35+ Hilarious Tweets From Desperate Parents at Meal Time

Cereal is a staple in any household. It’s convenient, it’s delicious, and there are so many types that you can always have something new and exciting. However, some varieties are significantly healthier than others.

While marshmallow cereals are delicious, this kid is missing out on a whole world of tasty, unhealthy cereals! What about Cocoa Puffs, Frosted Flakes, and Fruity Pebbles? There’s a whole world out there, kid!

As humans, we’re very sensitive to smells, especially things that we think smell bad. This is evolutionary, as bad smells often help us avoid things that are dangerous or could make us sick. However, sometimes people just don’t like the way something smells.

Her sons’ reactions to her cooking make us question whether they just grew up in a funny, sarcastic household where it’s normal to joke that way — or if the mom is actually a bad cook in denial. Being a parent doesn’t make your food good!

There are a lot of eating habits that spark debate. Do you keep bread crusts or cut them off? Do you eat the pizza crust or not? Do you cut the sandwich in squares or in triangles?

We can’t blame this kid for never eating the crust. It’s the worst part of the bread, even if it’s supposedly the most nutritious. And dad shouldn’t be complaining, as he gets a lunch he doesn’t have to prepare!

Speaking of food debates, the world may never know which is superior — the waffle or the pancake. They’re both traditional American breakfast foods that can be savory or sweet, meaning they make a very versatile dish.

While both good, waffles and pancakes are not the same! Waffles are crispy and have perfect little pits for syrup and other toppings. Pancakes are soft and fluffy. So, it’s completely understandable if someone doesn’t like both.

Lunchtime as a school-aged child is the most exciting time of day apart from recess. It means a break from boring schoolwork, chatting to your friends, and discovering what’s for lunch that day. If you bring a packed lunch to school, it’s even more exciting.

Unfortunately, a homemade lunch doesn’t mean it’s something the kid will end up eating. Whether they’re picky eaters, lack the appetite, or just don’t want it, a lot of poor lunchbox food goes to waste each day.

Some kids really love dessert, to the point that it borders on obsession. They will try absolutely anything to convince their parents to give them chocolate, ice cream, or cupcakes — you name it, they probably want it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

While the use of the word terrorist may be a bit far-fetched here, we have to side with dad. There’s no way any parent wants to encourage their child to engage in harmful behavior all for a bit of dessert.

We’ve all been there — just trying to enjoy a nice meal out at a lovely restaurant when suddenly, there’s a child screaming, knocking over their drink, or running around and almost tripping over the servers.

This parent is so right. Children have incredibly short attention spans, and sitting at a restaurant for what feels like an eternity to them is boring. Naturally, they start looking into making a little mischief, and the poor parents have to try and stop it before it starts.

Stains are frustrating. Stains in clothing can be really difficult to get out, depending on what caused the stain. Stains in furniture can be almost impossible. So grubby little hands around furniture are terrifying.

Since children seem to love to wipe their hands on the sofa instead of their napkins, why not create some sofa-shaped napkins? This is brilliant problem-solving on this dad’s part. Pass over that GoFundMe link and we’ll contribute!

Refrigerators are energy suckers, so there’s nothing worse than a family member who loves to stand in the open fridge door staring at the contents inside, which are almost always disappointing. But sometimes, the culprit is too adorable to reprimand.

To be fair, chocolate milk does smell delicious. Adults would probably do the same thing if they were still “allowed” to drink chocolate milk and weren’t worried about it going bad from being out of the fridge too long.

There are few things more exciting than getting a Happy Meal from McDonald’s as a kid. Between the fries, the dipping sauces, the toy, and the simple pleasure of opening up the box, it’s hard to choose which is the best part.

Imagine the disappointment when you’re expecting some delicious, highly processed chicken nuggets and discover a wimpy little burger in their place. The two are in no way comparable, and the toddler definitely had a right to be upset.

Juice boxes are the best. They’re so much more exciting than boring old water. Sure, they’ve got a ridiculously high sugar content, but we can all keep on pretending they’re healthy because they’re fruit-flavored.

Capri Sun is a huge name in the juice box game, so much so that there are now adult versions of the classic juice pouch. But, they are notorious for the difficulty of getting the straw in on the first try, so this mom’s comparison is a good one.

If you’ve never tried a Rice Krispies treat, you’re missing out. They’re made with Kellog’s Rice Krispies cereal and marshmallows, making them stick together in the most delicious way.

We have to admit — we would be just as excited to find a Rice Krispies treat, even if it were on the floor. Who’s to say that it wasn’t still in the wrapper? That kid hit the jackpot, and we all know it.

A lot of people don’t bother to make grocery lists. They just show up to the store, ready to browse the aisle and grab 50 things that they don’t really need to fill up their fridge and pantry.

Parents shopping with children usually do have a list, as they need to get in and out as quickly as possible precisely for these reasons. Kids and grocery stores do not mix well… unless you’re willing to bribe them.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It gets the metabolism going and gives us the energy we need to start the day off on a good foot. And while we should eat something healthy for this meal, that isn’t always the case.

In every culture, different foods are meant to be eaten at certain times of the day, so perhaps there’s a place in which eating Flaming Hot Doritos for breakfast is normal. Unlikely, but this mom can hang onto that hope.

Many people don’t seem to understand that not everyone is hungry at the same time. Some people only need to eat two or three times, whereas others snack periodically throughout the day. This especially rings true for children.

Was he not hungry, or was it simply that he didn’t want what mom made? The answer is most likely the latter. We hate to break it to you, kid — but you can’t live off of fruit snacks and mini donuts forever.

While fruit is fantastic and essential to health, it isn’t exactly a meal. A meal needs several components, and it needs to be large enough to be filling and nutritious. Someone try telling that to this kid, though.

Leaves are an interesting choice. Perhaps the kid is thinking of lettuce and spinach, and is one of the rare children who actually enjoy eating leafy greens. Mom should definitely take advantage while she can.

There’s nothing more annoying than people who need to use the bathroom all the time. If it’s because they’re well-hydrated, then that’s great for them, but it’s annoying for those who are out and about with them.

Children are huge culprits of excessive bathroom trips, thanks to their tiny bladders and poor self-control. They seem great at timing bathroom trips for the worst possible moment, too, like right when the food has arrived. Hope their parents enjoy cold food!

Kids love to complain. It’s a fact of life. Maybe it has to do with them being at a developmental stage of learning to be independent and pushing boundaries, or maybe it’s just them being annoying, but dinner time is a big trigger.

Statistics say that 98% of what parents cook is inherently disgusting and toxic and an attempt to traumatize their child. At least, that’s what statistics would say if it were up to kids. Will they ever be happy?

Did you know that many powdered cheeses may not even contain any real cheese at all? They’re typically used as toppings on things like popcorn but are also a staple of boxed mac and cheese.

While real cheese is obviously superior, when a child is used to a specific taste, it can be hard for them to cope with something different. Plus boxed mac and cheese is just really good. We feel your pain, kid.

Donuts come in so many varieties that it’s hard to keep track. Jelly-filled, glazed, chocolate-covered, and donut holes are just a few of the options. Jelly-filled donuts are moist and tasty, but messy.

A child plus a jelly-filled donut is a recipe for disaster. Frankly, it was almost irresponsible for this parent to even allow a jelly-filled donut near a child without thinking of the consequences. Time to break out the cleaning products!

Getting children to eat all of their dinner can be difficult. Whether they aren’t hungry or they’re complaining about the contents, especially if there are vegetables present, parents can end up really frustrated. This is worse when they twist what you say.

Well, she did say eat the whole thing, which is what her kid did! They just didn’t do it in the way she expected. Mom needs to be more specific next time if she expects better results.

Babies can be boiled down to three things — eat, sleep, poop, and repeat. Sure, they start learning to walk and speak, but their desires almost always come back to those three basic needs. This goes for both animal babies and human babies, minus the talking for animals.

The words that adults pretend their babies are saying are probably much more interesting than anything they’re actually trying to say. So, let’s all agree to just carry on with our pretend conversations with them.

The plus side of fast-food and restaurants is that they can be a fun, special treat and give parents a break from cooking all of the time. The downside is that kids often come to expect chicken nuggets and fries for every meal.

Mom’s food is probably delicious, but because it’s not brown and processed and in a square shape, her kids don’t want it. Hopefully, she doesn’t take it personally, as we can guarantee that every parent has been there.

Sometimes, we have a day that’s so bad, we just want to collapse onto the sofa and not think about anything. Others cope by opening up a bottle of something and flipping on their favorite show. For those with kids, these days can be particularly awful.

You’re not a bad parent for needing a break, Juicebox Hero. Everyone has bad days and needs a break and a glass of something strong. As long as you’re caring for your kid the best you can, they will be okay.

Have you heard of active listening? It’s the practice of making a conscious effort to listen to and respond to what someone is saying to you. Many adults are horrible at this, and if they can’t figure it out, then of course the children can’t either.

The kids probably saw their mom making sandwiches and completely ignored what her question actually was. The good news is that at least they were polite and more than willing to eat a sandwich.

There’s no denying that children are messy. They drop crumbs everywhere, they get stains on their clothes, and they leave a disaster trail in their wake no matter where they go. So naturally, this chaos extends to car trips.

Kids are hungry often and need snacks, making Goldfish and Cheerios an easy option that’s at least safer than something containing liquid or jelly. Yet they still manage to get crumbs everywhere. At least the mess is easily remedied with a vacuum — that is, if the parents can find the time.

Tantrums are frustrating, especially when they’re for what adults deem silly reasons. And many tantrums in households stem from meal times, particularly dinner. As a parent simply trying to feed your child, it can be tough.

Perhaps children hate meal times because they know they usually come with foods they don’t want, like vegetables. Snack time, on the other hand, is often fun things like fruit snacks or Goldfish. Which one would you prefer?

Children are not good at pouring things. It stems from a combination of their developing bodies and motor skills, and often simply not paying attention to what they’re doing and slowing down enough to do it properly.

As a parent, every time you watch your child pour something is a heartstopping moment of that gallon of milk potentially being wasted on the floor. It’s a struggle between wanting them to learn how to pour and not wanting to go back to the store.

Plastic water bottles and Coca-Cola bottles have got to be one of the top plastic polluters on the planet. Some people won’t drink water unless it’s from a plastic bottle, but they don’t realize how much plastic they’re throwing away every day.

Sure — he could probably survive, but those water bottles will be nasty from sitting in a hot car, and those Goldfish will be super stale! After three years of stale Goldfish, he’d probably never want to see another one ever again.

Some people are naturally early birds, and others are night owls. Neither is better than the other, but they do tend to lead to very different lifestyles. An exhausted parent most probably falls into the night owl category, but children are almost always early risers.

What a brilliant idea. Kids already love eating food off of the floor, so why not throw out some Cheerios and squeeze in a little more sleep while your kid enjoys the challenge of finding all of the cereal pieces? Just make sure you keep those floors extra clean.

Moms are superheroes. Whether it’s by choice or due to the fact society expects moms to be the main caregivers, they often take on a significant majority of day-to-day parenting duties, including snack and meal times.

It sounds like this kid just knew mom would make the better snack, as she’s probably the one who always does it. Mom makes ants on a log or perfect apple slices, while dad probably throws string cheese at them and tells them to have at it.

One of the best parts of eating waffles and pancakes is the maple syrup. It’s particularly exciting with waffles, because thanks to the shape of the waffles, they contain perfect little square pits for the syrup to pool in.

As great as the syrup pools are, who needs waffles when you could just drink maple syrup straight out of a glass? This kid has got it all figured out, but unfortunately, mom probably told them heck no. How disappointing.

As we get older, our taste buds change, becoming less sensitive and less capable of perceiving different flavors. Maybe this is why children are so picky. After all, they have a plethora of super-sensitive, well-functioning taste buds.

Why do kids do this? While tastes do change, it definitely doesn’t happen overnight. The real question here, though, is if this child is severely lacking in certain vitamins thanks to a diet of pure cheese for a year.

One talent that chefs have is a knack for combining flavors perfectly, be it the spices or the foods themselves. Often they put together ingredients that make us scratch our heads but ultimately complement each other extremely well.

We’re not so sure that cold pizza and candy corn are one of those genius combinations. To a three-year-old, it’s two tasty foods in one, which is a win in and of itself. But, just because they’re great individually doesn’t mean they work together.

Cheese and ketchup are the pinnacles of an adolescent diet, with fruit snacks earning an honorary mention. No one knows what it is about that red, sugary liquid goodness that people love so much, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a child who doesn’t love it.

These statistics should be the other way around, as kids will find a way to dip just about anything in ketchup. Melted cheese isn’t quite as versatile, but it’s a good way to make food more kid-friendly as well.

As a parent, moments of quiet and alone time are few and far between. Most can’t even go to the bathroom without a child or pet following them in or interrupting them mid-shower or during a number two.

What started as a sweet, appreciative, intimate moment was then marred by a needy kid. Hopefully, the parents had a good laugh, and the child got the help they needed. And let’s just assume, it was simply that they were too young to clean themselves well on their own.

If children are anything, it’s enthusiastic. They see the world through young, fresh lenses… unjaded by life-like adults. In addition to being enthusiastic, they’re also extremely persistent, wearing their parents down day by day until they give in.

This kid’s mistake is asking for candy for breakfast instead of for dinner. At breakfast time, mom is fresh, ready to tackle a new day. At dinner time, however, she’ll be worn out from the day and more pliable. It’s all about timing, kid!

As an American, sweet potato casserole is a staple of most Thanksgiving dinners. It’s a dessert, and there are many methods to make it, but a common one is including toasted marshmallows on top.

If there’s one thing full of sugar and bound to be adored by children, it’s marshmallows, and they do go very well with sweet potatoes. Perhaps more foods could be complemented by the sweet gooey candy clouds, so the kid may be onto something here.

One can’t use the internet these days without having come across some food debate or another. In this case, the debate is whether cutting your sandwich into squares or triangles is better. It may seem subjective, but it isn’t.

Triangle sandwiches are obviously superior. Triangles are more exciting than squares. This four-year-old’s reaction to their square sandwich was completely reasonable. Mom definitely won’t be making that mistake again.

The worst part of sharing a house with children is that any time there’s a pantry full of snack foods, they’ll disappear so quickly that the parents start to question whether they actually went grocery shopping the day before.

Thanks to this, many parents have secret snack stashes, and they hide while eating them for fear of being forced to share with the same children who wiped out all of the other snacks. Parents deserve snacks, too.

Oreos are a well-beloved cookie. There’s just something about spinning the cookie apart to lick away the filling, or dipping it in milk until it gets just the tiniest bit soggy, that can’t be beaten by inferior cookies.

Mom should have known that the husband, four-year-old, and seven-year-old would band together and vow silence on the matter. Mom’s disappointment likely isn’t even the stain, but the fact that Oreo filling was wasted on the couch.

Imagine being a parent who desperately wants to make sure your kids are well-fed and eat a good balance of nutritious fruits and vegetables. So, whenever your child requests a piece of fruit as a snack, you’re over the moon.

And then the worst happens — your child decides on a whim they no longer like that fruit. Now, you’re stuck eating a banana you didn’t want so that it doesn’t end up in the trash can, even though it’s perfectly good.

Attention spans and focus are interesting things. The longer you spend on this Earth, the more you realize that they’re strongly influenced by a person’s interest in the task at hand, especially when it comes to children.

Kids can focus for extraordinary periods of time when it comes to picking ingredients that they decide they don’t like out of their food. Her daughter probably also spends precious minutes picking things off of her pizza.

Proper etiquette when eating meals is a learned behavior, so for obvious reasons, most children are severely lacking when it comes to table manners. To be fair, many adults are as well, but that’s another conversation.

Spaghetti is a weird food, as everyone eats it differently. There are the fork twirlers, the slurpers, and the people who cut it up into smaller pieces to make it more manageable. The imagery of a kid eating spaghetti like a horse eats hay is hilarious and very accurate.

Children often show very little interest in the food on their own plates. No one understands exactly why this happens, but they’re always much more interested in the cookie their sibling has, or the sandwich on their parent’s plate.

As long as parents are willing to delay their own meal time, putting their child’s food on their own plate is a genius way of getting them to eat everything. Otherwise, their bacon and French fries will constantly be snatched by their kids.