Unless you have one of those unicorn children that has a sophisticated, varied palate, you’ll know how hard it can be to get kids to eat.
And if you’ve got more than one kid, good luck getting them to eat the same thing.
In my house, one kid loves meat, another loves pasta, and the third lives on air and the word “no”.
No one likes what the other is eating so I’m either an unpaid short-order cook, or forcing someone to eat something they don’t want to.
When you find something everyone will eat, it’s a big win.
That’s likely what American mum Rachel thought when she proudly posted a photo of her one and three-year-old kids’ lunchboxes.
“This is lunch for a one and three-year-old today. Sharp cheddar cheese, crackers and seaweed,” she captioned the photo.
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Mum blasted for kids’ lunches
The photo was exactly as described: two lunchboxes filled with a few Jatz-like crackers, squares of tasty cheese and a few sheets of seasoned seaweed.
Perhaps not the most filling, but the cheese has plenty of calcium. On the sodium front, between the crackers, seaweed and cheese, we’re not doing quite as well.
Rachel probably didn’t get the response she expected.
Some people offered positive comments.
“This is exactly what my three-year-old would eat,” said one person.
“Looks great,” said another.
But many criticised the meal, saying it wasn’t nearly enough food.
“My kids would devour this and then ask for something else,” said one person.
“This is lunch? Or a snack? This wouldn’t fill up either of my kids at this age,” said another. “But at least it’s healthy.”
“That’s a mistake. Is this filling enough for them?” a third person asked.
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Nutrionist on what she feeds her kids
Amelia Philips is a nutritionist and mum-of-four, and she’s previously shared with Kidspot what her kids typically eat in a day.
“I am a lot more relaxed when it comes to my kids’ diet than I thought I’d be,” she said. “This is because in all my years I’ve realised that there is just as much risk of disordered eating patterns as there are nutritional deficiencies… so my approach with my kids focuses on the joy of food over and above anything else.”
Rather than getting specific about food items, Amelia focuses on whole foods and vegetables into her kids’ diet.
Judging from her kids’ day on a plate, she’d probably think Rachel’s kids’ lunches are a bit on the small side as well.
Originally published as ‘Is this a mistake?’ Mum blasted for toddler lunchbox photo
