A TikTok from user @toya_locs87 has sparked what might be the most relatable parenting conversation of 2025. Her sage advice? “If I haven’t learned anything else about being a parent, it’s that you better not introduce your child to something that you cannot maintain.”
The culprit in her household? Sushi. One innocent dragon roll later, and her daughter now operates under the assumption that raw fish wrapped in rice should be a dietary staple. “Baby girl thinks we’re supposed to get sushi every day,” she laments. “Ma’am, you better come eat this spaghetti. Come and eat these black people tacos. Because who’s about to keep getting sushi?” (Here’s her primer on “black people tacos” btw.)
As thousands of comments pour in, it’s becoming clear that parents everywhere are living with the consequences of their own culinary hubris.
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The economy is on fire, but your kid still wants that $16 California roll
There’s never been a worse time to accidentally cultivate expensive taste in your offspring. With the latest round of tariffs throwing household budgets into complete disarray and inflation treating our wallets like a piñata, that innocent introduction to fine dining feels like a financial paper cut soaked in lemon juice.
One mom who goes by DDM shared what might be the gold medal of expensive introductions: “Took my baby outta the country ONCE for her bday now she think we supposed to go to Dubai every year 😂 girl we going to the park.”
Imagine that conversation. “Mommy, when are we going back to Dubai?” “How does the sandbox at Franklin Park sound instead? I hear they just got new mulch.”
The hierarchy of expensive kid cravings
If there’s a pattern emerging in the comments, it’s that seafood might be the gateway drug of childhood culinary expectations.
“My son want crab legs everydayyyy,” commiserated Nikkiii, while Marissaaa added, “They got expensive taste fr! bc why she asking me every week for seafood boil.”
There appears to be a direct correlation between the messiness of a food, its price point, and how obsessed children become with it. Seafood boils tick all three boxes, making them the perfect storm of parental regret. Nothing says “I’ve made a terrible mistake” quite like watching your mortgage payment disappear into a pile of crab shells while your child demands to know when you’re doing this again.
Donnet’s confession about hibachi hits another nerve entirely: “My son wants hibachi all the time, uhm…. No sir 😬😂😂.”
I can relate. After one hibachi experience, my son spent weeks asking why I don’t cook like “the funny chef man.” Sir, I went to a liberal arts college, not Benihana University. My knife skills begin and end with cutting the plastic off a frozen pizza.
The great prime rib disappointment of Tuesday night
It’s not just where you eat but what you serve that creates these expensive expectations. TiffanyJoxo shared on X: “Mine had prime rib for Christmas now any time I say I’m making steak they assume it’s prime rib 😂 no I’m not making no $300 prime rib on a Tuesday!”
This particular parenting trap feels especially cruel. You spend hours on a holiday meal, thinking you’re creating beautiful memories, only to realize you’ve just ruined Taco Tuesday forever. The disappointment in a child’s eyes when they realize “we’re having steak tonight” means thin slices of something from the discount section rather than the crown jewel of beef cuts is both heartbreaking and infuriating.
The makeshift solutions parents devise are perhaps the most entertaining part of this whole phenomenon. “We have sushi at home,” SAA commented, before revealing that home sushi translates to “a pack of fish sticks 😂😂😂.”
Take notes for future reference. Chicken nuggets are now “American-style karaage.” Hot dogs are “cylindrical artisanal charcuterie.” Kraft Mac and Cheese? That’s “Pasta à la Americana.” The trick, as veteran parents know, is to call everything special from the beginning. Those fish sticks? Fancy Friday feast. That box mac and cheese? Special Tuesday dinner. Set the bar at ground level, and you’ll never disappoint.
Beyond food: The birthday party arms race
The trouble extends far beyond mealtime. Carla Wiking warned about the slippery slope of special occasions: “This!! Also don’t start a ‘tradition’ you aren’t prepared to maintain. Elaborate birthday parties, I’m looking at you!”
The birthday party industrial complex deserves its own TikTok deep dive. What started as a simple cake-and-presents affair has morphed into themed extravaganzas with production values that would make Broadway directors nervous. Once you’ve hired the princess performer, rented the bounce house, and handed out gift bags worth more than your first car, good luck convincing your child that next year’s celebration can involve just… friends and cake.
Frankly, keeping party expectations as low as possible is one of my greatest feats of parenting. There’s a direct line between “Oh look at these cute party ideas” and trying to explain why you can’t rent a unicorn for a seventh birthday. (Real unicorns are, in fact, unavailable. Renting a horse and a party-store horn is something these kids will not fall for, and thus, the disappointment grows deeper.)
The Target and Starbucks tax
And then there’s the casual luxury creep that comes from everyday splurges. User licia2687 hit this nail on the head: “Giiiiiiiirrrrllllll I introduced my kids to Starbucks and Target few years ago. Thank God for the boycott 🙌🏾 they learned payday schedule 🤦🏾♀️.”
There’s something uniquely painful about having to explain to a seven-year-old that you can’t get a $7 Frappuccino while simultaneously trying to rush past the dollar spot at Target without them noticing the seasonal trinkets that will be broken before reaching the parking lot.
So what’s a parent to do?
The collective wisdom seems to be: either maintain sustainable standards from the beginning or become very creative with your excuses.
Some parents suggest creating home versions of fancy experiences. DIY sushi nights with cucumber rolls and grocery store salmon can scratch the itch without destroying your budget. “Fancy” dinners at home where everyone dresses up can make even chicken nuggets feel special. (Though I cannot guarantee success here. My kids would have revolted at the mere suggestion. I’ve never even been able to get them to dress up for chorus concerts.)
Other parents recommend honesty: explaining budgets and saving special experiences for truly special occasions. This approach gets mixed reviews. Some kids understand; others respond with the kind of logic that only makes sense when you’re six: “But you have a credit card, mommy.”
In the meantime, parents everywhere are nodding along with @toya_locs87, calculating the cost of expectations we’ve accidentally inflated, and perhaps vowing to stick to PB&J for first foods going forward.
Because in this economy? Those black people tacos aren’t just budget-friendly—they’re a financial survival strategy. And honestly, they probably taste better than overpriced, underseasoned restaurant food anyway.
The next time you’re tempted to introduce your child to life’s finer offerings, remember: today’s treat is tomorrow’s expectation. Choose wisely, parents. Your future bank account is watching.
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