Ominous origins of that TikTok 'peanut butter challenge' hack revealed

TikTok peanut butter hack
"This is all old penitentiary stuff, the oldest trick in the game," TikTok user Equivocal Intuition explains. Photo credit: TikTok.

If you're a big peanut butter fan you'll know the pain of trying to get the last of the spread out of the jar, when it's all caked down the bottom and around the edges. 

Well, a handy trick for getting it out has been going viral on TikTok - but according to a new video, the trick has a pretty crazy origin story. 

The peanut butter hack first captured the world's attention when TikTok user ShopSplat uploaded a video of him trying it back in April. 

The hack involves taking a near-empty peanut butter jar and spinning it vigorously and continuously for a period of time. The momentum redistributes the peanut butter in the jar to the top, making it appear full again. 

"There's no way this is going to work," the TikTok user says to the camera, while spinning the jar. "If this works I'm going to flip."

He eventually takes the lid off the previously near-empty jar, which suddenly appears almost full again, as if by magic. 

"Holy crap, that's so cool!" he exclaims. 

The video inspired other TikTokkers to give it a try themselves using the hashtag #peanutbutterchallenge, each time the spinning action pushing the remaining peanut butter to the top of their respective jars.  

Forceful spins for a longer length of time appear to be the key. 

But another TikTok user has now revealed the trick's less than wholesome origins, with a fascinating video showing how he used to use the trick in prison. 

"This is the oldest trick in the game... this is all old penitentiary stuff," says the user known as Equivocal Intuition, in a video which has been viewed more than 6.5 million times. 

The TikTok user explains that it's actually an old trick used to hide money and other items in jars of condiments from prison staff.

"Why did this work? Because they could not search their food," he explains. 

The man goes on to explain that the trick doesn't work anymore because guards caught on, and now squeeze the plastic containers to see what's been placed inside. 

But it's still a great trick for those of us just wanting a little extra peanut butter on our toast.