What items would you like to see on a child friendly cafe menu?

[EatingCalamari]

Asking for a friend who is revamping the menu for her child friendly cafe.

What items would you like to see on offer for your children?

TIA

Re: grated cheese - DH once watched DD, aged about 4 at the time, eat a grated-cheese sandwich in a cafe, one piece of cheese at a time....

@YouLando Oh the agony! I just end up spending ages picking cheese off the cafe floor 🙄😅

@EatingCalamari Yeah a platter of little bits would go down well with my three year old.

Mine won’t eat chips or anything breaded annoyingly. So alternative

Mini scones
plain pasta - with tomato sauce/ cheese/ butter as option depending on fussy child
fruit platter
Plain croissant

For breakfast near us they have the option of a pick a mix for kids. A) any egg (boiled/ scramble/ fried b) any bread (crossiant/ toast/ roll) c) sides - jam/ Nutella/ butter/ cheese d) drink (milk/ hot choc/ orange/ fruit tea) e) extra - yogurt/ chopped fruit/ brownie.
It’s about €6 and excellent. All comes out in little child sized portions ie ramekin of yogurt, little cup of hot choc, and you can opt for larger portions for older child for €8 I think.

I love this idea

@Caspianberg
Mine didn't like chips or fish fingers either. He'd eat chicken nuggets with sweet and sour or hot sauce or a beef burger but not the chips. Fussy child.

More choice for plain sandwiches. Sometimes mine just want a ham/cheese/marmite sandwich as they are ready for more than a snack but not hungry enough or just too distracted for a full meal. The option for veg sticks on the side is alsoa good call.

This 👆🏻

An option for those slightly older kids.

I’d say definitely keep the nuggets/ pizza options as it’s a treat, most people don’t let their children eat that sort of thing at home so it’s a lovely treat to have when eating out. It’s always available on pub menus because it’s popular, if it didn’t sell they’d change their menu.

a more varied vegan/vegetarian selection. not everyone can eat quorn as it contains milk

Yep, this. Too often I'm in places with a decent adult veggie/vegan selection and the kids' options are all nuggets, burgers or fish fingers.

The offer of chopping up the child's meal before it arrives at the table 🙏.

Pizzas and garlic bread already sliced
Ham sandwiches minus crusts
Croissants, jacket potatoes, mini pies and peas/mashed potatoes

There's a garden centre we go to that has a fabulous 'restaurant' but my dd loves their kids selection bar... they pick a brown bag and choose something like:

1 half sandwhich, cheese or ham, option to be toasted
Then x 3 sides of baby bel, veg sticks, crisps, mini cheddara etc
Then 1 x fruit
Then 1 x choc bar/ cookie, cake
Plus a drink

It's about £6 and anything they don't eat you can't obvs take away.

They also do small portions of hot food from the main section.

I really like the idea of a family lunch platter from pp.

Same as the adults, just smaller portions.

My lo eats what we eat. I would say options with less sodium and 100% juice.

Really? I think you’d be surprised!

For an older child so maybe 8 and over I'd say half portions of adult meals to be available. Kids menus are boring generally and don't encourage them to try new things but they probably won't manage the whole thing.
Also yes to adding veg to whatever.

The most popular kid friendly cafe near us serves

Beans on toast
Soup - lentil, chicken, tomato
Macaroni cheese
Pasta with tomato sauce
Picky plate (veg, fruit, cheese, cocktail sausages)
Pizza
Sausage roll and beans

And the lunch boxes with a sandwich (cheese or ham), carton of juice, piece of fruit, cookie, Pom bears are always popular

Jacket potatoes
"Charcuterie" / picky bits plate
Soup, DS loves it

It goes everywhere and is annoying

Yes! Just normal cafe food but smaller portions!

And quarter portions for toddlers, too!

Just smaller portions of what's available for adults.
Not all kids like nuggets,fish fingers or chips.

Don't smother everything with with cheese! Not every child (or adult) likes it or can eat it.

This

Yes to this - even my 4 year old would like this.

Also if offering things like toast, use normal sliced bread...! I love sourdough as much as the next person but it can be quite a tough crust for little mouths!