Feeding toddler takeaways?

[Username24680]

What age did you first allow your child to join in on takeaways?

I don’t mean like your local Italian restaurant etc - I’m talking like Chinese/Indian/kebab shop.

I vividly remember my DS eating a full happy meal at less than 1!!!

We have always allowed joining in but indian/chinese might be difficult due to spices so they might need to be a bit older for that.

DD started having a pizza take away with us during the second lockdown so she'd have been 8. When everything shut down again she was absolutely gutted so we set up a weekly film night with us and her dad to give her something to look forward to! DS7 and DS4 haven't yet but quite often they'll have leftover pizza as part of their tea the next day. Apart from anything else it'd be bloody expensive letting the three of them join in!

I think about 5? We didn’t really get takeaways when they were little, preferred to cook fresh at home (well, dh cooked not me). Now we get one a week although they might choose a different takeaway to us.

We let ours have a small amount of whatever we were eating once they were happy and established in their eating. When we weaned they always had a small amount of whatever we were eating so take away was no different. We had a healthy, balanced diet and occasionally ordered takeaway.

It probably offends the weaning tribes of purees Vs finger foods, but we decided a small amount of rice and some veg in a curry sauce now and then wasn't the end of the world. They ate curry when we cooked it, so why not when we order it?

First born she was probably around 3. 10 years on and both my youngest have been allowed just over 1. We practice healthy eating most of the time IMO, so I don’t think the odd takeaway hurts. It’s nice to share the meal as a family.

My lot were toddlers in late 90s .They had a happy meal from Macdonald's every couple of weeks and pizza .
All absolutely fit functioning adults who all actually avoid rubbish food unless out with their friends after a few drinks!!

Let him join in from 1sh eg if takeaway for dinner at someone else's house - but if we're getting one always wait until he's in bed.

Oh are we counting McDonald's? 6 months then 🤣 DD was about 3 I think but younger two would have been having Happy Meals occasionally from about 1. And we do Fish and Chips every couple of weeks. There's no minimum age for that!

Mine had the odd nibble from 1-ish. Now (21 mo) he very occasionally has a takeaway with us. Usually he eats really healthily so I don't feel so bad about the odd unhealthy meal!

You are aware to Indians/Chinese/Lebanese/Turkish that's just "food" and they also have children 🤣 most who are probably healthier that Western children? Just fo for the healthier options on the menu

Something like McDonalds or overly processed food I would probably wait til 3, such high salt content can't be good

We've got a Chinese takeaway and I can assure you that we don't eat the sort of food we sell in the takeaway at home. That's a completely westernised version. If you go to a proper Chinese restaurant you wouldn't see any of the food that you would get at a local Chinese takeaway.

Not until he was old enough to come downstairs to investigate the pizza smell and catch us 😝Maybe 5? Then he would get some maybe once a month- he loves a shwarma!

But I'm sure he had happy meals from about 1, he insisted on chips and not carrot bags about 2/3 😂

I was about to say the same thing Chinese takeaway food is very different to the food in China (though in some places where you can chat to the staff in Chinese they'll make you something much nicer and more authentic off menu 😉)

For the question around take away my daughter is 22 months and I don't intend to give her one anytime soon, especially McDonald's 😱this is the only time in her life that I am 100% responsible for what she eats so why would I want to give her junk? Plenty of time for that later so what's the rush?

No sugar before 1 but we went to a buffet for his birthday and he has McDonald’s and bits of takeaways now he’s a few months away from 2

Thanks all 😊 just interesting to see others views tbh.

I try and keep DSs (2.5y) diet pretty healthy and make probably 95% of his meals from scratch. He usually just eats whatever we’re having anyway. He hasn’t been introduced to sweets/chocolate etc yet. Although I will introduce these when he shows any interest or asks what they are. We eat out a few times a month and I have no issue with him ordering what he wants and trying anything that’s on our plates. He eats plenty of spices and flavours.
If DH and I decide to have a takeaway one night (usually Chinese or Indian) then we wait until DS is in bed. I guess I’ve always viewed that type of takeaway as a much unhealthier option which would have a pretty high salt content.

The reason I posted was because I just watched someone’s Instagram stories (girl I went to school with) and she has a son the same age as mine. At least twice a week she posts videos of him digging in to huge takeaway. It’s usually Chinese/Indian or kebab shop type takeaways. And he’s sitting digging into a full meal. Today is what looks like some form of chow mein, & battered chicken balls smothered in gravy, and he has a can of Coke with it.
Previously it’s been donner meat and chips smothered in sauce.

Absolutely agree with the benefits of children eating with the family and all eating the same etc. I just thought the quantity that he seems to have of that kind of food seems pretty high to me (from what she posts online anyway!) and I wondered what other people did with their kids 🤷🏻‍♀️

😂 @MrsMikeDrop well aware thanks. As @LittleBrenda and @Meifly have already mentioned, the Chinese/Indian etc takeaways that we tend to have in most parts of the U.K. aren’t exactly authentic cuisine.

I don't get takeaways, but if I did dc would have had some from being babies really, They've always eaten what I'm eating. I suppose sone things I'd have been careful with due to salt.

Ds1 probably 3.

Dd...I remember her first happy meal after a trip to a&e after a fingers in door incident. She was about 13 months.

Ds2, well, about 9 months probably 😂

Oh I see, wanting to slate other parents for their horrific parenting choices.

You look like a dick

Quite. You've posted and people have taken time to answer you thinking that you wanted some advice but you didn't. You just wanted people to criticise someone else who isn't here to give their side of the story.

You have a takeaway every single week? That's a disgrace.

I only eat turnips I've grown myself in an old bath that used to belong to Princess Michael of Kent so I'm sure you can imagine I'm very much judging your lifestyle right now.

@patrickbatemansbusinesscard @YellowDots @StrictlyJowita 😅 well that took a turn. I genuinely wasn’t intending to slate anyone’s parenting - I’m hardly mother of the year myself over here 🙈😂 My toddler happily wolfs down a Wagamama or Pizza Express at any given opportunity 🤷🏻‍♀️
I was just wondering about greasier/higher salt type takeaways in general and when people were happy to introduce them.

I only mentioned her to explain what made me question it.

@StrictlyJowita I’m not quite sure what you’re on about tbh 😂 I didn’t say we get a takeaway every week I don’t think 😅

Is a Chinese takeaway saltier and greasier than Wagamama?

DC had their first McDonald’s at 3 but probably at 2 we allowed the DC to share our sushi.

We have take-out every few weeks (Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese, Chinese, Indian, Greek) and the DC will eat what we order.

Wagas and PE are marginally more upmarket than her mates chipper though so the calories are fancier