Before the Sun Rises
In Johannesburg, long before most people touch their first coffee, one mum is already up and in the kitchen. She shares a video in which she wakes at 5 am, still dark outside, determined to prepare not just any lunchbox, but a gourmet, restaurant-style meal for her daughter.
She begins with a Woolworths sirloin steak, seasoned and pan-fried with rosemary and butter. Then she turns to the sides: stir-fried vegetables, half a corn on the cob, fresh fruit, and mashed potatoes, but mashed in a clever way. She rolls them into balls, dips them in egg wash, coats them with crushed cornflakes, and fries them to a golden crisp. Everything, from meat to mash, is portioned and placed neatly in the lunchbag with a sweet note, juice, water, and yoghurt.
The Internet Woke Up Too
The clip, originally posted by @ofentse_mphuti, found its way around the web. Viewers reacted with delight, envy, humour, and admiration. Someone joked, “I want to be that child’s best friend just for that lunch.” Others called it soothing to watch or simply gorgeous. Many confessed it made them hungry.
The video has triggered a wave of “How does she do it?” and “I need to wake up earlier” remarks. But beyond the laughs and double taps, people praised the intention: feeding a child with love, effort, and care.
Beyond the Spectacle
It’s tempting to treat this as a showpiece, but look closer, and there are rewards hidden in its folds. This isn’t just about a fancy lunch. It’s about values, resourcefulness, and intention.
In South Africa, where many children depend on school meals for basic sustenance, this is a reminder: food is deeply personal. A mother waking at 5 am to cook with her own hands signals more than perfectionism; it signals agency, love, and the refusal to compromise quality for convenience.
Also, it spotlights how social media is changing everyday life. In earlier eras, this kind of effort would be seen only within families or neighbourhoods. Now, it’s globally visible. With a short video, she has opened a window for others into her routine, her priorities, and her love.
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The Quiet Pressure
Of course, such viral attention also brings questions. What does it say about the pressure on mothers to perform? How sustainable is rising before dawn? Not everyone has the emotional, physical, or logistical space to replicate such standards. Some people commented, thinking, “Beautiful, but exhausting.” Others said it reminded them of school mornings in rural homes, where no gourmet steak is ever involved.
There’s a balance: celebration of effort, acknowledgement of privilege, and recognition that everyday parents do what they can, and that is valid.
What This Teaches Us
In a few minutes of footage, we see more than food. We see the values of uplift, care, and intention. We see that what we feed children matters, not just for their bodies but for their dignity. We see that social media can shine a light on ordinary acts that deserve to be honoured.
So, whether or not you can wake at 5 am to cook steak, watching that lunchbox video reminds us: love and effort turn the mundane into something worth watching, and perhaps worth striving for.
Source: Briefly News
Featured Image: Netmums
