Page 7 | Toddler pack lunch in cafes

Caspianberg · 07/02/2022 16:49

I take snacks if we will be in a restaurant with potential long wait time for 1 year old. Fruit/ breadsticks to keep him going. He then eats some of our meal, and I usually order an extra starter as his ‘meal’

In a cafe he will just eat own meal. We mainly go for breakfast and I usually get him scrambled eggs, or croissant or pancakes and fruit.

BattenbergdowntheHatches · 07/02/2022 16:50

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Original poster

Casheeeew · 07/02/2022 16:51

To PP:

I have taken it on board. I'm going to buy him something. But other people have agreed that snacks are okay. So I will be bringing stuff, such as cubes of cheese and a petit filous and a satsuma to pad out the toast. Snacks is kind of a grey area, no?

I don't want to be a CF. I love the cafes I go to. I also want my son fed well, or else I wouldn't go to a cafe after his toddler groups I'd just to home.

OP posts:

RegardingMary · 07/02/2022 16:52

It would completely depend on portion sizes to me. I govto one cafe regularly which provides a toddler sized meal, which I happily pay for. But I do begrudge paying £7.50 for a kids meal at another local cafe so take food along.

One or my girls had such a poor appetite I didn't buy her food when we were out until she was around 4. She'd have maybe one bite and be done.

Mambles · 07/02/2022 16:54

My eldest DS is 2 and has a deathly egg allergy, so I always have a box of food in my bag just in case, but if there is something he can and will eat on the menu, I'll always order it, even if it's just a portion of chips.

mizzo · 07/02/2022 16:54

And yes he could have toast but one cafe we go to every Wednesday, so I wouldn't want him to only eat toast regularly.

Toast for one meal out of 21 is fine, just give him some fruit or cheese or whatever from home to eat in the pushchair when you leave.

Do you need some help with knowing what he can and can't eat? I'm absolutely not meaning this in a patronising way but the toast and the sausage comment seem like you aren't sure. Apologies if this isn't the case.

Changechangychange · 07/02/2022 16:55

Yep I’d split my meal with DS. They don’t eat much at that age.

If your toddler eats half your toastie, that just means you have space for cake!

DiamondBright · 07/02/2022 16:56

I worked in various pubs and cafes in my student days and none of them would have allowed you to give a child of that age food not purchased on the premises.

In one we would also have declined to heat up homemade baby food, it was, as I recall more about the potential for someone to fall ill from eating food that hadn't been made on the premises, rather than lost profit. But also someone making a coffee and a muffin last an hour or more while a toddler drops home made crumbs everywhere is just annoying.

Iris18 · 07/02/2022 16:56

I have avoided cafes and restaurants for this reason as my toddler has several food allergies and I don’t feel I can get away with bringing my own food anymore. I feel like a CF for even asking to bring food but I don’t see how anyone could safely cater for his allergies as there are so many.

ChocolateMassacre · 07/02/2022 16:57

I think this is fine. The children's menu is designed for children, not babies and toddlers. An 18 month old is still a baby really. Pointless to buy them something if they're not going to eat any of it... such a waste of food.

Really it depends on whether the restaurant staff are OK with it. I've eaten in family-friendly cafes etc. where the staff are clearly fine with parents bringing food for very young children. I probably wouldn't go somewhere that insisted that I buy a full meal for a 1 year old.

2022HereWeCome · 07/02/2022 16:57

OP - it's absolutely fine to bring your toddler snacks. I think some posters are being unreasonable to say you are a CF.

I had to provide DS own food for years as he is lactose intolerant and it was impossible to find stuff he could eat. I would order your items and say you are sharing food with your toddler - can you have an extra plate - and supplement with some stuff you've brought with you. Frankly I expect the cafe would prefer to receive your regular customer than worry about what your toddler is eating

Isonthecase · 07/02/2022 16:58

I'd think it's fine to top up cafe food with home snacks in case he doesn't like it but probably a bit cheeky not to at least buy him a babycinno and a slice of toast.

Silverswirl · 07/02/2022 16:59

@WindyState

If it's not about the money then find a cafe which sells food suitable for your kid.

Pretty much all Cafes won’t sell foods suitable for toddlers though. The foods are catered for adults. And I can tell you, if it’s a choice between the two cafes would far rather that parents of toddlers go and order adult food only (giving their toddler something healthy from home) rather than no parents coming at all.

sausagepastapot · 07/02/2022 16:59

As a cafe owner it wouldn't and doesn't bother me in the slightest, as long as you're spending an amount of money on something. I honestly think its absolutely fine, and nothing to clutch pearls over whatsoever.

Original poster

Casheeeew · 07/02/2022 17:01

@mizzo

And yes he could have toast but one cafe we go to every Wednesday, so I wouldn't want him to only eat toast regularly.

Toast for one meal out of 21 is fine, just give him some fruit or cheese or whatever from home to eat in the pushchair when you leave.

Do you need some help with knowing what he can and can't eat? I'm absolutely not meaning this in a patronising way but the toast and the sausage comment seem like you aren't sure. Apologies if this isn't the case.

No offense taken, I'd definitely admit I'm overly cautious and very keen on him eating balanced meals.

He eats all kinds of crazy stuff, though, we let him be adventurous. (Just no chips 🤣)

But I do worry about salt.

The sausage comment is me being overly cautious. The toast comment is because who would only eat toast for lunch? no one and students :P

OP posts:

containsnuts · 07/02/2022 17:02

@Casheeeew

I eat a about 3 cafes near me regularly, but only once per week, occasionally twice. I have always taken my son (18months) a full packed lunch, and I buy myself lunch and a coffee.

Its never occured to me to question this until today. Is he too old to be having home brought food?

They do have a kids menu but I prefer him to have a selection of things to pick at that I know he'll like.

Aibu - or if not, how long before he's too old?

Depends how formal the setting and time of day. I often take a packed lunch for DCs to musuem cafe or castle tea room etc. They want lunch at 11.30 when I just want coffee. I often order a coffee and scone to share with DC who will have a sandwich and banana etc too. Nobody has ever challenged us. Wouldn't dream of bringing packed lunch to proper restaurant though.

Howeverdoyouneedme · 07/02/2022 17:02

I do this with my three year old. Cafes rarely seem to have anything he’d eat so I get a coffee and something. He gets a new nibbles in a box, maybe a juice or babycino. No one has ever said anything. Also, I go in well before lunch so I’m not taking up a table, and we’re out quickly.

Silverswirl · 07/02/2022 17:02

@mizzo

And yes he could have toast but one cafe we go to every Wednesday, so I wouldn't want him to only eat toast regularly.

Toast for one meal out of 21 is fine, just give him some fruit or cheese or whatever from home to eat in the pushchair when you leave.

Do you need some help with knowing what he can and can't eat? I'm absolutely not meaning this in a patronising way but the toast and the sausage comment seem like you aren't sure. Apologies if this isn't the case.

Calling people a CF when you say something like this. Okay then. What a vile underhanded sneaky, bitchy thing to say

lisaandalan · 07/02/2022 17:04

I always do it, you can monitor what they eat and healthier on the whole. X

scottishnames · 07/02/2022 17:04

I genuinely don't know the answer to what I'm going to ask:
are there legal/health and safety regulations about this. For instance, is a cafe owner legally responsible for all the food consumed on the premises?

I do agree with previous poster who pointed out that the cost of food at cafes is not related to the cost of the ingredients. Cafe owners have to pay for rent, rates, staff wages, heating, lighting, broadband, cleaning and redecoration, advertising, staff training, repairs/replacements, consumables (napkins etc), toilet facilities, insurance etc etc etc as well as the food ingredients. Plus probably the cost of licensing if they serve alcohol.

Lockdownbear · 07/02/2022 17:04

@DappledThings

I couldn't be arsed bringing any food out with me as soon as it was possible not to. Which was pretty much straight away. I shared a lot of lunches. Bits of sandwiches and jacket potatoes. Why create extra work for yourself bringing your own food?

Pretty much my thoughts. I only started buying them their own when they were eating too much of mine.

Lampshading · 07/02/2022 17:05

@Casheeeew

To PP:

I have taken it on board. I'm going to buy him something. But other people have agreed that snacks are okay. So I will be bringing stuff, such as cubes of cheese and a petit filous and a satsuma to pad out the toast. Snacks is kind of a grey area, no?

I don't want to be a CF. I love the cafes I go to. I also want my son fed well, or else I wouldn't go to a cafe after his toddler groups I'd just to home.

Its not really a grey area, if you go to a cafe then buy food rather than take your own

2022HereWeCome · 07/02/2022 17:05

Op I'm with you on being concerned about the salt and I likewise would not have considered giving a toddler juice or chips at this age. No need for it.

SpiderVersed · 07/02/2022 17:06

Gods, OP, don’t take a satsuma! Imagine your nice café lunch arrives but all you can smell is the the orange peel from the lady in a corner with her toddler - not on.

Stick to foods without a strong smell if you’re bringing snacks into a café.

HardbackWriter · 07/02/2022 17:07

Basically, it's not about the money, and he's a really good eater he loves all kinds of different food, but I like to know exactly what he's eating.

Then eating out isn't really for you, is it?