Mom’s Custom Menu System Causing Controversy
When I was a kid, if we didn’t like what was for dinner, my dad would tell us to have some cereal or make a sandwich. That was it. End of discussion. When you were invited to eat at a friend’s house as a kid, the first thing you’d ask your friend is, ‘What are you having?’ As a kid of the 70’s and 80’s, you ate what your parents made or made something quick for yourself. Things are different now in some households. A mom’s weekly menu system is going viral on TikTok and parents can’t agree on whether it’s an excellent idea or just too much.
According to Yahoo, mom and TikToker @buggys.country.kitchen quickly gained lots of attention when she shared her menu system. She gives her kids options for mealtime. It reminds you how the menu works at a hospital.
The mom provides her kids with a menu for every day of the week. Each menu is custom-made for each child, featuring the foods they prefer. All the kids have numerous options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Each child gets a laminated menu a week in advance, giving mom time to prepare the meals ahead of time. The kids will circle the options they want on their individual menus.
At the end of each month, the mom starts all over by putting together the next month’s stack of menus. She says this system helps prevent food waste since the kids are eating the foods they like.
Obviously, folks had comments on the system. Some parents say the idea is brilliant! They love that less food is wasted, and say this method helps kids develop a healthy relationship with food. Other parents think it’s too much and that kids should eat what’s put in front of them.
Honestly, I think it’s a lot of work, but if this mom has the time and doesn’t mind coming up with menus for each kid, rock on! I do think having kids try different things is important as that’s how they discover new foods to eat.
I was a stepmom when I was married and when my stepdaughter was seven years old, all she would eat was Kraft Mac & Cheese. After a year or so of always making her that, I stopped and decided she needed to taste new foods. I’m glad I did because she found out that she loved sharp cheddar cheese, dark chocolate, chicken, and other foods.
If you’re the one cooking, and you and your family are happy, do what works for you. All families are different. Would you do this for your kids?
