We all know how hard it can be finding food your toddler will enjoy when going out to eat. And we also know how absurd the prices can be for food that toddlers likely won't finish. Well, one mama has a hack for getting her kid to eat out at restaurants, but it has stirred quite the controversy on the internet.
Karlie Smith, 21, shared her hack via a TikTok video. “Call me cheap, call me whatever, but if we’re going out to a restaurant, I’m packing my kid a meal," she starts off.
"I do this for many reasons," she continues. "On Friday nights, my family and I get together, and tonight we're getting food out. Um, my son is not getting food out."
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Karlie goes on to explain her reasoning: "One, you want me to pay $6.99 for chicken tenders and fries that my son is going to throw half of it on the floor? You're crazy!"
"Also, whatever I pack is probably gonna be healthier than what the restaurant has anyways." She then shows the dinner that she packed, which consists of a PB&J sandwich, bananas, cheese cubes, and a chocolate Lara bar.
Karlie continues on to further justify her hack. "Also when we get to a restaurant, my child is not waiting on anyone to take his order. He wants to eat now," she says. "I can just hand him this and let him go to town."
"Also, my child is not opinionated. He does not care what he eats; he just wants to eat." She concludes by saying that after he eats his food, he usually eats off her plate anyways, so she doesn't see the need to spend money on a meal for him.
Many people in the comments felt otherwise, though.
"In my house everyone eats out or no one eats out! My parents had the same rules," one person said.
"So why don’t you bring your own food from home and eat it at the restaurant too? ," someone else commented.
But despite the backlash, many users agreed with Karlie's hack.
"I thought everyone did this!! literally common sense to bring toddlers snacks while eating out!!? it’s like a parent hack. ," a commenter said.
And many clapped back against the negativity Karlie received: "Also ignore the hate momma! I support this! So smart! Imma be doing this save this single momma money and a dinner less stressful!!"
