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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not understand adult food vs kids food?

317 replies

SofandaCox · 22/11/2024 11:37

I meet up occasionally with my old baby group. Our babies are 3 now. We met up yesterday for lunch and there’s a few in the group that are firmly in the adult foods are separate to kids food camp and I find it so bizarre. They make really weird comments like “why would you give that to a child” “my child would never eat that” “I wouldn’t waste that on a child” etc. my child has a long list of allergies and I’ve had gastric surgery so can’t much so we usually share a meal. The offending meal? Calamari. Basically chicken nuggets but wish squid. They acted like I had just purchased my toddler a fillet mignon with champagne and lobster tail. Which, again, don’t see the issue if that’s what he wanted! Has anyone experienced this? And also just to be so rude as to sit there and actually make comments about it. I’ve had judgey thoughts about them feeding their 3 year old jarred baby food but I’ve kept that to myself. It’s making me not want to meet up with them anymore but it would be a shame for my son as he enjoys spending time with the others toddlers.

OP posts:
EBoo80 · 22/11/2024 11:57

Your first kid is 3? You may have many years of negotiating with a fussy eater ahead of you. Save your judgey pants for other things.

itsalwaysthesame · 22/11/2024 11:56

unmemorableusername · 22/11/2024 11:39

It's a British cultural thing.

It really isn't

My kids have always eaten very similar to me with the exception of hot curries. I'm British, most of my friends are too, it's a "strange group of friends things" jarred food at 3 years old! That's odd

SofandaCox · 22/11/2024 11:56

Glad it’s not seen as the norm. I’m not British so it’s a very foreign concept to me to have separate menus.

OP posts:
NewGreenDuck · 22/11/2024 11:55

My kids ate exactly what the adults ate, even from a very young age. People were horrified that mine ate curry, spag bol etc. It's only in certain countries that kids eat what is basically slop.

caramac04 · 22/11/2024 11:54

I remember the days before domestic freezers when most mums didn’t work. Everybody had the same meal at the same time.
With frozen foods like nuggets etc and capacity to keep a variety of foods in stock it’s been easy to transition to separate foods and eating times.
It works for lots of mums and kids seem to like it but the least fussy young adults I know were given a wide variety of foods, the same as their parents ate.
I am the least adventurous eater but didn’t feed my kids separately and they all eat a much wider variety of foods than I.

Mittens67 · 22/11/2024 11:51

It’s a modern construct.
Growing up in the 60s/70s there was no “childrens food” it was just a smaller portion of whatever everyone was eating.

UpUpUpU · 22/11/2024 11:47

They are just jealous their kids only eat beige food I would guess. I personally would be a little smug, then move on with my life

Snorlaxo · 22/11/2024 11:44

The jarred food at 3 years old is weird. When my 3 year olds were having a fussy day they would still eat stuff like bread rather than jarred food.

Buddhistcauliflower · 22/11/2024 11:44

Aren't they weaning them twice? Once onto "children's food" and then again onto "proper food" it's a strange way to exist.

Lentilweaver · 22/11/2024 11:44

I fed my kids the same food I ate with all the spices: chillies, ginger, garlic, turmeric. Much easier. I dont believe in adults food.

ATastingMenuButItsAllCrisps · 22/11/2024 11:43

Someone feeding an able bodied pre schooler slop from a jar wouldn't have any culinary opinions worth hearing.

I find it weird how so many restaurants kid menu section is chips and beans, chips and nuggets, chips and sausages instead of just small portions of the menu items.

SJM1988 · 22/11/2024 11:43

At home my children eat what we eat - maybe some slight variations on spice level or separating a few things out (different veg etc).

When out, my DD has her own meal (nearly 3) mainly because her brother (7) does. I normally only order of the kids menu as its cheaper to be honest. If it was cheaper to order off the adult menu for them I would.

boulevardofbrokendreamss · 22/11/2024 11:42

My kids have never really eaten 'kids food'. Of course they'll eat chicken nuggets etc but more often than not they used to choose a starter when we were eating out. (now they have three courses and eating out is bloody expensive!).

If you see them again I'd start commenting on feeding a 3 yo jarred baby food.

Snorlaxo · 22/11/2024 11:42

It’s why the kids menu is often fishfingers rather than a small portion of adult food like many countries overseas. Calamari is not at all “weird “
imo but I’m also a mum who has faced shock that my young child’s food had spices like pepper, garlic and ginger in it.

shellyleppard · 22/11/2024 11:40

If your son is happy does it really matter what other people think??? But feeding a 3 year's old baby food.....🤔🤔 By that age my sons were eating the same as me, they are fine.

unmemorableusername · 22/11/2024 11:39

It's a British cultural thing.

Newuser75 · 22/11/2024 11:39

Very strange. My son is ridiculously fussy but loves calamari!