Mom Creates Updated Food Pyramid That Shows What Her Kids Actually Want To Eat

As a parent, you know that you can never predict what mood your kid will be in when it comes time to eat. Sometimes you can spend an hour preparing a delicious hearty meal for your kids only for them to not eat a single bite and ask for some chicken nuggets instead. It may sound frustrating but hey – that’s just how kids are and most of the time you have no other option but to deal with it.

Kendra Broekhuis, a mother of three from Milwaukee, recently shared an “updated” food pyramid consisting of foods her kids actually eat and it quickly went viral, being shared over 66k times on Facebook. And even though it was intended as a light-hearted joke, some people took it way too seriously.

More info: Facebook | kendrabroekhuis.com

Kendra Broekhuis, a mother of three, recently shared an “updated” food pyramid consisting of things her kids actually eat

Image credits: kendrabroekhuisauthor

In an interview with Bored Panda, Kendra said she started blogging back in 2011 as a hobby when she and her husband moved to Guatemala for three years. The woman added that over time, writing came to mean much more than keeping in touch and became a way to process whatever was happening in their lives, including their move overseas and back, her first passage into motherhood and the sad loss of their second baby.

Kendra joked that on the scale of ‘My Kids Eat Grilled Salmon and Blueberries’ to ‘My Kids Legit Need Feeding Therapy,’ her kids are somewhere in the middle.

Image credits: kendrabroekhuisauthor

“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,” said Kendra. “I am not a Betty Crocker level chef, so even though I try to mix up our meal plan, I know our kids would also be happy if we just rotated between chicken tenders, pasta, pizza, and tacos.”

“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!” said the mother when asked how hard it is to convince kids to eat healthy food. She said she remembers when one time her husband and she told the kids they’d have to eat two carrots with no ranch dressing 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,” joked Kendra.

Image credits: kendrabroekhuisauthor

Sometimes Kendra offers her kids some fruits and vegetables to before dinner is served to solve their pre-dinner hunger. “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,” said the mother. “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.”

“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,” advised Kendra.