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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU - Child friendly kids menu...

488 replies

Blearymorningeyes · 13/07/2020 09:19

Is there such a thing as a "child friendly" kids menu? Surely all kids menus are child friendly?!

I invited my SIL to my favourite Mexican restaurant for my birthday. She has 2 DC, ages 4 and 7.

I sent her the kids menu to look at, which has mini versions of Mexican fare such as fajitas, nachos and enchiladas, plus some "plainer" things too, such as chicken breast with mash. She just messaged me saying "Hi Bleary, can we please choose a different restaurant, because the kids menu doesn't really look very child friendly?". I feel sad as I and was so looking forward to going to this particular restaurant for my birthday and I don't see why her kids wouldn't like at least one thing on the menu - it's pretty standard, isn't it?! By "child friendly" does that translate to "It doesn't have sausages/fish fingers and chips"?

AIBU in thinking that my birthday restaurant choice shouldn't be changed because of this?

I hate confrontation... Help!

OP posts:
RubbishRobotFromTheDawnOfTime · 15/07/2020 11:52

[quote rayoflightboy]@RubbishRobotFromTheDawnOfTime It's true for me.[/quote]
What, you say your children don’t like things because you don’t like them? Or you know someone who does this?

How does that mean it’s true for other people as well? I’ve just told you it doesn’t apply to me for a start.

RubbishRobotFromTheDawnOfTime · 15/07/2020 11:53

@ittakes2

If my children don’t like a menu for a function I would feed them beforehand and they then have a side or something at the restaurant and dessert.
That’s what I would do too. Seems an easy enough solution.
tiredandemosh1 · 15/07/2020 14:07

@Blearymorningeyes when is your birthday meal? Please come back and tell us how it goes!
Hope it all works out and you have a lovely time Smile

cricketmum84 · 15/07/2020 15:13

@RubbishRobotFromTheDawnOfTime honestly don't let it stress you out. I have a 15yo who spent a year only eating macaroni cheese, sausage and bananas at age 3 despite being weaned on a vast selection of homemade veg filled foods. I drove myself round the bend getting worried about nutrition and slowly but surely she just started eating normally again. Apart from the chips and ice cream thing she will eat anything now and is a very accomplished chef.

grey12 · 15/07/2020 15:20

Actually I was very happy when you described the kids menu! Every restaurant I've been with the kids (not many... but still) is always the same food!! Pasta with tomato sauce, breaded chicken with chips, maybe a plain burger?

We tend to order side dishes or starters as a main for our kids. If we're going to the restaurant is to eat food that is different from what we have at home! (Within limits for the kids......)

Meinmytree · 15/07/2020 16:59

Your birthday, your choice. As a child I'd have loved to have had that option, instead of sausages / fishfingers / chicken nuggets with chips and beans or peas. As an adult I love places that do that for when I want a smaller meal - most places are accommodating to that.

She could feed the kids before. Or leave them at home.

user1471590586 · 15/07/2020 18:11

My son is autistic and has massive sensory issues including being fussy about food. In that scenario he would eat the rice but not the chicken unless it has breadcrumbs. Won't eat mash either. It makes it difficult to eat out sometimes, he needs plain foods that aren't mixed. I think we all have foods we don't like. I would struggle in a Mexican restaurant. I love Chinese, Indian etc but really don't like Mexican.

StripyHorse · 15/07/2020 19:06

We had similar with BIL1. He demanded to go to pizza hut, and MIL sided with him and told SIL2 and I we would have to stay in with our DCs.

The thing was, we had travelled up to stay near SIL2 for her daughter's 2nd birthday. DD was just over 1 then... SIL2 and I just wanted to go to a pub or somewhere with a wider menu... especially as we would give DD some of ours if we picked roast dinner or cottage pie etc.

BIL1s chn were 7 and 8 but the birthday girl age 2, her cousin and 2 adults had to stay home because the older children wanted pizza hut!

What made it even worse is that pizza hut was full and they all went to a pub which is what we wanted in the first place!

Coronabegone · 15/07/2020 22:44

Bit confused by your post @StripyHorse but why couldn't you go to Pizza Hut?

Sally872 · 16/07/2020 00:05

@stripeyhorse I don't understand why you couldn't go to pizza hut? Are you comparing OP to your "demanding" bil?

ThumbWitchesAbroad · 16/07/2020 04:19

No, stripeyhorse is comparing the OP's demanding SIL to her own demanding BIL.

In her case, the birthday girl was the 2yo who was told to stay home if they didn't want to go to Pizza Hut.

You would THINK that the birthday girl's family would get the choice, like with the OP, wouldn't you - but no, in Stripey's case, it was the BIL who got his way.

Temp123999 · 16/07/2020 04:37

Why do four and seven year olds need different food from teens?
I thought point of kid's menu was smaller portions.
When we took kids abroad when they were toddlers just asked restaurant to split a portion between them

cheeseismydownfall · 16/07/2020 06:55

@Temp123999, because not all parents are perfect like you, obviously. Because some of us, despite our very, very best efforts, managed to raise children who didn't like trying new foods when they were young, and liked their meals to be bland and predictable. The shame of it.

rookiemere · 16/07/2020 07:25

This thread is funny. OP was very explicitly not in the business of criticising DCs with limited diets. Her grouse was specifically about rudeness of SIL complaining about limited children's menu.

DS was a fussy sod, still is kind of as a teen. I've told him from a young age that if he's eating with other people, I don't care what he does or doesn't eat, but he needs to be polite about it. And that's all that needs to happen her - DCs fill up in advance or eat plain tortillas.

And yes for some fussy DCs even plainish Mexican food doesn't work. We had this in Disney world when DS rejected the children's cheese tortilla wraps - can't remember why but I do remember it being a complete pain to get some totally plain bread.

Crackerofdoom · 16/07/2020 07:37

My DS1 is a really fussy eater. I have a very low-conflict strategy for dealing with it so I never force him to eat something he doesn't want to and I never make him go hungry.

However, I think it is a good exercise for him to go to restaurants and be surrounded by food outside his normal comfort zone. It encourages him to see people enjoying other food and although he is not under any pressure, I don't think it does him any good to only go to restaurants where he gets the same 3 options as a child.

I always have a snack in my bag and he knows that if he doesn't eat anything, he can have toast when he gets home.

MyShinyWhiteTeeth · 16/07/2020 07:39

I hear a lot of 'I don't like this' when really they mean 'it's not my favourite'.

Standardy · 16/07/2020 07:42

That's a really good approach @Crackerofdoom

MyShinyWhiteTeeth · 16/07/2020 07:44

I have also worked with children that genuinely struggle with different textures and flavours. Crackerofdoom's post is spot on.

Somevampsarehot · 16/07/2020 07:59

I'm not quite sure how the sil is a bitch?! She requested they change the restaurant, op said no and she replied saying that's fine and explaining why she had requested it. No argument or falling out over it. Yes she was cheeky to ask in the first place, but maybe she finds eating out with her kids stressful whilst they're going through a fussy phase. Also, it's hilarious that op thinks she's being passive aggressive because she didn't state how excited she was about the occasion. It's your bday op, not hers, and she'll have her fussy kids to deal with!

Shizzlestix · 16/07/2020 09:04

Awfully cheeky of her to ask you to change when it’s your birthday and you’ve chosen where you want to go! Good for you sticking to your guns.

Temp123999 · 16/07/2020 09:49

@Sirzy
That's obviously more than just "fussy* eating

Temp123999 · 16/07/2020 09:55

It's only in the uk and the states that people seem to take pride in their child being "fussy"
Also I would add that a child who exists on chicken nuggets, fish gingers and chips is not that fussy at all just poorly parented!

BacklashStarts · 16/07/2020 09:59

I think you handled that well. It was really unreasonable of her. I have a child who is very fussy but I understand that that is for me to handle and if I’m really worried about it I will speak to dd before we go about having taste when we get home or something else and in general focus on her not pulling weird faces because she’s taken against food. I wouldn’t ask someone to go somewhere else. In extreme though I might decline.

Temp123999 · 16/07/2020 10:23

@Mummadeeze
Why would you give your toddler a happy meal in the first place?
If you don't buy it she's unable to go to the drive in and order it herself.
Some of these fussy children are due parents not promoting good nutrition.
I'm not saying never giving a child something like McDonald's occasionally but wait till they ask for it.
My two had first McDonald's at seven as they were invited to a birthday party and by that time they were eating sushi olives etc from aged two.
How on earth do you feed them on holiday's

BacklashStarts · 16/07/2020 10:35

Ah the old, my children love sushi. My quintessential favour MN stealth boast! I’m only teasing, so don’t get in a snit. But that is prime MN bingo!

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