Mom Updates The Existing Food Pyramid To What Her Kids Are Actually Willing To Eat
Picky eating is a phase most toddlers go through. While it’s usually a natural process that only means that a child is starting to develop food preferences, it often causes a headache for the child’s parents. Every parent who has experienced it with their toddler knows how unpredictable their tastes can get. Kids can eat the same kind of food for weeks, and nothing else, until one day they throw a temper tantrum at the sight of their favorite food. However, after some time, the child’s appetite and preferences will become a lot easier to manage, leaving parents to only hope that this moment will come as fast as possible.
Kendra Broekhuis, a mother who lives in Milwaukee, knows exactly what it feels like to raise picky eaters. “On the scale of ‘My Kids Eat Grilled Salmon and Blueberries’ to ‘My Kids Legit Need Feeding Therapy,’ they are in the middle,” she told Bored Panda. Recently, she shared a photo showing a food pyramid for kids of foods that they are actually willing to eat.
More info: Facebook | kendrabroekhuis.com
Recently, a mom named Kendra Broekhuis went viral for sharing a photo illustrating her kids eating preferences
Image credits: kendrabroekhuisauthor
While raising three kids who are ages six, three, and one, Kendra tries to keep up with writing her blog. “I started blogging in 2011. It started as a hobby when my husband and I moved to Guatemala for three years because the cool thing to do when you move overseas is to start a blog. But over time, writing came to mean much more than keeping in touch; it was a way to process whatever was happening in our lives, including our move overseas and back, my begrudging first passage into motherhood, and the devastating loss of our second baby,” she told us.
From time to time, the mother likes to share small snippets from her family’s life and recently, one of them went viral. After picking out seven snacks for kids she placed them in the shape of a pyramid and took a photo that represents a new version of the food pyramid according to her kids. The photo made it clear that her children have quite the exquisite taste, and not the kind of healthy foods their mother approves of. The photo was widely shared among parents who could really relate to the new “food pyramid”. “This photo is a parody in the sense that at times they are willing to try new things, yet they naturally gravitate toward their favorites. I am not a Betty Crocker level chef, so even though I try to mix up our meal plan with healthy diet ideas, I know our kids would also be happy if we just rotated between chicken tenders, pasta, pizza, and tacos,” she told Bored Panda.
Image credits: kendrabroekhuisauthor
When asked about how hard is it to convince her kids’ to eat good food, Kendra said: “Once, my oldest daughter gave up every version of the potato for an entire year. When I’ve tried meals like a vegetable stir-fry, they have complained because the vegetables weren’t chopped finely enough. And heaven forbid they ever discover an onion on their plate! I vividly remember one dinner where my husband and I said everyone had to eat just two carrots without ranch dressing to dip them in, and all hell broke loose. Thankfully, our toddler is still a garbage can who will eat pretty much any fruit or veggie or morsel of food we put in front of her.”
Image credits: kendrabroekhuisauthor
Like every parent, she sometimes has to come up with tricks that help to persuade her kids into eating their food. For instance, to solve her kids’ pre-dinner cravings, Kendra offers them some fruits and veggies before the dinner is served. “Some days, I am amazed at how telling them that immediately solves their pre-dinner hunger,” she explained. The mother also shared a great tip to encourage her kids to finish their meal: “Another rule we try to stick to is that if our kids say they are not hungry anymore but haven’t finished their meal (we try to give them very reasonable, kid-sized portions), then they aren’t allowed to have any other food or treats before they go back and finish what is on their plate. They don’t necessarily have to be part of the “clean plate club” at dinner, but they don’t get to skip dinner just so they can snack either.”
Luckily, Kendra’s kid’s pickiness is quite manageable, but to those parents who are struggling with the issue, she advises not to be afraid to seek professional help. “My advice to parents, whether it’s with picky eaters or another battle that you’re trying to fight, is to remember that you are probably not alone in your battle. I think that’s my favorite part about the photo going viral – it’s the reminder that so many parents have been in my shoes! My kids aren’t the only weirdos causing their parent’s a little frustration at dinner from time to time. But if your child’s eating patterns are actually concerning, don’t be afraid to ask for help from an expert and from friends you trust.”
Image credits: kendrabroekhuisauthor
While many parents laughed at the photo, knowing very well how hard it sometimes is to make sure your kid is eating the right food, others were not so amused. Some people failed to find the humor in Kendra’s picture and it stirred up quite a discussion. A few of the commenters said that she shouldn’t ever be giving her kids food like that, and that they’ll eat vegetables just fine.
Do you agree? Let us know what you think in the comments.
Many parents could relate to Kendra’s photo
However, others didn’t find it very funny
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Kids don't grocery shop, they only eat what their parents provide. If I ever complained about what was for dinner I'd quickly be reminded that there were starving children in the world and I could go to bed hungry, instead. It was a harsh enough reality check for little old me. My mom worked two jobs and we never had frozen food or junk in the house. It's really hard not to cast judgement when I see photos like this. I've read countless articles about the impact of processed food on a child's development/overall behaviour. It's not that difficult or time consuming to prepare fresh food. You owe it to your children.
You are absolutely right! I think growing up eating junk food results in the fact that nowadays you see teenage boys who look like anorexic modells. They didn't get proper nutrients when they were a child. Also they have poor health, still they continue eating junk. Sad!
Load More Replies... And it wouldn't hurt either if you served food at a proper kitchen table, not in front of the TV. In my opinion, it is nothing else but attention seeking, posting things like these on Facebook or other community sites. It is a disgrace!
Yep, and the fact that people down vote your comment shows people don't like being told they're idiots.
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People need to understand this is meant to be light-hearted. Parents TRY to make sure kids eat healthy but that is infinitely easier said than done.
I love when a child is one and the parent is like "my kid eats everything". Oh...sweetie... wait for it.
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I have to agree with the moms that say the parent controls the food. I still remember the first time I was at my cousin's house and they pulled frozen chicken nuggets out of the freezer. I didn't know those existed! And I thought it was disgusting that meat would be served in little pre-frozen chunks like that. I wouldn't eat them lol. I was picky too - but I was used to the healthy (mostly grown in our backyard garden) food I got at home.
I have a garden, I try to stick with whole foods... but I'm a single adult and I still struggle with that.
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If you want to avoid the food wars I highly encourage turning off the TV and not providing juice during the meal (serve water instead). This lets the child focus on eating & interacting with the parent(s).
Right! I thought I was the only one finding wrong that they were eating on the sofa in front of the TV...my pediatrician forbids fruit juice ( except homemade) before 3 years..
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No kid ever starved to death from refusing to eat. Stop enabling an unhealthy lifestyle! Either they eat what you make when you make it or they do NOT eat. When their stomachs start grumbling causing discomfort, they WILL eat what you give them.
They have nobody to blame but themselves. I got my daughter eating all kinds of vegetables and fruits from as early as possible.
Never had this problem with my kids, they ate what was put in front of them including veggies of every kind as we used to belong to a farm co-op. Today, there is noting they won't eat, including Indian, Thai, Pho and many other things. Seems that a parent's bias to food is often times passed down to their children, either that or people are just too lazy to cook.
I know I'm really judging but I think for most kids, if you feed them nothing but fast food and heavily processed c**p, is it any wonder that`s all they want to eat? I was very low income and my daughter got things like processed peanut butter and whole grain cheerios, but did not get fast food and junk that`s mostly sugar and additives. The only thing she really, really wouldn`t eat, and still dislikes as an adult, is mushrooms. I knew several of her peers who were incredibly `picky eaters` and when I saw what they were feeding their kids on a regular basis, it wasn`t really a surprise. Of course there are some kids with sensory issues etc. who really have a hard time with food, but I think 90 percent of the time, parents are completely responsible for what their children don`t and won`t eat. Here ends the judgment!
It's not that hard to get a kid to eat the right food when you get them use to it at an early age. When I say that we are eating fish for diner my daughter screams "yeah! I love fish!". I like fishing so she started eating fish at a really young age and I also know how to cook it. She doesn't understand why the other kids at her school find fish and seafood so disgusting. It's all about habits.
Thank you Caroline. Many times the parents prejudices against foods shapes what their kids eat. My wife and I hated brussel sprouts when our kids were young and we found a recipe to oven broil brussel sprouts in the oven with olive oil, salt, pepper and parmesan cheese. It's not that hard to make your kids love foods of all kinds. Now 17 and 19, my son and daughter love foods of all kinds. Except fried okra, my son hates fried okra.
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My food pyramid from when I was kid would look just about the same as theirs, only with a few legos by the top 🤣🤣
I think there's been some subtly missed. She said "What my kids are WILLING to eat" not "What my kids eat, just these that's it". I suspect she meant these are the things they'll eat without a fuss, not their only diet. I'm just trying to give the benefit of the doubt, I might be wrong but there it is.
My older brother got into a habit of only eating the cheese off of cheese toast when he was little. After a few cheesy diapers and no sign of him giving up, my parents had to make him sit in front of his dinner for a few hours, and if he didn't eat it it would be breakfast the next day, then lunch, and so on. He eats anything now. Literally anything. And everything.
Children don't have money, they can't just go to the store and pick out what they want. Most parents work full-time and come home and are willing to give in to their children and give them something that won't be a fight to eat. Growing up my mother made one meal for the whole family and if we didn't eat it then we just didn't eat. I can see caving in from time to time but the goal should be to not even keep that sort of thing in the house. I know that is easier said than done but obesity is the number one cause of premature death in America and teaching kids bad eating habits is a big reason for that. If kids are hungry they will eat what you give them so don't even introduce junk foods until they are much older. I don't eat junk food because I didn't grow up with it. I cook every night no matter how late I get home from work because it is just a developed habit and I know how to make really fast meals. My favorite snack as a kid was raw cabbage, pickles, raw onions, and tomatoes.
The critics here seem to be taking the joke pyramid far too literally...
Wow I can't believe the comments! I do agree with having your kid eat what you prepare or nothing at all (they won't starve) but all the judgments about foods the kids would rather eat, of course kids would rather eat chicken nuggets and fishy crackers...they are kids, okay maybe your kid prefers fruit to cheese crackers consider yourself lucky. All these people saying if you don't want your kids to crave these foods don't serve them...what about trying it at a friends house, at school, holidays, birthdays. Are you going to send your child to another kids birthday with a bag of salmon and green beans and tell them not to eat the cake?! I just think it's unrealistic to believe that your child is never going to try an unhealthy food and decide they like it...maybe when they are still a baby and you are around 24/7.
The parents of these "picky eaters" probably grew up eating the same junk that they are now feeding their own kids - because their parents laughed about it back then, and gave in to toddler demands. They shook their heads together over it, like it was some martyr-mommy club, as if it were some competition as to whose kid demanded the narrowest menu. So proud! Have you seen the commercial about the kid who will only eat buttered spaghetti noodles? Yeah... give that parent an Insta-Medal!
"My kid would choose a carrot over ice cream anytime", suure that sounds real
I can believe it. My son would turn down chocolate for a pear. Nowadays, his favourite meal is a huge cheese burger with ketchup and a side salad of beetroot, spinach and lambs lettuce followed by a fresh fruit salad. Life is all about balance.
Load More Replies...
Once they taste junk, it spoils their appetite for good food. Kids can hold out for what they want for an amazing amount of time. These kids would probably still be picky eaters if they'd never tasted junk, but at least they would have developed a few healthy foods they were willing to eat.
Let me condemn her as well now all the internet knows how great of a parent I am.
If mommy has time to plant a garden with her kids, it's almost a given kids will eat anything THEY grow... and they'll share it with pride.
My 6yo have selective eating disorder, started from the time he was supposed to be switching from breast milk to normal food. He have a sort of carroty soup and a cabbage based dish what he can eat, strictly finely blended and sieved through to very fine texture, if he spots any tiny piece he would refuse to eat for a day... He drinks water only and there is one kind of crisps he eats (ketchup flavour Cheetos) and 1 kind of biscuits (cheese flavour Tuc). If you try to trick him with same brand but different flavour he starts crying, spitting and even vomiting. We spent the last 5 years trying to find someone to help us but after seeing many psychologist, doctors, gastro enterologists and so on, still nothing. No one have any idea what to do.
Um seriously feed your kids healthy from the get go and don't introduce these quick and easy crappy foods they want them as they are full of fat and sugar so crave that. If they have not tasted this c**p from the get go then they would not know any better this is s**t your kids will eat healthy if you cook it and only feed it
Your kids will have bad nutrient issues such as potential bone development issues , sores that will not heal and so on if you keep feeding this c**p
wow this comment real is a joke and for sure a first world problem. I think some of you have had toooo many gluten free organic soy chicken finger nuggets and are real mad that they taste like s**t, but I don't blame you because they do. And while we're at it so do the gluten free pop tarts, ick! But you know what sometime you got to do what you got to do to get your kid to eat. Unlike some of you who do shove the gluten free soy fake news nuggets down their kids throat. I feel bad for them and hope Santa brings them the good stuff. Nutrition and the comments you make = a well balanced human. Eat a donut every now a then. A real one not a pretend donut. OH and p.s. Chance the rapper hates vegetables and still won a Grammy ;)
Giving them s**t sometimes is fine, but this is the food pyramid so it means it's constant, and that is just lazyness.
Load More Replies... Kids don't grocery shop, they only eat what their parents provide. If I ever complained about what was for dinner I'd quickly be reminded that there were starving children in the world and I could go to bed hungry, instead. It was a harsh enough reality check for little old me. My mom worked two jobs and we never had frozen food or junk in the house. It's really hard not to cast judgement when I see photos like this. I've read countless articles about the impact of processed food on a child's development/overall behaviour. It's not that difficult or time consuming to prepare fresh food. You owe it to your children.
You are absolutely right! I think growing up eating junk food results in the fact that nowadays you see teenage boys who look like anorexic modells. They didn't get proper nutrients when they were a child. Also they have poor health, still they continue eating junk. Sad!
Load More Replies... And it wouldn't hurt either if you served food at a proper kitchen table, not in front of the TV. In my opinion, it is nothing else but attention seeking, posting things like these on Facebook or other community sites. It is a disgrace!
Yep, and the fact that people down vote your comment shows people don't like being told they're idiots.
Load More Replies... People need to understand this is meant to be light-hearted. Parents TRY to make sure kids eat healthy but that is infinitely easier said than done.
I love when a child is one and the parent is like "my kid eats everything". Oh...sweetie... wait for it.
Load More Replies... I have to agree with the moms that say the parent controls the food. I still remember the first time I was at my cousin's house and they pulled frozen chicken nuggets out of the freezer. I didn't know those existed! And I thought it was disgusting that meat would be served in little pre-frozen chunks like that. I wouldn't eat them lol. I was picky too - but I was used to the healthy (mostly grown in our backyard garden) food I got at home.
I have a garden, I try to stick with whole foods... but I'm a single adult and I still struggle with that.
Load More Replies... If you want to avoid the food wars I highly encourage turning off the TV and not providing juice during the meal (serve water instead). This lets the child focus on eating & interacting with the parent(s).
Right! I thought I was the only one finding wrong that they were eating on the sofa in front of the TV...my pediatrician forbids fruit juice ( except homemade) before 3 years..
Load More Replies... No kid ever starved to death from refusing to eat. Stop enabling an unhealthy lifestyle! Either they eat what you make when you make it or they do NOT eat. When their stomachs start grumbling causing discomfort, they WILL eat what you give them.
They have nobody to blame but themselves. I got my daughter eating all kinds of vegetables and fruits from as early as possible.
Never had this problem with my kids, they ate what was put in front of them including veggies of every kind as we used to belong to a farm co-op. Today, there is noting they won't eat, including Indian, Thai, Pho and many other things. Seems that a parent's bias to food is often times passed down to their children, either that or people are just too lazy to cook.
I know I'm really judging but I think for most kids, if you feed them nothing but fast food and heavily processed c**p, is it any wonder that`s all they want to eat? I was very low income and my daughter got things like processed peanut butter and whole grain cheerios, but did not get fast food and junk that`s mostly sugar and additives. The only thing she really, really wouldn`t eat, and still dislikes as an adult, is mushrooms. I knew several of her peers who were incredibly `picky eaters` and when I saw what they were feeding their kids on a regular basis, it wasn`t really a surprise. Of course there are some kids with sensory issues etc. who really have a hard time with food, but I think 90 percent of the time, parents are completely responsible for what their children don`t and won`t eat. Here ends the judgment!
It's not that hard to get a kid to eat the right food when you get them use to it at an early age. When I say that we are eating fish for diner my daughter screams "yeah! I love fish!". I like fishing so she started eating fish at a really young age and I also know how to cook it. She doesn't understand why the other kids at her school find fish and seafood so disgusting. It's all about habits.
Thank you Caroline. Many times the parents prejudices against foods shapes what their kids eat. My wife and I hated brussel sprouts when our kids were young and we found a recipe to oven broil brussel sprouts in the oven with olive oil, salt, pepper and parmesan cheese. It's not that hard to make your kids love foods of all kinds. Now 17 and 19, my son and daughter love foods of all kinds. Except fried okra, my son hates fried okra.
Load More Replies... My food pyramid from when I was kid would look just about the same as theirs, only with a few legos by the top 🤣🤣
I think there's been some subtly missed. She said "What my kids are WILLING to eat" not "What my kids eat, just these that's it". I suspect she meant these are the things they'll eat without a fuss, not their only diet. I'm just trying to give the benefit of the doubt, I might be wrong but there it is.
My older brother got into a habit of only eating the cheese off of cheese toast when he was little. After a few cheesy diapers and no sign of him giving up, my parents had to make him sit in front of his dinner for a few hours, and if he didn't eat it it would be breakfast the next day, then lunch, and so on. He eats anything now. Literally anything. And everything.
Children don't have money, they can't just go to the store and pick out what they want. Most parents work full-time and come home and are willing to give in to their children and give them something that won't be a fight to eat. Growing up my mother made one meal for the whole family and if we didn't eat it then we just didn't eat. I can see caving in from time to time but the goal should be to not even keep that sort of thing in the house. I know that is easier said than done but obesity is the number one cause of premature death in America and teaching kids bad eating habits is a big reason for that. If kids are hungry they will eat what you give them so don't even introduce junk foods until they are much older. I don't eat junk food because I didn't grow up with it. I cook every night no matter how late I get home from work because it is just a developed habit and I know how to make really fast meals. My favorite snack as a kid was raw cabbage, pickles, raw onions, and tomatoes.
The critics here seem to be taking the joke pyramid far too literally...
Wow I can't believe the comments! I do agree with having your kid eat what you prepare or nothing at all (they won't starve) but all the judgments about foods the kids would rather eat, of course kids would rather eat chicken nuggets and fishy crackers...they are kids, okay maybe your kid prefers fruit to cheese crackers consider yourself lucky. All these people saying if you don't want your kids to crave these foods don't serve them...what about trying it at a friends house, at school, holidays, birthdays. Are you going to send your child to another kids birthday with a bag of salmon and green beans and tell them not to eat the cake?! I just think it's unrealistic to believe that your child is never going to try an unhealthy food and decide they like it...maybe when they are still a baby and you are around 24/7.
The parents of these "picky eaters" probably grew up eating the same junk that they are now feeding their own kids - because their parents laughed about it back then, and gave in to toddler demands. They shook their heads together over it, like it was some martyr-mommy club, as if it were some competition as to whose kid demanded the narrowest menu. So proud! Have you seen the commercial about the kid who will only eat buttered spaghetti noodles? Yeah... give that parent an Insta-Medal!
"My kid would choose a carrot over ice cream anytime", suure that sounds real
I can believe it. My son would turn down chocolate for a pear. Nowadays, his favourite meal is a huge cheese burger with ketchup and a side salad of beetroot, spinach and lambs lettuce followed by a fresh fruit salad. Life is all about balance.
Load More Replies... Once they taste junk, it spoils their appetite for good food. Kids can hold out for what they want for an amazing amount of time. These kids would probably still be picky eaters if they'd never tasted junk, but at least they would have developed a few healthy foods they were willing to eat.
Let me condemn her as well now all the internet knows how great of a parent I am.
If mommy has time to plant a garden with her kids, it's almost a given kids will eat anything THEY grow... and they'll share it with pride.
My 6yo have selective eating disorder, started from the time he was supposed to be switching from breast milk to normal food. He have a sort of carroty soup and a cabbage based dish what he can eat, strictly finely blended and sieved through to very fine texture, if he spots any tiny piece he would refuse to eat for a day... He drinks water only and there is one kind of crisps he eats (ketchup flavour Cheetos) and 1 kind of biscuits (cheese flavour Tuc). If you try to trick him with same brand but different flavour he starts crying, spitting and even vomiting. We spent the last 5 years trying to find someone to help us but after seeing many psychologist, doctors, gastro enterologists and so on, still nothing. No one have any idea what to do.
Um seriously feed your kids healthy from the get go and don't introduce these quick and easy crappy foods they want them as they are full of fat and sugar so crave that. If they have not tasted this c**p from the get go then they would not know any better this is s**t your kids will eat healthy if you cook it and only feed it
Your kids will have bad nutrient issues such as potential bone development issues , sores that will not heal and so on if you keep feeding this c**p
wow this comment real is a joke and for sure a first world problem. I think some of you have had toooo many gluten free organic soy chicken finger nuggets and are real mad that they taste like s**t, but I don't blame you because they do. And while we're at it so do the gluten free pop tarts, ick! But you know what sometime you got to do what you got to do to get your kid to eat. Unlike some of you who do shove the gluten free soy fake news nuggets down their kids throat. I feel bad for them and hope Santa brings them the good stuff. Nutrition and the comments you make = a well balanced human. Eat a donut every now a then. A real one not a pretend donut. OH and p.s. Chance the rapper hates vegetables and still won a Grammy ;)
Giving them s**t sometimes is fine, but this is the food pyramid so it means it's constant, and that is just lazyness.
Load More Replies... 
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