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?

Perfume, so true! Try giving a three year old mushrooms in Italy, the old ladies will be having heart attacks that you could be so irresponsible. Don't you know mushrooms are pure poison to young children?!

Kids in Italy invariably eat pasta al burro or pasta pomodoro while their parents are eating their meals. It could not be more standard.

I have not been to Italy.
I was just making an observation about my experience in England and asking if anyone else had the same experience. Some people have, some people haven’t.

I'm not sure about the OP, but this has turned into the usual stealth boast roundup, which always includes:

1. Toddlers who are so varied in their tastes that no-one can believe their eyes;
2. Faux amazement that all toddlers do not eat as well as the pfb;
3. Complete disbelief that everyone does not 'eat as a family'. This anecdote usually involves explaining to relative's and/or friends the error of their ways;
4. Despite often stating otherwise, a secret conviction that the fact their toddler eats everything is down to their superior parenting.

I haven't read the whole thread, but I guess they will all be there, they always are.

yup, all there.

Haha not at all. I oredered a main of calamari and fries to share with toddler. I spent less than everyone else. (If I was hungrier though I would’ve spent a lot!)

Forgot one more - the humblebrag about the child's dietary preferences, followed by (strange child!)

The only thing I have ever found straight for my child to eat was when she bit into a lime and didn’t even make a face, just ate the wedge

Strange*

I agree with you OP. We stayed clear of family friendly places when DD was old enough to come out and eat a proper meal.
An example, 5pm on Boxing Day after the Panto one year, several hundred families poured out of the theatre and many headed for the usual Frankie and Benny type places in town. We cut down a side streat straight into a pretty empty Turkish restaurant and had Meze and DD survived happily on pitta bread, hummus, a bit of salad and a type of kebab from the normal menu. I think some people are scared to let their kids try different things.

It is a bit of a British thing - not in every family, but in many families.

The UK has become the "fat man of Europe" with the highest level of obesity in Western Europe, unfortunately. Obesity levels in the UK have more than trebled in the last 30 years. One in four British adults is obese, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation. At the way things are going at the moment, and the feeding habits of many families, half the population could be obese by 2050.

Yup, if my toddler was living in Italy then the standard toddler diet is lots of pastina (baby pasta) and minestra (veg soup with pasta). All fruit must be peeled OR ELSE

Mine have gone off calamari because it's "too chewy".

I hope you congratulated yourself on your obviously superior parenting, Maddie.

@catf spot on!

Pita and hummous is hardly adventerous. No more than a child menu at Frankie and Benny

I wish our DCs would choose food from the kids menu!

They are extremely adventurous which is great, but expensive.

My kids eat anything pretty much. We don't do separate meals at home. However as the kids meals are cheaper than the adult ones I would try and get those anyway if I can, unless the restaurant are prepared to make smaller, cheaper portions from the adult menu.

We only eat together at weekends as she has tea at nursery.

My family are from Italy, France and Spain and I’ve never seen children eating different food from the adults. It’s ridiculous!

cherry

Or shouting at the waiter or clicking her fingers maybe? Russians are so rude and arrogant

Wtf.

It also depends what the parents eat. If you are a typical spag bol family then obviously you all eat the same meals.

My family are from Italy, France and Spain and I’ve never seen children eating different food from the adults. It’s ridiculous!

have you actually been there? Because its completely standard. I lived in Italy when my dc1 was aged 0-4 and frequently went to France as well. It was totally and utterly the norm.