Cardi B

Cardi B Got Mom-Shamed for Sharing What She Packs Her Daughter for Lunch

A pediatric registered dietician says Cardi is right and the critics are wrong

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Cardi B was lunch-box shamed after she shared photos of what her 4-year-old daughter, Kulture, eats at school.

The rapper, 30, recently posted three days worth of meals on Twitter. In one of the three pictures, fans see a compartment food container filled with macaroni and cheese, a handful of chicken nuggets and steamed broccoli. Cardi also packed a variety of snacks for her little girl, including fresh berries, veggie straws, Cap’n Crunch’s Crunch Berries cereal, and a Froot Loops-flavored drink by Carnation Breakfast Essentials.

Another photo shows pasta, corn on the cob, sugar-free Jell-O, fresh fruit, Froot Loops cereal, cheese sticks, crackers, Yoo-hoo, a GoGo squeeZ pouch, and a Kool-Aid Jammers drink. 

“Kulture school lunch be everything,” Cardi captioned her post. But not everyone was impressed. 

“That’s so much,” one person wrote.

Added another, “Kid may end up with weight issues sadly. Keep her moving and on her feet best ya’ll can cause if she eats like that and sits around she’s gonna be obese.”

And, as anyone who has shared their parenting online will not be shocked to learn, the criticism just kept coming.

According to Arielle "Dani" Lebovitzpediatric registered dietician in Nashville, Tennessee, Cardi is crushing the lunchbox game.

“She’s including a fruit and a vegetable every single day,” Lebovitz tells TODAY.com. Lebovitz also “loves” the Cap’n Crunch. Just hear her out.

“Yes, it has a lot of sugar — but breakfast cereals for children are fortified, which means that they are filled with vitamins and minerals," Lebovitz explains. "Your child feels like they are getting something sweet and delicious, but there's a lot of nutrition packed in there."

Lebovitz also notes that the sugar cereal is Kulture’s “dessert of the day.” 

The Froot Loop drink is another win as far as Lebovitz is concerned. 

“It will likely be high in sugar, but it also has 10 grams of protein, 21 vitamins and minerals and it’s high in calcium and vitamin D,” Lebovitz says. Lebovitz adds that she is a “big fan” of fortified beverages for kids because many have a hard time managing their time during meals. 

“They’re sitting and talking and distracted,” she says. “A fortified drink is a good way to get some nutrition in a quick amount of time.” 

If Lebovitz were to eliminate two items from Kulture’s lunch, it would be the Kool-Aid drink — “it’s not going to give her the most for her sip” — and the sugar-free Jell-O.

“If you’re gonna give your kiddo Jell-O, just get them the regular kind,” Lebovitz says. “I personally don’t love artificial sweeteners.” 

As far as Kulture’s portion sizes, Lebovitz acknowledges that they are on the larger side.

“But the people commenting have no idea how much this child eats in a day. Maybe she doesn’t have an appetite when she wakes up. Maybe lunchtime is her biggest meal of the day, and that’s when she eats her best,” Lebovitz says. “No one should be judging a mother for what or how much she is packing.”

This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:

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