To despair at the quality and choice of kids menus?

[KerfuffleShuffle]

I'm currently in a major UK city with DD 5 years for 14 nights for DH's work. We're in a hotel so need to eat out at least once a day. I am absolutely fed up of the dross that makes ups kids menus. Just endless variations of cheap quality m nuggets/sausages and chips or bland pasta meals/margherita pizza. The only veg options are beans/peas or veggie stick starters.

I get that some children like the predictability of these meals, but what about the many children who don't? What about the children who enjoy a variety of foods and flavours? These aren't chain pubs where I understand these types of menu totally have their place and serve a need, but rather restaurants which have fresh and creative full adult menus.

I'm not anti junk at all, my DD is known to enjoy a happy meal more than I would like for admit -and thank goodness for fish fingers and potato waffles for a quick evening meal. But I wouldn't go out and order a freezer meal I can make at home, so why should children be expected to?

With garlic butter, but only posh Waitrose No 1 will do as they use proper chicken
i must admit these are far far away from a dry nuggett

I used to order an adult starter as ds’ main, a seafood risotto or some calamari and a green salad.

He usually had that, with a glass of water and an ice cream.

Ah Waitrose, of course. I forgot all chicken nuggets are dry and made with pretend chickens.

If anyone ever asks me what Mumsnet is like, I’ll point them to this thread.

Mine is only 2 so she often shares ours if there’s nothing good on the kids menu. It’s hit and miss. I find independent restaurants are more accommodating like Indians. As someone else said a lot of Italians offer pasta as a starter or a main so you can just get the smaller portion.

I reserve my despair for some parents who feed their kids like this 7 days a week and who'd kick off big time if the Kid's Menu featured

Mini salmon fillet with buttered new potatoes and a trio of steamed veg.

In fairness to the restaurants, they are offering what is most commonly demanded. My DD always fancied a curry or the noodle bar over nuggets and chips. Nuggets were not a common offering at home.

Agree about Wagamama - it's a favourite with us. Nando's kids menu at least offers the real stuff too.

At least with some decent places they do things like a small fish and chips, which is proper fish rather than mass produced fish fingers.

We gravitate to places that do small plates you order lots of so DD (7) can try lots of things that way. Otherwise she tends to order whatever pasta dish they have (or good fish and chips) then steal whatever more interesting things we order. In some ways it works well in that she has a base meal that's safe so she's then more willing to try new stuff from us. We also share dishes to mix it up. I love having different bits of things so works well for us.

Our local Italian restaurant will let you order any pasta dish as a "starter" portion. It's perfect for her!

Best menus would be a couple of basic things with chips for nervous kids, an actually good pasta dish, then a few more interesting options in smaller portions.

I love places that will do small steaks and things, not just sausages. Easy if they have a mixed grill on their main menu so they have small steaks anyway.

I often choose a starter and a side if I don't fancy any of the mains! (e.g. calamari which I love is usually a starter so I get some with either a salad or fries).

I have one fussy DC so am grateful for the very bland options, but my eldest is an adventurous eater so we just get him an adult meal now (at 10). Before he'd get a kids meal and a bit of mine/DHs main.

Totally agree. My kids have had more than their share of junk but have very rarely had a kids meal. When they were very small they would gum on a baguette, then would have french beans and brocolli - which would kept them occupied all meal as they would try and pick the beans out of the skin before eating them. As they were
eating they progressed to sharing a starter, then a starter each or splitting a main and so on. When we would go out with now x mil or x fil they would at liberty tell the waiter oh the kids will have the nuggets and chips. As soon as they could talk they were outraged at that. Big fans of nuggets in McDs though.

Totally agree! As a one off it’s not too bad but on a holiday it can feel really depressing. Also it robs kids of the opportunity to try new things which is the joy of eating out. More often these days I try to order a selection from the main menu and we all just share.

Chains won't because all the food comes prepared and portioned ready for Chef Ping and his friend D Fryer.

I am envious of all the adventurous eating non fussy kids. Mine are hugely fussy, even though 99% of what they eat is completely home made and I have tried a huge variety of food on them. Did all the 'right' things, eaten out from babies, always shared our food, never had baby or kids food at home they just 'ate what we ate' but slowly but surely they reject things until we have a basic menu of meatballs and pasta, spaghetti Bolognese, Chilli con-carne, toad in the hole, jacket potato with beans, (homemade pizza) and (homemade) chicken kievs. All of course only 'mums' recipe, change it up and its rejected. Leave the tomato chunks too big in the sause and its rejected, blitz the sause to make it smooth and its rejected, use a different herb in the kiev - rejected, too much spice - rejected.

Sometimes sausage and chips from the kids menu is a relief to me.

@maddiemookins16mum "In fairness to the restaurants, they are offering what is most commonly demanded."

Indeed. I'm afraid a high proportion of kids are brought up on chicken nuggets and frozen pizza in this country. Whenever I go back to Italy it gladdens my heart to see young kids eating raw shellfish straight off the morning's catch and loving it!

Sounds like you need to research the kids menu before you go. Alternatively if your DD will happily eat the same food as you maybe seek out restaurants where they do tapas/ small plate type dining where instead of each ordering your own meal you get food for the table and just dish out DD a smaller portion than you and DH.

A meaty/fishy starter with a vegetable/salad side can be a proper meal, I used to do this when DC were kids.

I work in restaurant, we absolutely would not do half main courses for kids only because we can't put it through the till, however we can do creative things with the kids meals if people ask/want so swap chips for rice or kids burger for a wrap...beans for broccoli ect..

You could share something from the main menu with your child.

Agree, Wagamama’s is excellent and so well priced too!

Mumsnet isn't reality. When I think of the kids who've come over for playdates, nearly all have wanted safe, bland food - burgers, sausages, pizza, breaded chicken, chicken burger etc. Mine aren't super fussy, we've always had curries and noodles at home (though less good with veg than the average mumsnet child), but on occasion over the years it's been good to see something they will 100% eat on a kids menu. This year my youngest is a preteen and wouldn't even look at the kids menu, so things change, kids change and become more adventurous.

It does annoy me that so many kids menus are the same. Daughter used to be delighted to see the odd spaghetti bolog on the list - but even then she couldn't be sure of getting a decent, flavoursome one, or a boiled down kids version that was basically just chopped toms and mince.

Just buy them meals from the adult /normal menu ! Thats what I do with my three.
some restaurants even do a half-size and halt-cost adult meal or side dish if you ask them.

Well, both "realities" can be true. My son will eat a wild diet at nursery, and eats Thai and Indian food at home if we make it, etc. But out and about, I have no problem with safe options - it can be important to get a meal into them sometimes. I wouldn't expect a friend to put their neck on the line creating something adventurous on a playdate!

But tbh as an adult I think that "oohhhh, we're so adventurous, such foodies" types tedious. I grew up in a rural area without many food options, then I ended up expanding my palate lot when I got older. The majority of children worldwide grow up eating the local cuisine only without their parents wanking on about the fact that "ohhhhh, they only eat Chinese/Ethiopian/Slovenian food".

I agree Mumsnet is not reality, most kids I’ve known would absolutely choose chicken nuggets and chips/ pizza on a menu supply and demand

Those questioning why I would say out for 14 days. Dhs company book him a family room but won't book self catering in their policies (they're totally ok booking larger rooms and actually encourage family travelling alongside). I'm quite happy doing a good mix of picnic lunches/larger breakfasts that sustain for the day, but what would you suggest for the evening? Dh needs to eat out as part of his food allowance so can't buy supermarket food. Am I and DD supposed to survive on cold Tesco food and leave DH to dine alone?

Thanks to those who suggested asking for a smaller adult portion. I tried this at brunch today. I specifically chose a place with no kids menu and asked for a smaller porridge bowl that had a beautiful choice of fruits/seeds/nuts as toppings. They were very happy to oblige but did explain it would be 75% of the cost. I'm quite happy to pay this to ensure poor DD gets a good balanced diet while we're here, but it is sad for larger families or those who rely on the budget options for treats out.

I'll feedback any chains we discover that do a more varied kids menu.

Village pub in Cornwall last night with my 4yr. Kids menu included an iced lolly (mango and strawberry). I was impressed as options included mussels, halloumi burger, vege pasta, chicken salad bowl or the ubiquitous chicken nuggets.
i recommend The Heron in Malpas!

I don’t understand why they can’t just do mini portions of some of the stuff on the menu, or offer easy pasta/mild curry etc type dishes with some veg. It’s like things haven't moved on for years.

You could make most restaurant meals at home.