Lauren Young, who lives in the U.K. and uses the handle @lozzij on TikTok, posted a clip of her 9-month-old daughter, Lilah, sitting in a high chair and trying a Happy Meal.
The video has been watched more than 250,000 times since it was posted on October 12—sparking a renewed debate over how old children should be when they are allowed to try fast food.
In the clip, Lilah looks excited as her mom places the colorful Happy Meal box in front of her.
She tries the fries first, placing a couple in her mouth and seeming to enjoy them.
Next she moves on to the chicken nuggets, making a valiant attempt to chew them even though she has only recently switched to solid foods.
The apple slices come next and appear to be more to the baby’s taste.
The video ends with Lilah getting to grips with a disposable cup of Coca-Cola.
In the caption, her mom stresses that this part of the video is “a joke” and her infant daughter did not actually drink the soda.
Young added that Lilah “didn’t approve” of the meal and “threw most of it on the floor.” The clip can also be viewed here.
Some experts believe children as young as Lilah should not be given fast food.
Medic and health author Dr Carol Cooper advises parents “to keep them off fast food for as long as possible.” She told The Sun in 2020: “Raising a child without fast food is less easy but far from impossible.”
Dr Cooper added: “On the whole, fast food is not the best option for babies and young children as it is very high in salt. Regular Happy Meals is also repetitive and a missed opportunity to let children try healthier dishes they might enjoy just as much.”
However, most parents who left comments on Young’s video supported her choice and even offered recommendations for future visits.
“My toddler loves the veggie dippers from there,” Em&Ivy wrote. “When ordering the kids meals you can request fresh chips without salt,” Tonilouise_Ox added.
Another user, chazzab2, said they had taken their 7-month-old to a Chinese all-you-can eat buffet, claiming that the child “loved it.”
Other TikTokers suggested that Lilah might not have enjoyed the meal because she is more used to her mom’s “amazing homemade food.”
Many of Young’s most popular TikTok videos focus on the dishes she serves to Lilah, including chicken fajitas, curry, pasta and steak. The clips are posted with the hashtag #babyledweaning.
Newsweek has contacted Young for comment.
According to the Canadian website About Kids Health, serving babies a variety of new foods with contrasting textures is crucial from the ages of 6 months to 1 year.
“Your baby will become better able to eat new foods, try new textures and feed themselves,” the site explains. “Transitioning from one texture to the next is important to teach your baby about chewing.”
Lilah is the latest in a long line of cute babies to end up as something of a star on TikTok.
A young boy went viral in recent days after a video of him dancing to his dad’s piano playing racked up millions of hits online.
Another clip that has captivated audiences on social media in October centered on a baby enjoying a nap alongside an equally adorable puppy.