What age did your kids switch from the child's to the adult's menu?

[Tiddleztheelephant]

Just that really?
My 9 year old ds wolfs down a kids meal in record time but I'm reluctant to switch because he's getting a bit chubby anyway plus he probably wouldn't take advantage of the wider range of food available on the adult menu.
So far he seems happy with his meals and doesn't complain of being hungry afterwards but, somebody suggested tonight that "next time we could give him the choice"
So, what age did your dc make the switch?
Thanks!

Hardbackwriter

But I think people know that really, and all this 'but why would they even serve such things?!' is just a chance to boast about your children's sophisticated palette.“

Nothing sophisticated about it. If children eat the same food as the rest of the family from a young age, that’s what they enjoy 🤷‍♀️

*Because most children like and will eat that kind of bland food - it might not be their absolute favourite, but they like it well enough to eat it - and people don't want to waste their money buying their children new and unfamiliar food at restaurants that then goes untouched. Same reason people serve this stuff at children's parties.

But I think people know that really, and all this 'but why would they evenservesuch things?!' is just a chance to boast about your children's sophisticated palette*

Children, especially little ones, are notoriously fussy and unadventurous. They like food to be predictable and recognisable. They might eat their mum's risotto or seafood pasta at home, but the one is the restaurant has different seasoning or it looks different so it is rejected.
It's developmentally normal for children to be fussier than adults and it serves an evolutionally purpose, so people who are sniffy about it are daft.
By age 9 most children are growing out of the fussy stage, and will probably be happy with the adult menu. Obviously some children are more adventurous at a much younger age, some are fussy for longer, as all children are different and there's nothing to feel smug about either way. This is nothing to do with parenting skills, unless you literally only feed your children beige food at home, so they literally don't know any different.

I've just confiscated DS1's favourite pair of shorts, age 6, as they are getting too short. The waist still fits aged 12. His brother is still slim, but not to the same extent.

Have the same problem with dd11. She's still attached to her age 6 denim shorts which fit perfectly around the waist and bottom but are now ridiculously short. I do need to confiscate them. She's incredibly slim and active.

We ate out on holiday this week and she had an avocado prawn and tomato starter, halloumi salad for main and an individual cheese board for desert (the sweet option she wanted wasn't available) this was all from adults menu

Dd8 had adults macaroni cheese with salad and garlic bread, she left a little of the macaroni so she had room for her chocolate brownie, ice cream and raspberries also from adults menu. The next night she had the adults curry and ate everything except a few chunks of meat. I was surprised as it was pretty sizeable with chips, rice and poppadom but we'd had a very energetic day and it had been a long time since lunch.

Eating out is a treat, one we've not enjoyed for a long time, so I don't see the need to restrict them when they have an all round healthy diet and active lifestyle day to day.

@Hen2018 how did you get them to agree on what to have? Mine would deliberately choose something totally different to the other

I had a kids’ meal yesterday. It was a jacket potato with beans and cheese which I rather fancied. 🤷🏻‍♀️

5

I remember a place wouldn't split an adults portion of dinner.
I had 2 kids,so we bought the adults portion and asked for an extra plate😂

DS is 19 months old and eats well, but there is no way I would let him eat a whole adult portion of anything at a restaurant. I think it depends on where we are as to whether I choose child’s menu, specific sides or share our meal. If we’re having brunch, for example, I’ll ignore the kids menu and just order a couple of fried eggs & make him fingers from my toast.

@rantymcrantface66 she doesn’t nibble she eats until she’s full. She’s 50th centile and has been since birth. It’s normal to eat until full but not feeling full eating a whole children’s meal at under 18 months is very unusual.

Stayed on kids for as long as possible because he's a fussy eater but has had to move to adults after about the age of 12 because of the size of the meal.

[quote Forstarters]@rantymcrantface66 she doesn’t nibble she eats until she’s full. She’s 50th centile and has been since birth. It’s normal to eat until full but not feeling full eating a whole children’s meal at under 18 months is very unusual.[/quote]
You said she leaves most of it though. I've never known a 7 year old be full after only a tiny fraction of a children's portion except my friends dd who has had issues with food since birth. Ben she is improving though and would have probably at least managed half by 7.

My 8y nephew chooses from either, depending on what it is and what he fancies eating. Last week he had a full size burger meal at HRC and he always has a full size fish and chip meal, other times he will have a child's meal is less hungry and it's not a favourite food,

Dd was the same, as was most of the children I know.

It's a gradual thing and will vary between cafes and restaurants and what's in the menu, plus how hungry the child feels that day.

The main reason Dd switched early was because she didn't (still doesn't much) like chips and a lot of kid's menus, even if decent restaurants, only come with chips. Finding a good and varied kid's menu can be a challenge. We liked places that did half portions.

@MrsSkylerWhite

Hardbackwriter

But I think people know that really, and all this 'but why would they even serve such things?!' is just a chance to boast about your children's sophisticated palette.“

Nothing sophisticated about it. If children eat the same food as the rest of the family from a young age, that’s what they enjoy 🤷‍♀️

Mine has eaten the same food as us since weaning and actually eats a more varied diet than any other three year old I know. One of his favourite foods is marinated tofu, another is olives. We try new food at home all the time - sometimes he loves it but he's still very capable of rejecting things seemingly randomly. Last night he wouldn't eat a dish we eat quite often because I'd cut the aubergine up too big. That's fine at home, but I'm not paying for half an adult portion of food that might go untouched. I'd always encourage him to try tastes from our plate but I - and I think the vast majority of parents - would rather he also has a meal that I know he will eat.

@rantymcrantface66 well it depends on the size of the meal as to how much she eats obviously. I never said she ate a ‘tiny fraction’ and I probably exaggerated saying she leaves most of it but usually there’s far too many chips for example - she’s only just 7 and these meals are designed for children up to 12 or 13.

Just now actually. She's nearly 11. Just starting asking for a foot long in subway and eats the lot.

Dd9 likes Happy Meals for the toy but occasionally asks for a Big Mac. Doesn't always finish it though.

We had a Carvery last night though both had small. Dd9 left most of it.

You said she leaves most of it though. I've never known a 7 year old be full after only a tiny fraction of a children's portion except my friends dd who has had issues with food since birth. Ben she is improving though and would have probably at least managed half by 7.

In my experience it’s the norm for kids under 10 to leave a big chunk of the kids portion. Again like @Forstarters my experience is with kids who are between the 25th and 50th centile in weight (in my experience over 100th in height). Larger kids probably would eat more.

@Forstarters

There are 950 calories in a chicken McNugget meal - of which more than 65% comes from fat. An average toddler needs around 1,000 calories. So, yes, I do think it’s crazy giving a two year old an adult fast food meal.

Even if they’re not overweight now the fat and salt is storing up health problems for the future like diabetes and heart disease. A McNugget meal is way over half of their salt intake for the day.

And I’m not some health obsessed eater and I do visit McDonald’s occasionally with my children.

For most people a meal out or fast food is not a regular occasion. Having a bigger portion of fast food/take away type food every once in a while is not going to cause an issue.

Genetics will play a much bigger role in height than eating a bit too much occasionally.

Fwiw the children I know who are larger portions are pretty much all still slim, some tall and some shorter, now as late teens/young adults. They are also pretty active.

My nephew can put away an adult portion at 8y but he is never sat down. He is very very active, always in the go, does a ton of sport and expends an awful lot of calories in doing so. He generally eats a very healthy diet but yes, on occasion he will have an adult portion when they eat out. He is tall and skinny despite this as it only forms a small part of his overall diet.

Unless it’s a “small appetite” “bigger appetite” type menu kids menus tend to say for up to 10 or 12 so it’s not really surprising a 7 year old doesn’t eat it all depending on their appetite normally.

[quote Forstarters]@rantymcrantface66 well it depends on the size of the meal as to how much she eats obviously. I never said she ate a ‘tiny fraction’ and I probably exaggerated saying she leaves most of it but usually there’s far too many chips for example - she’s only just 7 and these meals are designed for children up to 12 or 13.[/quote]
In most restaurants I've been in child menus are only designed for up to 10 years old (most seem to have that as their cut off.) and they are aimed from about 2 years old, often earlier.

No way a meal designed for a typical 3 or 4 year old is going to be too much for your average 9 or 10 year old. Many active healthy 9/10 year old, will need more.

Besides most adult menus have a better variety of food, and they are often offering more balanced and healthier options than your typical kid's menu full of chips and beans.

I'd make sure he was moving and eating decent food instead of allowing smaller portions of rubbish. If his appetite is big enough for more food let him have a large portion of decent food and ensure he's moving enough

I don't think mine ever ate from the kids menu I always just asked for a half portion of the adult one they just ate "normal" food from the off

@Abraxan unfortunately fast food meals are an occasional treat for a lot of families. And that’s probably why 25% of 5 year olds start school obese…..

Aren’t!

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