‘I feel bad but why should my daughter miss out?’ woman says as another mum asks her to stop sending fruit for lunch
AN AUSSIE mum has been left baffled by a bizarre request from another parent who had allegedly asked her to not to pack berries in her kid’s school lunchbox.
Sydney-based mum-of-four Steph took to TikTok after she received a message from the mother of her girl’s pal asking her not to give her daughter, eight, the nutritious snack because her own child wanted them too.
According to Steph, the woman explained that although she didn’t want to make her child upset, she couldn’t financially afford to give her fresh berries for lunch.
”Really conflicted” by the situation, the mum-of-four took to the platform where she sought advice from fellow social media users.
”A part of me feels bad …they play together and she can’t afford the strawberries and the blueberries, like I get it,” she told the viewers in the video.
”But then why should my daughter miss out?”
Steph – who noted that sharing wasn’t ”an option” at the school – asked followers for advice on how to handle the bizarre matter.
”I don’t want conflict, but, I don’t know,” she continued, looking for a reasonable solution.
The clip has since taken the internet by storm, racking up more than a staggering 163k views – and leaving viewers totally divided.
While some offer Steph advice on what to do, others were less empathetic and insisted the other woman was out of line with her lunchbox request.
”Send extra and tell your kid it’s for them and their friend,” one suggested.
Another agreed, saying they ”would send extra blueberries and strawberries”.
Steph, however, explained in a comment that kids ”can’t share” food at school due to strict rules in place, and added that her daughter ”always offers and then gets in trouble”.
Some, meanwhile, suggested Steph went out of her way to buy the fresh produce – or seeded soil – for the other parent.
”You buy the berries and take them over to her house so her mum can pack them into her girl’s lunch box,” one advised.
To which Steph sarcastically replied: ”Yes, cause I’m going to drive over to her house (15mins each way) drop her off shopping every week so her daughter can have the same as mine, despite me having my own four children to look after.”
After her video blew up, the Aussie mum said that the issue ”shouldn’t even be something” she should be worrying about during a cost-of-living crisis across the world.
‘Initially I felt uncomfortable like I was doing something wrong, like I was the minority of mum sending these types of fruit … but then quickly realised I was just doing what my daughter liked for her fruit break,” she later told Yahoo.
”I won’t be changing what I pack (for my daughter).”
Easy lunch box ideas that aren't sarnies
Here are some kid-friendly, easy lunch box ideas that aren’t sandwiches:
Pizza Roll-Ups
Ingredients: Tortilla wraps, marinara sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese, pepperoni slices.
Instructions: Spread marinara sauce on the tortilla, sprinkle cheese and add pepperoni. Roll up and slice into pinwheels.
Pasta Salad
Ingredients: Cooked pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, mini mozzarella balls, Italian dressing.
Instructions: Mix all ingredients together and toss with dressing.
Veggie and Hummus Wraps
Ingredients: Tortilla wraps, hummus, shredded carrots, cucumber slices, bell pepper strips.
Instructions: Spread hummus on the tortilla and add veggies. Roll up and slice into pinwheels.
Turkey and Cheese Roll-Ups
Ingredients: Sliced turkey, cheese sticks, whole grain crackers.
Instructions: Roll turkey slices around cheese sticks and pack with a side of crackers.
DIY Lunchables
Ingredients: Whole grain crackers, sliced cheese, turkey or ham slices, apple slices.
Instructions: Pack all ingredients separately so kids can assemble their own mini sandwiches.
Mini Pancakes and Fruit
Ingredients: Mini pancakes, mixed berries, syrup (optional).
Instructions: Pack mini pancakes with a side of berries and a small container of syrup for dipping.
Cucumber Sushi Rolls
Ingredients: Cucumber, cream cheese, sliced turkey or ham.
Instructions: Slice cucumber lengthwise, spread with cream cheese, and roll up with turkey or ham. Slice into bite-sized pieces.
Fruit Kababs
Ingredients: Various fruits (grapes, strawberries, pineapple, melon), cheese cubes.
Instructions: Thread fruit and cheese cubes onto skewers.
Cheese and Veggie Muffins
Ingredients: Shredded zucchini, shredded carrot, shredded cheese, eggs, flour.
Instructions: Mix all ingredients together, pour into a muffin tin, and bake until set.
”Like always, it’s her choice for fruit break and I’ll continue to pack what she likes.”
There were plenty of those who agreed with Steph and backed her stance, with one telling it wasn’t her ”problem” and she had ”every right” to pack the healthy snack for her little girl.
Meanwhile, a cash-strapped parent who was in a similar situation to the other mum and couldn’t afford the same groceries offered some advice she swears by.
”Sometimes my son asks for them and I can’t afford them and I just tell him ‘not this time mate, they are too expensive’,” she said.