It’s important for parents to double-check the condition of any food they plan to give their kids, from what is written on the packaging to what the food itself looks like. A father from Bowling Green, Kentucky, recently shared on TikTok that he had discovered something shocking after opening a bag of pepperoni he said he purchased from a local Kroger store. According to him, the pepperoni already had visible mold on them, but by the time he realized it, his toddler had already eaten one.
The man explained that he hadn’t thought to closely inspect the food when his three-year-old daughter, who enjoys snacking on pepperoni slices, walked up to him holding the package she grabbed from the refrigerator. Without thinking anything was wrong, he opened the bag, pulled out a piece, and gave it to her.
But shortly after handing it to her, he noticed that several of the remaining pieces looked discolored and mouldy. The father said he was shocked because he had purchased the pepperoni only the day before and did not expect them to spoil so quickly, especially since the expiration date printed on the label was still months away.
In his video, he showed the “Best If Used By” date written on the package, which read February 19, 2026. He also expressed how worried he was about what might happen next. “If my little girl gets sick, I don’t know the next move,” he said, explaining that he was posting the video in hopes of hearing from anyone who had gone through something similar.
Netizens React with Worry for the Child and Frustration Toward the Store
In the comments, many people urged the father to take action immediately, with one person writing, “take her to the hospital.” Another viewer added, “I hope your babygirl [sic] is not sick ❤️” Someone else wrote, “This is nasty. Poor kid suffering because companies [sic] lack of quality.” A fourth commenter remarked, “That’s bad 👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻 I hope she doesn’t get sick dubs.”
Several people also criticized the store, claiming issues like this aren’t new. “Kroger is notorious for leaving items on shelves past expired date. In that case I don’t know what to tell you! DO BETTER KROGER,” one person commented. Another tried to offer a more practical explanation, saying, “Take it back to the store with the receipt. There was a pin hole in the bag. It happens.”
