Comments on: Hate children’s menus? Here’s your chance to create a better one.

By: Christina

Christina — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 15:29:42 +0000

Marie, yes, I’ve been reading about this, too, thanks. While I’m in favor of anything that leads to better food, I have to say this feels like a marketing gimmick. I mean, it’s not like they’re also improving their adult meals… But time will tell!

By: Marie

Marie — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 22:04:57 +0000

I just read that a bunch of restaurants “upgraded” their children’s menus. From what I read, it looks like they have to follow a list of criteria, which means fewer calories, sodium, trans fats and sugar. Though it is not where I would hope the restaurants would be, it is at least a step in the right direction and offers better choices (better being relative) to those families who eat at Burger King, Denny’s, etc.
Here is the link for anyone who is interested. The program is called Kids Live Well.
http://www.restaurant.org/foodhealthyliving/kidslivewell/

By: Christina

Christina — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 04:51:55 +0000

Love stories like this, Karina. Give kids knowledge, ownership and some credit, and it’s amazing how often they’ll make the smart choice.

By: Karina

Karina — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 04:02:11 +0000

I just found this discussion–I missed it last year–and wanted to add my two cents:

On the 4th of July, we went out to eat. I gave my daughter (age 4) the option to get a hot dog, which she loves, and which we rarely eat. It came in a beach pail (very cool!), and they offered her a side: chips, or an apple.

She did NOT want the chips. She happily went to the cooler and found a good red apple, and ate that–before the hot dog.

By: Feeding Kids « Beef 4 Breakfast

Feeding Kids « Beef 4 Breakfast — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 17:23:39 +0000

[...] read a discussion today regarding feeding children at restaurants and the dillemmas that restaurant owners face when [...]

By: Send me your children's menus! (Because it's one step forward, 25 steps back.) | Spoonfed

Sat, 24 Jul 2010 13:21:58 +0000

[...] me. (Check out the comments on my three previous posts about children’s menus: the rant, the survey and the chef.) So how about this? If you come across a children’s menu that rocks — [...]

By: Christina

Christina — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 08:38:26 +0000

Thanks, everyone, for the additional comments about children's menus. I just posted a follow-up where Brian (the chef) weighs in. He tells us what he thought of our ideas. And what he's going to feed our kids. Check it out here.

By: Creating a better children's menu: A chef speaks | Spoonfed

Creating a better children's menu: A chef speaks | Spoonfed — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 08:19:32 +0000

[...] in Rochester, N.Y., got in touch. He wanted input on his children’s menu. I posed the question to readers. Another lively discussion all [...]

By: Martha

Martha — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 13:38:18 +0000

Based on my 2-year-old’s eating habits, I’d suggest a mix’n'match kids menu with 4 choices: main, side, dip, and fruit or veg. Some children eat tons of starch and only a little protein, others the opposite. So letting them choose which is the main and which is the side would be excellent.

Here are some examples of what my child would love for a main or side: brown rice, baked/grilled meat/fish, 1/2 baked sweet potato, baked fries, refried beans, corn chips (reduced salt), plain yogurt, plain noodles (pasta sauce or cheese opt.), whole wheat bread with butter (nat. pb and/or jam opt). For the fruit or veg: steamed broccoli, thin raw carrot sticks, an apple, a banana, or a mandarin. For dips: sour cream, basic guacamole, balsamic dressing, ketchup, pesto.

Reasonable pricing rather than conventional marked-up a-la-carte pricing for plain “adult” foods like grilled chicken or baked sweet potato would be amazing to see. Also, having kid’s foods unsalted and uncheesed and letting them see it sprinkled on (or not) gives young children and their parents so much more excitement and choice respectively. Thanks for the opportunity to give input!

By: Pat

Pat — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 12:14:48 +0000

I love this idea! My children are grown now, but when they were little I would have loved a restaurant that served small portions of the adult meals. After all, that’s what they got at home — there’s no need to perpetuate the myth that kids’ food should be different from what the adults eat.

I also like the suggestions for some raw veggies with hummus for dipping. A restaurant that gave kids some cauliflower, broccoli, carrots and green beans to nibble on while waiting for their meals would get high marks from many parents.

When does this restaurant open? : )