Kids Menus in Restaurants

[MacSupermum]

Have just returned from a week in Ireland where we ate out nearly every night. Was very disappointed with kids menus in pubs and restaurants which offered a choice of sausages or chicken nuggets only. Please tell me that kids eat other things too!
Even in a nice fish restaurant there was no fish option for the kids. When I asked one place to half an adult lasagne for the 2 kids they did it but charged me adult price less 40% for both(tiny portions) rather than one adult portion.
This is just as much of a problem in the UK and I would be interested to know whether it bothers other mums.

[SqueakyPop]

We always try to go for half-portions from the main menu rather than the sausages/nuggets route.

[alardi]

We tend to order an extra adult dish & divide between us & dc. Try to avoid even looking at child menu.

[HumphreyCushioni]

Half portion of adult meal here too.

[MacSupermum]

I think the half adult portion is a good option but they won't always do this and it can often mean a very expensive meal.
You would think these places could manage macaroni cheese or spaghetti bolognese at the very least.

[ShadowyMariaMiller]

god we ahev had this thread gazillions of times

[Mercy]

Wot, no fishfingers

We tend to share our food with the dc - but then again we tend to eat out pizza or Greek/Turkish places on the odd occasion we go out. Actually SE Asian cafes are good too.

Sunday roast at a decent pub is another succesful option ime.

[Mercy]

Have we?!

We don't go to proper restaurants anyway.

[MacSupermum]

Apologies to ShadowyMariaMiller - I'm not a frequent user.

[BecauseImWorthIt]

I hate it that we have to infantilise the whole eating out process. Why can't children eat what adults are offered, just in smaller portions? Why do they always have to have bloody colouring in books and balloons instead of learning (like continental children) to sit properly, talk and wait for their food?

[cmotdibbler]

We just get an adult portion for DS and nick part of it, or order a starter for him to come out at the same time as the mains.

[Hulababy]

I hate the whole idea of kid's meals and wish restaurants would just do away with them entirely. Children do not need special food, different to adults.

They should offer:

1. baby/toddler portins - about 1/4 of the meal, mainly just a bit of veg and a sliver or two of meat - should be no charge for this when ordered alongside a full priced adult meal.

1. child portion - half portion of any meal on the menu (where possible to split), for 50% of price.

1. adult portion for anyone who requests one at normal cost

To be fair we generally don't have problems at proper restaurants getting small portions of proper meals. It tends to be pus or chain places, where the food isnt freshly made that is the issue.

[MacSupermum]

BecauseImworthit - I totally agree. Would like to be offered small size options of adult menu. That's what they have at home.

[Twiglett]

buy an adult portion and ask for 2 small plates

don't ask them to half in the kitchen

they wouldn't have the cheek to charge you more than adult prices

if you take your kids to chinese, indian or thai you don't find nuggets or sausages on the menu

[Hulababy]

TBF - I don't mind the colouring stuff, can be useful for long waits. And I have ben given these, and sen others given them, whilst in Europe and America too, s not just a UK idea.

[palaver]

my kids like kids meals

they enjoy nuggets and sausages

[ByTheSea]

I agree that I despise the food on many childrens' menus and but have found the colouring to be quite handy. These days, though, DSs can eat more than adult portions so going out is now quite expensive.

[flowerybeanbag]

Nothing wrong with colouring stuff when you have a 14mo DS used to having his food arrive pronto...

I have to say we've not found it that bad. Most places we've been to eat with DS have had at least a couple of reasonably healthy choices for kids similar or the same as adult menus. We always order a side of veg for him as well, in fact one place we go has a thing where anything ordered on the children's menu comes with a free side of veg - which you don't get with the adult meals.

If somewhere either doesn't have a children's menu or has nothing on it we fancy for DS, we just make sure what we've ordered is ok for him and divvy it up.

Waiting staff are usually too at him eating like a normal person rather than mashed up stuff or puree that they are only too keen to provide extra plates or whatever and marvel at his veg eating techniques!

[Hulababy]

plaver - so does DD sometimes, but not every time we go out. She loves sausages, but would rather have it with mash and veg than chips and beans. But usully she just prefers normal food - fish, rice, veg, meat.

Actually one of her favourites is to go for a carvery - which is always available in child portions.

And she loves a curry - our local Indian place is fab and will do small portions.

An the takapuna/Japensese place is alwways willing to do small portions.

[Tinkjon]

Have to say I've always been pleased with the kids menus at the places we eat. I've hardly ever thought "oh there's nothing good here" - there's always a pasta option at the very least.

[BecauseImWorthIt]

ds2 is a slight 13 yo and gets really pissed off as he is still sometimes offered the children's menu! Given that he's more adventurous with his food than his older brother, the staff are always surprised when he's the one who orders mussels or crab or something equally 'unexpected' for a child.

[foxymolly]

Hulababy - I agree about baby/toddler portins, me and dp reckon if there was a restaurant that offered healthy food designed for babaies/toddlers they would make a bomb. We have an 8 month old and would definatly eat somewhere like that, your idea of just a bit of veg and a sliver or two of meat is perfect and I agree it should be free when served along side an adult portion

[alardi]

Mmm.. I don't mind kids menu in principle. DS is 8yo and now at an age where he likes his own space, so likes his own complete meal. Eating out is a treat experience, part of the treat is he gets to read the menu himself and choose for himself.

That said, would be nice if kids menus weren't so based around junk food.

[lucysmam]

We tend to order a plate for our lo when we eat out. then put her a bit of what each of us is having on it for her to try. most kids won't eat an adult sized portion so don't see why places dont offer same meals in smaller sizes so to speak.

alardi, I agree with you totally, why should kids menus be based around junk food when we try to get them to eat healthily the rest of the time

[Hulababy]

6y DD eats too much to just give her food from our plate.

Took her for curry this evening. They were more than happy to do a small portion of any of their curry dishes, so she was ableto enjoy a chicken balti and chappati of her own.

Loch Fne is good for children too. Their child portion of mussels and their pan friend salmon and green vegetables - both on children's menu - are good, proper food just like what shold be offered for our children.

[wessexgirl]

I have been to a handful of places that offered very good children's menus - I think the quality and choice is slowly improving.

If I find myself in a nuggets-type place I'll order an adult meal and divide it between the dds (they are 3 and 4) - I have never known a place be awkward about this.