Parents will do whatever it takes to protect their children from the harsh realities of the world we live in. Even if their actions may appear small to us, they are moving mountains for their families. 

One woman revealed the moment she realized the lengths parents truly go to while working at a soup kitchen during the pandemic. She described the story of a father who was a regular after falling on hard times, who had a special trick to keep his kids in the dark about how bad their financial situation had truly become.

While picking up dinner from a soup kitchen, a father placed it in a Panera Bread bag so that his children would not understand the reality of their situation. 

In a TikTok video, a woman named Amber Mirrelle (@theamberexperiment on the app) shared that during the pandemic, she worked at a soup kitchen providing meals for those who could not afford to purchase them from grocery stores. During her shifts, she noticed a man would often visit to pick up meals for his children. According to Mirrelle, the man had lost his job and was struggling to provide the bare necessities for his family. 

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However, it was how he would pack the food to bring it home that caught the woman’s attention and tugged at her heart. “Thinking about when I worked at a soup kitchen during Covid, and a man who lost his job would come by and pack the food we gave him into a Panera Bread bag so his kids were excited thinking they were eating restaurant food every night,” she wrote in the text overlay of her video. “I hope him and his family are doing all right.” 

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Other people were deeply moved by the father’s actions. 

“That is King behavior. Shield the babies from pain and stress. Provide even if you gotta ask for help. Hope he is doing well!” one TikTok user commented. “The things people do to protect their children. I bet he thinks about you too,” another user commented. 

“You know that was a core moment for them, Dad brought Panera bread every day,” another user noted. “That’s so sweet, I hope he’s got more than enough now for them,” another added. 

Despite his own pain and worries, this dad ensured that his kids would be grinning from ear to ear at dinnertime. 

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Many Americans struggle to put food on the table.

According to Feeding America, nearly 20% of children in the U.S. are living with food insecurity. To make matters worse, as of November 1, 2025, SNAP benefits were frozen while the U.S. government faces its longest shutdown in history. And while SNAP impacts countless families across the country, Feeding America noted, “More than 2 out of 5 people facing hunger may not be eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) since their incomes exceed the income eligibility threshold for these critical benefits. Not all who are eligible for the program participate in SNAP.”  

This is why food banks and soup kitchens are especially important, with 53 million Americans having to rely on them to feed themselves and their families.

When this man’s children look back on their childhood, however, they will not remember the fear, pain, and hunger. They will remember when Daddy walked through the door with Panera Bread meals for them each night, despite the struggles going on right under their noses. 

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Megan Quinn is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and a minor in Creative Writing. She covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on justice in the workplace, personal relationships, parenting debates, and the human experience.