Adult and child foods? A British thing?

[StandardRussian66]

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?

Incidentally, spices are things which have always been imported from a long way away. It's only recently that they have been freely available at affordable prices.

British dishes have traditionally been flavoured with much milder tasting herbs which were grown in our climate more easily and were plentifully available. So our food heritage does tend to be dishes which other cultures might consider 'bland' because they are more subtlety flavoured.

In fact, for a foreigner to criticise that food culture is somewhat like a Brit going to Spain or India and refusing to 'eat owt of that their foreign muck' and depending on their own supply of pot noodles and Stag Tins washed down with Typhoo.

*That there

I work in a restaurant (pub) & we have a great kids menu, not least because the chef and the owner have kids. But loads of restaurants have set menus and won't do small portions of stuff from the main menu. & loads of places especially yer greasy spoon type places only serve stuff like disgusting sausages or frozen chicken nuggets. I found eating out when my kids were very wee difficult due to lack of choice. For the record I did blw & I have one who will eat & one who is fussy. But I've learned to relax about it. The last thing I want is to foster food issues

Both of my kids would eat anything put in front of them until age 2, then had very fussy eating phases for a year or two. But I've always served the same meals up for all of us and gently encouraged them to try new things, rather than relying on 'kids food'. They'll eat anything now (except baked beans).

Strangely, the foods that DS2 would eat weren't the sort of thing you'd expect of a fussy child. He's wolf down spicy curry, olives and chili, but refuse chips and anything bland. Maybe he just has no taste buds .

I hate it when restaurants have children's menus which is just chicken nuggets, sausage and fish fingers. It's not what my kids liked but they couldn't eat an adult sized portion of something they did fancy.

I do agree with OP. I have worked and eaten at quite a few establishments where they have ‘children’s munus’ Which consist of fish fingers, pizza, burger or sausages with chips beans/peas. I have been to a couple places that just offer smaller portions of the ‘adult menu’. I think it’s just become a habit in the U.K. to feed our kids simple kids food when kids can actually eat what we eat.

I have one fussy dd and one that will eat anything, I let them chose from whatever menu they like but I think kids are drawn to the kids menus due to the way they are presented (usually colourful with characters on them) plus the price.

A lot of places do now offer healthier kids options, pasta dishes, spag bowl and salad.

I agree children should try eating all sorts of food. My dd (5) eats kippered mackerel fillets with new potatoes chives and lemon juice for breakfast with her dad and has done since she was 2! I cant stand it but wouldnt stop her trying anything! Sometimes she has different to us if shes eating before us (ie straight after school (4pm) before dad gets home from work (shes in bed at 6 so would rather her not eat much later most days) but most days she eats the same as us, pasta, spaghetti, veg, chicken, sausage, spam you name it. Variety is good . But also at 3 i did allow dd pouches as an in between snack!! Each to their own at the end of the day!

I thought the point was that children's menus were supposed to be relatively inexpensive, I think that often they are discounted a lot to provide 3 courses and a drink for £6 or 7, or even less. I really like that!

I don't think it is a British thing. My son was eating scaled down versions of our food by age 2. We went to Paris and he ate lunch at the house of friends who had a child about the same age. The pasta was tiny little pasta shapes that came from a bag of pasta for kids. It was tepid and in a soupy sauce. The next day we lunched out at a cafe and he ate garlic bread and normal sized pasta.

However, in Portugal I remember a friend's daughter eating spicy chorizo, sizzling hot and oily also aged 2.

My son eats most things and generally just has a few he doesn't like. Just like adults. He's 12, he mostly dislikes the same things that he did as a small child - peas, avocado, sweetcorn and fish fingers. He loves scallops and it has sometimes been remarked that this is unusual and twice people have said that this is 'expensive tastes'. Erm, what are we supposed to do? There are 3 of us and what sort of mother would I be if I said 'we're having scallops, would like fish fingers?'

I think some people are not adventurous and it filters down. Not sure about the Heinz thing. Is baby food really that big these days?

My DC could use chopsticks by age 3 and they devour the same spicy/exotic food as we adults eat at home. BUT!!!!!! I'm ethnic Chinese and was brought up in SE Asia, so it's hardly surprising, nor rocket science, nor remotely brag-worthy, as that is what they find familiar.

Ironically, when we eat out, we often encourage the DC to order from the children's menu because it's usually the best deal (some menus offer starter, main, dessert and a drink) or there's even a Kids Eat Free from the children's menu.

I get comments for giving my ds (since 12 months, now 20) olives

I find children's menus odd, always frozen rubbish with chips and peas usually. Both mine order from the adults menu although usually a smaller portion e.g. out at a steak restaurant and kids menu is fish fingers, chicken nuggets etc my 8yo DD will order a 5oz steak and ask for smaller sides. The culture for kids to only eat frozen rubbish when eating out is weird imo.

I find children's menus odd, always frozen rubbish with chips and peas usually.

If that’s the kids menus you’re reading, you’re going to cheapo chains in the main?

Independent restaurants usually have a lovely selection. Essentially same as adults but smaller and without, for example, chillis.

My kids eat most, but not all food, they'll happily eat calamari, fish, olives etc. If we're having curry or chilli, we remove a portion that is lightly spiced before adding hot chillies but otherwise they are pretty good eaters. I will also happily feed them chicken nuggets and chips if they want However, I have never had anyone comment negatively about it. Maybe you need different dinner companions if they are bitching at you. It sounds most unpleasant.

I would suggest if your going to a steakhouse and the childrens menu is fish fingers and chicken nuggets then your steakhouse is definitely not worth the humble brag and suggest you go to a proper one, preferably with fresh steak.

Now that is a humblebrag !

Whilst on holiday a few months ago I watched a child of about 6, with her dad, eat plates of octopus, prawns, scallops, oysters, paella, olives etc and she was thoroughly enjoying it. I know my kids would eat it (perhaps not the olives) but I know dozens who would have no idea what it was and wouldn't touch it as it didn't come with chips! I weaned my own with whatever we were we having and love that neither are fussy eaters and my DD will try absolutely anything the only thing she hates are peas

... and the stealth boasters are back now!
How do you nominate a thread for Classics?

Cathf was that meant for me??

We have twins. Son is very much meat and potatoes. Daughter likes olives, pate, and all sorts of food not traditionally considered child food.

I think it become a thing since food marketing has had more of an influence

Ds has nearly always had what I have at home but likes children’s food as well

It’s not only the UK obviously in the states it’s a huge market. We also have a very wide range of international food on offer in our supermarkets more so than I have seen in many other countries but British food can be bland (and delicious) so if that’s all a child has had children’s food will appeal

I don't like the assumption in many chains that Kitts will only eat chicken nuggets, fingers, burgers etc as they're both boring and unhealthy. Fortunately my dd prefers proper food from the main menu so we just order a smaller plate.
And at home she eats a smaller portion of whatever we're having, I couldn't be doing with cooking different meals, and I think everyone eating the same discourages fussiness.
I've no idea where the "kid food" idea came from the.

My DC used to get so fed up with children's menus of nuggets and sausage and chips. They loved it when restaurants offered half portions of usual meals. I think all restaurants should do this.

My DC always had the same as us at home where possible given and still do apart from one now being vegetarian.

no, they are probably more processed. but she prefers them. that's why its not 'smuggery' but just a different kind of normal.

When ours were smaller I tended to order meals for them to share or give them some of ours if I knew the portions were large. It depends where you eat and how fussy they are. Mine quite liked a bit of variety at that age and often prefer the adult options now (8 and 10), it depends what mood they are in. When we are abroad, they have to eat what comes, which is never kiddy food, I'm not sure it exists in most other countries.