20 Times Parents Hilariously Struggled To Get Their Kids To Eat

If you’re a parent, you know the fight that can come at mealtime and the sheer amount of chaotic creativity it sometimes takes to get a child to EAT FOOD.

It sounds exhausting.

But you are definitely not alone.

Lucy Haber recently tweeted about a time her 2 year old completely railroaded her with food demands and the internet took that and ran with it. Pour through the most agonizing food journeys with me:

1. The OG

2. Zucchini

3. Waffling

4. Leftovers

5. Crickets, yes. Chicken, no.

6. Lamb.

7. Sweet potato

8. I want what I want!

9. Pineapple

10. Mushroom soup

11. Grapes

My grandson, almost 2-1/2 years old, asked me for my grapes. I cut them up for him to be safe and he refused to eat them because he no longer considered them to be grapes since they were not round anymore.

— Cathy Kenlin (@cmkenlin) August 31, 2022

12. Mac and cheese

Stepson sprained his ankle at school & I picked him up. He asked for mac & cheese for dinner. I make homemade mac & cheese with 4 cheeses & gorgeous caramelized cheese edges. He wanted his mom's. Called mom. She always makes Kraft. 🤣😆

— Pam ☮️🌻🐈🌻🇺🇸 (@Pam48030) August 31, 2022

13. Dinner

Mine are 16 and 14 and when I put dinner in front of them and they ask “what’s this?” I tell them it’s the dinner they signed off on four times and have been watching me cook for the past hour.

— Ron (@CaptainRon72) August 31, 2022

14. Eat them!

My toddler, sitting in the trolley at the checkout (many many years ago) cheerfully names every vegetable as it’s checked : “Broccoli, carrots…”

Server: “I love that you eat your vegetables!”

Child (horrified): “I don’t EAT them!”

— Jo (@SEPfieldPatient) August 31, 2022

15. The banana

Da feels
My 4yr old, regularly: dad can I have a banana?
Me: yep, wait 30 seconds and I’ll grab you one
4yr old, a short time later having one bite: I don’t like bananas
Me: oh I’m sorry, I must have confused you with my other 4 yr old who ate three bananas two days ago! 😫🤦‍♂️

— TC 💧 (@Jesterhat1) August 31, 2022

16. Corn

Mine watched the adorable viral video with the “It’s Corn!” Kid, decided he too must eat corn, which required a trip to the store, prep work, cooking and then upon putting it on his plate, it was declared “oh no, I don’t eat this”.

— Some Mouthy Broad (@2mean4canada) August 30, 2022

17. Halfsies

I remember the time my then two year old threw a 20 minute tantrum because I cut their sandwich in half. Immediately after they asked me to cut their sandwich in half. 🤦🏼‍♀️

— Dena Alo-Colbeck 💛 (@AloColbeck) August 31, 2022

18. It’s got MEAT

For a treat I once ( and just once) took my 3 year old grandson to a fast food place. He wanted a plain hamburger so that’s what I ordered. When he unwrapped it his face fell and he said “I wanted a PLAIN burger.” I asked what was on it and he replied “Meat!”

— You don't know me. (@damselflygal) August 31, 2022

19. Big “jk nvm” energy

My 8 year old is still exactly the same. After 3 months of begging to make an apple pie, we made an apple pie that he just ate one small slice. When asked “I didn’t say I wanted to eat an apple pie, just make one”.

— Nandita Basu (@nanditabasu2) August 31, 2022

20. Liar

My daughter convinced her childcare she was allergic to strawberries. Had laminated sheet with her “allergy” on the center kitchen wall. She eats strawberries at home no problem, she won’t eat them there because they take the stems off for the kids. That is unacceptable to her.

— PaigeZ (@paigezpage) August 31, 2022

Kate Hackett

Kate is a freelance writer, actor, author and columnist living in Los Angeles.