I'm not. I don't get why every restaurant's kids menu are either chicken fingers and fries or burgers or mac and cheese.
There is something wrong if that's what 99% of kids will eat!
Is it just me? Have you seen anything better on kids menus?
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Depends on the restaurant. I've seen a good amount of healthy choices lately.
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They are all about the same as you said so I just don't order from it.
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They're not very creative...but either is my kid. He goes for chicken and french fries every single time. I used to try and order different things for him when he was younger, but since he's older, now, he just chooses. Sometimes, if they have the option, he'll pick vegetables instead of fries cause he really does like them. But, usually he's set with fries and chicken tenders. I gave up a long time ago.
At home he eats more variety, though.
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@artbee: Like?
@Dandelion: interesting! I hope my LOs are like my niece. At my bridal shower we let all the kids order off the menu and all the other kids of course chose (fancy) house made mac and cheese or burgers. What did my 7 year old niece choose? Pork belly. haha needless to say we were all salivating over her dish!
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We usually don't order off the kids menu, except one restaurant that has a really good fruit & yogurt item. We just get our meals & an appetizer and give LO some of all of that.
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One of my favorite kids meals is at chick-fil-a! 4 piece grilled nuggets with a side of fresh cut fruit and milk. Its like $3 too!
Restaurants we just give her our food or order her a side dish.
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Majority of the time no! We don't even eat that healthy, but I don't want to fill my kid with pasta and fried food either. I get excited when I see a grilled chicken on the menu haha or a broccoli side!
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@regberadaisy: If there's Mac and cheese, he some times goes for that...but not many places offer it.
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Restaurants are treats for us (we don't go very often because the adult menu items aren't very healthy!), so I probably won't mind too much. But, I do think it's sad that kids menus don't have better options! They don't even HAVE kids menus in other countries!
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@regberadaisy: what's wrong with burgers??? Seriously, I have seen at least 3 mentions of the fact that parents don't let their kids have burgers and I don't get it?
@T.H.O.U.: that's great to know. I took M there the other day and didn't realize she was going to eat half of my meal. I need to start ordering her her own meal.
I have found that Mexican restaurants have good choices for kids - tacos, burritos, etc. Normal food, just smaller portions.
I will order her a kids menu as a treat.
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@mediagirl: Yes, I also love mexican places for some fresh guac, rice, and beans!
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We're vegetarians and there aren't many places with good veggie kids options. I usually order some veggies sides and rice and mix it together for DS.
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@mediagirl: hahaha I have nothing against burgers but it's not exactly "healthy" especially at restaurants they are usually poor cuts of meat and extremely greasy! And our pediatrician has told us to take it easy on beef bc recent studies have shown it's not that great for you or your heart. Which there are heart issues on DH's side. So overall we have greatly reduced our beef consumption.
But she does love daddy's burgers!
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We don't order off the kids menu at restaurants but we also go out to eat so seldom that we don't limit what Scribble tries when he is our with us. So those nights he may eat unhealthily in some aspects but I don't mind! We don't have baby snacks st home so treats are rare. Scribble is a skinny mini so I'm always willing to give him what he wants to eat if he will eat it! I am all about encouraging his natural interests.
So, as far as restaurants here is what we have done...
CFA: I order 12 piece nugget with fruit and we share
Mexican: we order guacamole and he eats than and tortilla strips etc.
Olive Garden: I order soup and he eats that as his meal
Burger: We haven't done this recently, but we don't eat that much beef at home so we'd probably pinch off part of ours for his, same with fries. Before he was consistently eating solids we would just order cucumber and carrot slices to placate him while we ate. But now he is usually ready for a meal same time we are!Fast food breakfast: my parents ran out and got breakfast biscuits one morning for everyone. It wasn't my choice and I was pretty skeptical, but I didn't want to be rude. So baby had the egg and cheese part of his. Later that day we had a picnic and I stuck to mainly veg for that meal to balance.
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No! We never were allowed to order off them. We would split adult entrees when we were kids.
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@Mrs. Sketchbook: hahah when the ILs have suggested super unhealthy takeout I have been known to make something else for M!
Thankfully they're not offended and understand why I don't want to feed her that.
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Growing up my parents let us choose what we wanted. I was at a Cheesecake Factory recently and my mom was apalled a couple ordered mac & cheese for their kids, at least 8 years old and big enough to pick something on their own. A friend of mine ate from the kiddie menu her whole life that even as a college student she only ate chicken fingers and fries.
I will likely give my own part of what I am having or healthy, off the menu alternatives. I am a French fry addict McDonald's will always be in my life. I think the apple slices are fine to order, hold the caramel dipping sauce.
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Here, it's pretty common for kids meals to come with fries and some kind of veg (usually a small corn or peas).
Example, the place we went yesterday the kids menu was:
Ham and eggs
Chicken strips
cheese pizzas
sausages2 sides: green salad, chips, mini corn on the cob, peas or beans, mashed potatoes
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Not really. For the most part, they are made up of unhealthy, starchy choices, and seem to encourage picky eating in the future. Our nephews seem to think that every meal (even ones prepared at home) should automatically include "kid friendly" options. If they're not feeling the pasta primavera offered, they'll request (and receive) frozen waffles or nuggets from the deep freezer. I think it's a little silly.
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We don't eat out often, and when we do it's usually the salad bar at Whole Foods for a special treat. When we went out with family recently, we tried a more upscale place and he had a scallop appetizer, a taste of our shared appetizers, and some of my main course. He really loved sampling everything and I think that's the key for getting kids to like a wide range of food.
There is a burrito joint nearby that makes decently healthy children's meals--mostly just smaller portions of the adult menu without the hot sauce. They include a choice of applesauce or M&Ms too, but the applesauce has HFCS in it, so I toss it.
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I'm not a fan, except for breakfast (which is really the only time we eat out these days, it's so rare). I don't mind those because its just eggs, pancakes, etc. If we go out to lunch or dinner, I try to get something that I know LO will eat so that we can share, like a grilled chicken sandwich with avocado. Or we bring something for him, and let him nibble on a French fry or two.
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I don't really have a problem with kids menu items... definitely some are healthier than others. We try to choose the healthy ones. Such as grilled chicken with broccoli side (I think they have this at Chili's, for example), pasta marinara with veggie, side, etc. Sometimes if they want the grilled cheese they can have that too. My two kids split one kids meal. It's sometimes more economical to order a kids meal than to order another entree or even a salty appetizer. It really just depends on the restaurant. I have seen lots of healthy(ish) options.
Also, we are a fan of salad bars like Salad Express where kids eat free or discounted. :-). ETA. Also my kids are almost 5 and almost 2. When they start eating more, it's hard to just share your food if you actually want anything to eat.
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I don't really have a problem with them (at most places). I've found that most restaurants now have side options other than fries. When I was a kid fries were pretty much the only option. I think if we were eating out every single meal I probably wouldn't be happy about it, but I don't see anything wrong with a grilled cheese and a side of fruit (or even fries!) every once in awhile. I'm also a very "everything in moderation" person, though--I won't expect my kids to eat healthy all the time because I certainly don't!
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I am always appalled. Every now and again, I see grilled fish or grilled chicken as an option. Normally, I share my protein with LO and order a side of veggies. Even if a side is not listed in the menu, i find most restaurants will accomodate. And I always bring fruit. I often bring peas as an appetizer too. Recently while on vacation, I asked if they could sub grilled fish for the fried fish on the kids menu. The answer was no, so I ordered grilled fish and ate LO' fried fish. I am hypocritical, I know. LO cannot have fried goods, but I can... In most cases though, we eat healthier since we often share food out and eat all the same things at home. I also often ask to sub kid meal sides for green vegetables. Again, most people are accommodating.
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@regberadaisy: We eat at a lot of local restaurants. But some examples are-
First Watch- She will get a fresh fruit crepe or turkey sandwich with fruit
Moes- (I've been craving a lot of Mexican) Chicken burrito with a wheat tortilla, rice, and beans. Same thing at Tijuana Flats but they also give you apple sauce. Chipolte gives a side of rice and beans, you can choose brown rice.
Boston Market- She gets chicken or turkey with corn and veggies or new potatoes.
Greek- grilled chicken pita with rice.
Thankfully they're not offended and understand why I don't want to feed her that.
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