Kids can be picky eaters. We all know the ones who eat nothing but mac and cheese, chicken nuggets, or a diet exclusively of beige food. They might eat fruit, but don't even think about giving them anything like broccoli or green beans. Honestly, it can be exhausting.
Now, close your eyes and imagine a world where everyone at the table eats the same thing. And we don't mean a nice slice of cheese pizza. We're talking real food, like steak and mushrooms or, gasp, seafood. Scottish mom Erin Archibald, 31, shared a video on TikTok of her 2-year-old daughter, Hallie, chowing down on some mussels, and color us impressed.
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Hallie eats what her parents eat.
A lot of us dream of this scenario, but in the Archibald house, it actually works. Erin told the Mirror she began feeding Hallie the same meals she and her husband Charlie, 33, ate when she was 6 months old. She added that her family practiced baby-led weaning, which skips pureed baby foods and goes straight to finger foods. The reasoning was two-fold. The pharmacist mom hoped to prevent Hallie from being picky and to help avoid food allergies by introducing foods that are common allergens early.
"We just offer her our stuff. If you offer her something new with olives and gherkins, she usually tries it," Erin told the outlet. "She has unusual taste buds. We're urging her to try unusual things."
Fish is a staple for young Hallie.
Erin said they gave Hallie shellfish for the first time at 18 months, and she loved it. Her mom said Hallie is a big fan of white fish and smoked salmon, but she's a shrimp girl. "Prawn is her absolute favourite. She'd scoff a whole packet if we let her," she told the Mirror.
She wasn't so sure about the mussels at first.
The foodie-in-training gave the new shellfish a look at first, but Erin explained that once she got the hang of it, she loved it. Not only is she introducing new foods, her mom is also helping Hallie learn how to eat and handle different things.
"We plonked the mussels down in front of her and she scoffed the lot. I was teaching her how to use the shell and pick the mussel out. Fish is one of her staples," Erin told Mirror. After she figured out how to eat them, Hallie slurped those mussels like a pro.
We want Hallie to come over and teach our kids a thing or two.
Erin's TikTok account is full of videos of Hallie eating everything from seafood to raw mushrooms. There are few things she doesn't like, and it is pretty amazing to watch. Not only does she try just about everything, Hallie also knows the names of some of these foods, which are sometimes tricky.
Erin told the Mirror she lets Hallie cook with her to help get her excited to try new things. "I want to try lobster next," the mom said.
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TikTokers are obsessed with Hallie.
The original mussel video went viral and racked up 1.2 million views. People simply can't believe Hallie is such an adventurous young eater, and plenty of parents wish their children would try just one or two new things.
"She's loving that," an amazed mom wrote. "This is so refreshing to watch. Brilliant parenting. I've never had mussels. I'm a wuss."
"Kids are so fascinating my 13yo hates sharp cheddar cheese but will down a dozen raw clams ," a parent commented.
"And I can't even get my 3 year old to eat a chicken nugget at the moment how amazing- she's eats so well," a mom lamented.
Hats off to you, Erin, for raising your girl to be adventurous. Maybe one day she'll become a famous chef with people clamoring to get into her restaurant. Let us know, and we'll make a reservation.
