
She reinforced her strategy in the caption, writing, “Brb only purchasing things from the back of the shelf or the bottom of the freezer now.”
@kaylakrasnow brb only purchasing things from the back shelf or bottom of the freezer now #loadlimit #groceryshopping #grocerystore #grocerystorehacks #perishablegoods ♬ original sound – S A M
In another video, Jess (@thegingersnapjess), who bakes gourmet cookies, explained which foods she considers safe to grab off the shelves.
“Holiday season reminder to never buy anything outside the load lines of fridge cases in supermarkets. It’s out of temp and unsafe to eat,” she wrote in the text overlay. “Stores will get in so much product & will overload the cases just to free up space in the back of the store.”
She used an arrow to highlight items at the top of the shelf, signaling they’re riskier.
“How do you choose food that is safe for your holiday cooking? Always check its placement against the load lines,” Jess added in her caption, which had over 48,000 views.
What is a load limit?
Load lines in grocery stores are not a new concept: They are markings on refrigerated cases that indicate how high products should be stocked to keep them cold and fresh.
Going past these lines can block airflow, cause warm spots, and increase the risk of spoilage. Overloading also wastes energy and compromises food safety. The concept of “loading” also applies to shoppers organizing groceries in their carts, keeping cold items together and fragile items on top to avoid crushing.
For grocery store employees, the rules are simple. Respect the line and never stack items above it in refrigerated cases. Maintain space around products so cold air can circulate, and avoid blocking vents or grills, which forces the case to work harder and can spoil food.
Shoppers can follow similar logic. Keep frozen items and cold goods, such as dairy and meats, together to keep them cold. Place fragile items such as bread, chips, eggs, and delicate produce on top or at the bottom of the bag. And raw meats should be bagged separately to prevent cross-contamination.
Following these simple steps helps both stores and shoppers make sure food stays safe and fresh while keeping the shopping experience efficient.
Viewers weigh in on food safety
Commenters who watched both Jess and Krasnow’s TikTok clips agreed with their warnings about certain foods, especially items on the top shelf that may not be stored at safe temperatures.
“My husband works in refrigeration, and he points this out every time,” one viewer wrote under Krasnow’s clip. “He’s always checking the freezer temps, too.”
Another said they avoid open cases entirely. “I never get anything in an open case for that exact reason,” they wrote.
A third chimed in under Jess’s video, noting their own precautions.
“I always grab from as far back in the cooler as possible just to be safe,” they said.
Others in the food industry said they’ve noticed items consistently placed outside the load line and often question whether they’re safe to eat.
“Omg I work in food and point this out all the time!! There will also be vertical danglers in the meat section that are basically outside,” one commented under Krasnow’s clip.
“Yes, when I worked at HEB, I would always fix this because a lot of customers don’t know and stack the pre-sliced deli meat way too high,” another added.
The Daily Dot has reached out to both Krasnow and Jess via TikTok comments.
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