To despair at the quality and choice of kids menus?

Chains won't because all the food comes prepared and portioned ready for Chef Ping and his friend D Fryer.

Totally agree! As a one off it’s not too bad but on a holiday it can feel really depressing. Also it robs kids of the opportunity to try new things which is the joy of eating out. More often these days I try to order a selection from the main menu and we all just share.

Totally agree. My kids have had more than their share of junk but have very rarely had a kids meal. When they were very small they would gum on a baguette, then would have french beans and brocolli - which would kept them occupied all meal as they would try and pick the beans out of the skin before eating them. As they were
eating they progressed to sharing a starter, then a starter each or splitting a main and so on. When we would go out with now x mil or x fil they would at liberty tell the waiter oh the kids will have the nuggets and chips. As soon as they could talk they were outraged at that. Big fans of nuggets in McDs though.

I often choose a starter and a side if I don't fancy any of the mains! (e.g. calamari which I love is usually a starter so I get some with either a salad or fries).

I have one fussy DC so am grateful for the very bland options, but my eldest is an adventurous eater so we just get him an adult meal now (at 10). Before he'd get a kids meal and a bit of mine/DHs main.

Agree about Wagamama - it's a favourite with us. Nando's kids menu at least offers the real stuff too.

At least with some decent places they do things like a small fish and chips, which is proper fish rather than mass produced fish fingers.

We gravitate to places that do small plates you order lots of so DD (7) can try lots of things that way. Otherwise she tends to order whatever pasta dish they have (or good fish and chips) then steal whatever more interesting things we order. In some ways it works well in that she has a base meal that's safe so she's then more willing to try new stuff from us. We also share dishes to mix it up. I love having different bits of things so works well for us.

Our local Italian restaurant will let you order any pasta dish as a "starter" portion. It's perfect for her!

Best menus would be a couple of basic things with chips for nervous kids, an actually good pasta dish, then a few more interesting options in smaller portions.

I love places that will do small steaks and things, not just sausages. Easy if they have a mixed grill on their main menu so they have small steaks anyway.

I reserve my despair for some parents who feed their kids like this 7 days a week and who'd kick off big time if the Kid's Menu featured

Mini salmon fillet with buttered new potatoes and a trio of steamed veg.

In fairness to the restaurants, they are offering what is most commonly demanded. My DD always fancied a curry or the noodle bar over nuggets and chips. Nuggets were not a common offering at home.

Mine is only 2 so she often shares ours if there’s nothing good on the kids menu. It’s hit and miss. I find independent restaurants are more accommodating like Indians. As someone else said a lot of Italians offer pasta as a starter or a main so you can just get the smaller portion.

Ah Waitrose, of course. I forgot all chicken nuggets are dry and made with pretend chickens.

If anyone ever asks me what Mumsnet is like, I’ll point them to this thread.

I used to order an adult starter as ds’ main, a seafood risotto or some calamari and a green salad.

He usually had that, with a glass of water and an ice cream.

With garlic butter, but only posh Waitrose No 1 will do as they use proper chicken
i must admit these are far far away from a dry nuggett

The Lounge chain also let you add ANYTHING as a side.

I often order a kind of tapas and my son can have anything off my assortment of food.

Cheeky beggar goes and asks for sausages and rice if he gets a sniff of a waiter though.

Asking for a smaller portion of an adult meal, does that mean you are still charged full price for the meal?

I don't remember children's menus being a thing when I was a child (back in the dark ages). We'd just order off the main menu and leave anything we couldn't eat. I used to love chicken in a basket in the days when it came in a proper wicker basket!

So the point I am coming to after my trip down memory lane, is why not let them order off the adult menu?

Kids meals are not mandatory. They are there for fussy kids who won't eat normal adult food, or for parents who are economising on the total bill bill,.

Depending on their ages , there is nothing to stop you ordering an ordinary meal for the child, , or ask for an adult meal to be shared between 2 children , or ask if they half portion of main menu items or order a starter as a kids main course, or add side salad or vegetable, and if you can substitute chips for ordinary potatoes or plain pasta on the kids meals, or go somewhere ethnic that doesn't do kids menus.

But a full sit down meal can be a salad. Or something small. That's what holidays are for.

Whereas at home, it can be burger, chips, bit of chocolate, then crisps when the alcohol kicks in.

Not an overweight family either; we just balance everything out.

You’re either trolling or a typical Mumsnet competitive undereater.

You know you don’t have to trough down every bite when you’re eating out. And there are many perfectly normal calorie portions.

Why the fuck not? Christ almighty, live a little.

Where do you eat when you’re on holiday then?
We have eaten out every night on holiday for years and years, and the whole family is a healthy weight (well, the youngest is underweight but that’s another issue).

Eating out a full sit down meal EVERY night at a restaurant? Good luck with your calories on that.

Believe me I agree eating out is one of the best things on holiday but you need to also be sensible about it and realise what you are eating.

And yes I do stay in hotels.

What?! I’m a normal healthy weight. Eating out doesn’t mean eating any worse or less healthily than I do at home?!

Do you only self cater on holiday?

The kid's menu section means that the restaurant is providing a sure way to feed children who needs to eat out for once. Not only smaller portion, but intentionally blander and less complicated food, to make sure the kids will be fed. It's not about the eating out every day for two weeks case.

Some places would be happy to serve a smaller portion (in my area half portions often cost 75% of the full meal) - epsecially the food which scales easily. Some might refuse if they don't have a way to charge for it.

I suppose it needs a bit of creativity - some places will be able to make a smaller portion, some will have meal-worthy stater, everyone else should be able to pack the leftovers/second half of the meal.

If we go on holiday for 2 weeks then we will eat out for 14 nights in a row. Where else would we be eating? None of us are obese, or even overweight. Eating out doesn’t mean that you’re overeating.

Why does eating out every night on holiday mean you’ll end up obese? If it’s not self-catering, then obviously you’re eating out a lot. That’s one of the best parts of the holiday.

Good god no.

And we wonder why we have an obesity problem in this country if you think this is normal!

We either order from the small bites /entree section, share a plate (and order 3 courses), or ask for a small portion. Never bern a problem.
Kids meals ate cheap because the ingredients are cheap. not because of portion size