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AIBU?

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Original poster

Adult and child foods? A British thing?

717 replies

StandardRussian66 · 27/01/2018 16:15

I got bitched at yet again today by the group I meet with for lunch occasionally.
They find it very strange that my 3 year old eat “adult food”.
I have lived in 4 countries and have only ever come across this in Britain.
It is very strange?
Why would child’s only eat plain food?
My DD had calamari, for reference, incase that is odd. I am part Japanese so she is no stranger to fish.
Aibu to find it equally strange that some toddlers were still being fed mashed food?

OP posts:
Atticusss · 27/01/2018 19:34

Ok to all those telling me it's not a British thing. I assumed it was because I've never seen junky kids meals like this when we eat out on holiday, and reviews for holidays on trip advisor are always full of complaints of 'not enough children's food' and furthermore, the OP isn't British and made this claim herself. I really don't think I've made a ludicrous assumption.

ILikeyourHairyHands · 27/01/2018 19:34

Excellent, Saturday night MN food thread.

With added jingoism.

Good job I have wine!

(FWIW my children have just eaten some steamed octopus. I shall claim my wondrous parenting badge later).

zzzzz · 27/01/2018 19:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

taskmaster · 27/01/2018 19:34

In Mexico, kids aren't given spices until age 2/3

Same in several Asian countries I've been to. Thai food is the hottest in the world, do you think they just give it to babies?

PancakeInMaBelly · 27/01/2018 19:34

When I lived abroad almost every baby I knew was fed from branded babyfood jars! However I do appreciate that the area was particularly rural and a bit old fashioned and the city dwelling kids in that country ate as many olives and curries and avocados as cosmopolitan British kids do

Op your friends sound like twats, and you sound like a twat for thinking that just because you hang out with a few twats that are British, that makes all things British twatty.

Cherrycokewinning · 27/01/2018 19:35

Brick wall Hmm

ChocolateWombat · 27/01/2018 19:35

Choosing a kids meal is often cheaper. They get a starter, dinner, pud and drink for a fixed price. The food keeps coming in stages to keep them occupied and they ar things kids like.

It's not always about the food itself. They may well eat what's on the adult menu, but not all restaurants do small portions, plus you'd have to buy an adult drink and probably a pud too, so it all adds up.

There is an element of children eating different foods too. When people are paying for a meal out, they like to think the kids will eat it to justify the expense. Depending on where you go, some adult menus might be more adventurous than many children are used to, so people prefer s safer option. And yes I know....unless you try the more adventurous stuff, how do you ever know you'll like it or come to see it as normal?

If we eat out, the kids often eat from the kids menu to save on the price. At home, we all eat exactly the same. In some places the kids will share - ie a curry.

DwangelaForever · 27/01/2018 19:37

The only time I ever make something different for my 16 month old is whenever we get a takeaway, simply because I don't fancy her eating greasy crappy takeaway foods!

If I'm making a fakeaway I give her some - she has no problems with curry etc.

Baby led weaning is on the rise and I think it's bringing families away from kiddy foods and adult foods.

Also I wouldn't be arsed cooking two lots of dinners. Making one is annoying enough 😂

taskmaster · 27/01/2018 19:37

I assumed it was because I've never seen junky kids meals like this when we eat out on holiday

Don't know where you went on holiday, but its ubiquitous. Although just because its for kids doesn't mean its junky.

People fall into the trap of thinking its all the same. My dc2 had a burger and chips on a kids menu the other day, sounds junky and frozen/processed, right? But it wasn't, it was small version of the handmade gourmet burgers that were on the adults menu, even the bread and sauces were made in house. The chips were hand cut and twice fried.
what's wrong with that? Nothing, that's what. It's just stupid snobbishness that makes you assume your kid eating something you think is better is actually better.

RoseWhiteTips · 27/01/2018 19:37

BigFatGoalie

Each to their own.
My child eats anything and always has, I just consider myself lucky.
I doubt they “bitched” at you because your child had calamari...hmm

I am amazed a child would eat raw squid - it was sushi-type squid, I presume, given you are Japanese?

(One sweeping statement deserves another...)

TatianaLarina · 27/01/2018 19:37

Excellent, Saturday night MN food thread.

With added jingoism.

Good job I have wine!

Amen. I’m off out, have a good one. Wine

Remy068 · 27/01/2018 19:38

Cherry if you have an issue with what I said you know you can talk to me about it instead of someone who quoted me.

I stand by the opinion that it is very insulting to insinuate that you must be so grateful to live somewhere that you must never criticise it ever in any way. Even in a minor way like this.

Dismissing an entire country as brash and rude is unacceptable, too.

Saying people should go elsewhere if they disagree or dislike something (particularly this minor) is unacceptable. Would you say the same to a British person? I'm not so sure...

Even British people probably have problems with Britain. I can't think of anywhere I've been even in holiday that has been 100% perfect.

Cherrycokewinning · 27/01/2018 19:39

Sorry remy I don’t know who are you are or what you said. I think you have rather missed the point of my post though....

Taffeta · 27/01/2018 19:41

Yawn

Competitive parenting using food accepted by kid

Yah my kid eats chilli scrotum

Yawn

TaliZorahVasNormandy · 27/01/2018 19:42

I wondered if the bun in this bunfight is off the kids menu.

frozenlake · 27/01/2018 19:43

I do think this serving kid's menus happens more in UK and US but allowances for DC liking smaller portions of less spiced foods seems more universal. We have travelled and lived in a few countries and most either have some kids menus or will suggest DC friendly food on their menus.
I was very smug when my DC were younger and ate avocado but not chips, now they won't touch avocado and like chips. DC's eating habits change all of the time and only some of this is parent led.

ILikeyourHairyHands · 27/01/2018 19:44

Have fun Tatiana, DH is away so this is my entertainment for the evening, I have a feeling it will still be going when you get back...

jaimelannistersgoldenhand · 27/01/2018 19:44

You just have to look at a typical UK supermarket's seafood section to see the limited variety of seafood (especially compared to a Japanese one) Eating Squid and Octopus is considered fairly exotic and is often treated as something gross to eat in kids programmes and film. (In Japan it's just street food)

RoseWhiteTips · 27/01/2018 19:45

shitty kids food
What a sad thing to say about the food children eat.Sad

ChiaraRimini · 27/01/2018 19:46

I have always worked full time and I am not running a cafe in my house. I don't understand why anyone would make extra work by cooking separate kids and adults meals. certain things were off the agenda when mine were tiny -eg stir fries, quiche. We had to compromise a bit but far easier to do that than make 2 meals every night!

Original poster
StandardRussian66 · 27/01/2018 19:46

Clearly a lot of people have actually misunderstood this post. Oh well. I’m off to eat a huge plate of chicken fingers.

OP posts:
oblada · 27/01/2018 19:46

Again - this bland eating thing does occur in many children regardless of parenting!! And heritage!
My 6yrs old eats v bland food at the moment but yes I could show off when she was 18months and was blw/guzzling fine dining like nobody's business... Unfortunately we cannot control everything about our kids... They grow up... So to those goady comments about 'my 2yrs old eats everything' or even as the OP 'my 3yrs old eats squid' - let's wait a few years shall we and maybe 1 or 2 siblings and see how you fare?

ChiaraRimini · 27/01/2018 19:47

Also my kids love making home made sushi. Feel free to hate me but it's true.

taskmaster · 27/01/2018 19:48

I don't understand why anyone would make extra work by cooking separate kids and adults meals. certain things were off the agenda when mine were tiny -eg stir fries, quiche. We had to compromise a bit but far easier to do that than make 2 meals every night!

Haven't you just answered your own question? They do it when they want to eat things that the kids can't or won't eat.

ChiaraRimini · 27/01/2018 19:49

Calamari is deep fried, surely it's just as beige as chicken nuggets?