The phrase om nom nom has long been used online as a playful stand-in for the sound of eating, appearing in cartoons, reaction videos, and short-form edits whenever a character or creator wants to show enthusiastic munching. Because it is short, instantly recognisable, and easy to drop over almost any food moment, it spread as a reusable gag rather than being tied to one specific clip. Creators still reach for it for pet videos, mukbang reactions, and animated food jokes, where a single second of exaggerated chewing says more than a caption.