Kids are expensive, and one of the most infuriating parts of raising children for many parents is the amount of waste involved. Sometimes, it feels like no matter what we feed them, our kids end up wasting a ton of food, and we all know how expensive groceries are right now, so watching our hard-earned dollars end up in the trash feels like a gut punch. So, we're always interested in other parents' tricks for getting their kids to eat.
Josh Mileham, 37, is a father of four who can't stand to see his kids waste food. So he's come up with some hacks for dining out that he posted on his family's TikTok page, @glazedepoxy. We come from the 12-and-under-eat-free generation, so we can't say that Mileham's antics are that surprising, but he's caused quite an uproar on social media.
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His kids waste food like everyone else's kids do.
Mileham posted a viral video in early May of a fajita hack that's racked up 2.5 million views. Instead of ordering a bunch of kids' meals that no one will eat, he uses tortillas and some cheese from his fajita plate and cooks his son a quesadilla under the hot cast iron pan. Is Mileham a genius or a total cheapskate?
TikTokers had mixed feelings.
Some people praised the frugal father.
One wrote, "Omg, this man is a freaking genius!!!"
And this is a familiar scene for some.
"I grew up extremely poor and this brings me so much joy that you found a way and your children look so happy to enjoy it ❤️," another person commented.
And one woman thought it was a great tip: "Very smart! My granddaughter has 3 kids and married someone with 2 kids. Great thinking!"
But not everyone was into it.
Some felt like this was a terrible idea.
"My kids eat like grown men," one person shared. "There is no way that would fill my kids up. If I can't afford to feed the kids, I have I stay at home."
And this person felt the parents should split and let the kids eat. "What about you eat less and kids can have a full meal," they suggested.
"This is child abuse honestly," someone else asserted. "You’re barely giving these kids enough food to qualify as a snack."
And there were a lot of concerns about the dirty conditions.
People were concerned that his "cooking" was dangerous.
"Oh noooo!" someone exclaimed. "Those boards are so so dirty! They might get sorta wiped down a couple times a week."
Another agreed commenting: "Oh dear lord. DO NOT DO THIS. THOSE WOOD THINGS ARE BACTERIA BREEDING GROUNDS."
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Mileham has no plans to stop his frugal ways.
He posted a second video, this time at a Texas Roadhouse restaurant, where he made sliders out of the free rolls on the table, mini pulled pork sandwiches for the whole table, and shared the fries. The whole crew ate for less than $20.
Mileham told Today he doesn't care what people think, he just wants to help other families.
"I [couldn't] care less about the haters," he said. "There are families that don't go out to eat often because they think they can't afford it. I'm here to help those people. I want them to know it's possible to have a decent meal out for $20."
