Real menus for children - campaign?

[fuzzpig]

Following this thread it seems parents may like the idea of persuading restaurants to change their children's menus to be more in line with the adult ones.

Some places still seem to offer little more than nuggets/fish fingers etc, which only serves to encourage the idea that children don't want 'real food'.

It would be great if more places were openly willing to do a children's portion of any adult meal for a smaller price (apparently some places do this but I've never seen it advertised), for example. It was mentioned on the above thread and some posters seemed in favour of the idea, so here I am :o

Heh, x post on the sausages.

There is still a point even if the crap was still available.
There will always be children who will prefer beige but really why should every child only have that option or an odd collection of starters or an adult meal if they dont eat like that?
I took my son to a Beefeater while on maternity leave he's tomato pasta was basicly penne with tinned tomatoes it wasn't sauce, as if they would serve that to an adult, but it's ok it's only for a kid after all, he was dairy intolerant at the time so couldn't have the pudding and doesn't have juice so had tap water £4 for pasta and tinned toms with bullet peas I wanted to call the police

My parents pub do a light bites section and a children's section. They get frustrated because they want to do nice children's food but removing things like chicken nuggets nearly caused a riot
So they do the light bites bit, and then the children's bit is a mix. But if someone requested something else or a half portion they would do it
I think the website is down so can't link to menu

Oh it is working
kingsarmsburton.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Main-Menu.pdf

Even if they just put a note on the bottom of the menu saying "some of our meals can be made in half portions, please ask" that would be good.

I just wish that restaurants would always offer a half portion and not just for children, I'm two thirds the size of DH and don't want or need to eat the same size meals. I find I either force it down or leave some which feels wasteful.
Half portions available to everyone will be my rallying cry!

This would be great. And maybe even the kids stuff they keep could be freshly made. So proper fresh chicken cut and breaded.

And anything that uses cheese to be real cheese not the pre grated stuff that doesn't melt properly, and have it actually taste of something.

Agree a smiley face next to options that are available in kids size is a good idea too!!

And agree also re sausages. Stop with thei cheap shit but proper ones for every body

yes to the cheese. We were out at lunchtime a few weeks back and DS got a childs cheese butty, my dad got a "adult" cheese butty. His was a slice of plastic cheese with a tomato, my dads was proper cheese with a decent side salad. The price difference was about £1.50 I would have happily paid more for a decent meal.

I think this campaign would make sense if there were some sort of law that children had to eat off the children's menu -- but they don't, there's usually other options. You can order starters/sides, or split meals (we usually find two full adult meals is enough for me, DH and young DS).

Restaurants are a free market. They can never make everyone happy, the whole idea is you go to places that suit you, not try to change ones that don't. Yes, I can see why it's annoying, but I just think there are already some solutions to the problem, no need for a big campaign.

starters/sides - so limited choice and not normally a 'meal'
Spitting with an adult - so they have to have what the adult is having?

Why should children not get the same, or at least similar, level of choice and quality adults get?

And what if the adult actually wants to eat their own meal as in comes, not with half missing?
No one is saying they should order food in that isn't on the menu anyway, just say on the menu that they can serve smaller portions.
I am quite shy and would feel like a pita asking for something not on the menu, so even if all of the places people have had success getting reduced portions in were to advertise this on the menu then people like me would order them, smiley face symbols great idea.
I agree 100% with people saying its not just variety ts quality of food which is much lower for children even when the identical meal is on the adults menu.
Who knows if commercial places did this and dc's were not just eating curry, creamy pastas and fish without breadcrumbs behind closed doors then maybe schools would be inspired to up their games in the dinner hall?

To be honest, although it's annoying I really don't think it's worthy of a MN campaign. Those should be saved for really serious matters.

I'm in. I just want the option to have smaller sized portions of the 'adult' menu.

The issue I have is that my two will ask to see the children's menu and then pick something off it. If there is no children's menu, it takes them out of their comfort zone a little and they are forced to be more adventurous, normally to positive effect.

I know it's difficult to size down some things, but I have yet to come across a pub or restaurant that wouldn't even try if asked or come up with something.

Where we are, I would say there is a 50:50 split in terms of whether they have a dedicated children's menu or not. And some of the children's menus are actually quite good - with cottage pie, lasagne, etc. instead of just deep fried rubbish!

Im quite new to mn what are campaigns usually about?
I think this is important, every time food comes up on this site people preach about how processed is so disgusting and slyly take the p out of visiting fussy children who are 'pandered to' under the disguise of being concerned for them yet at least 8 out of 10 times when ive taken dc out to eat the fussiest immature pallets are being pandered to and a child who is used to home made real food is not considered.
Eating is a social thing and this is what happens if you try to change venue for you own purposes.

I also said on the other thread that efforts with presentation need to be made too.

Just because it's a kids meAl doesn't mean you should be able to just re dunk the chips or plonk chips that were left over in the basket and semi warm on a plate with some freezer burnt nuggets and call it a meal.

Present it nicely, it matters!!

So if you want kids to have the same options and choice as adults, order for them off the regular menu. It's not forbidden!

If you want a cheaper meal or smaller portions, then you have to face the restrictions of children's menu/starters+sides/sharing plates.

I think restaurants really can't win and it's up to us as parents to give our kids the dining experience we prefer.

Haven't you read the thread? It's not just about giving them a selection of the adult menu, but also about the quality of what's on the children's menus. Cheap sausages, freezer burnt nuggets, plastic cheese, instant mash/cheese sauce etc.

But if course how dare we ask restaurants to serve actual food

Ingredients are usually the cheap part of a meal surely? You are paying for the ambience/staff/skilled chef. There is no way that a half portion should be half the price of a full portion. Add in the faff of having to figure out what ingredients are halved an would probably work out the same cost to restaurant.

So, IMO I think restaurants should make half portions available where possible (some ingredients probably can't be halved?) but you should pay the same for them.

I would hope anywhere I was dining that the ingredients were not the cheap part of a meal. Quality food costs money! Yes, halving the price for a half portion would not factor in overheads, presentation, etc. but equally expecting to pay the same price for half the food would be farcical!

So I should order an adult meal for a 4 year old? What a waste of food if nothing else!

I don't think this is really appropriate for a MN campaign. I can see the annoyance - but it's just that, an annoyance. Not something that really has a negative impact on our children whether we buy into it or not.

Why not band together and set up your own campaign, targeting chains and asking for better quality children's food, instead of expecting MN staff to do it for you.

nice restaurants do half portions of adult meals already (officially or unofficially). Though most pubs offer dire kids' menus.

It's the McDonalds effect:

Parents don't want to spend more than a fiver on a kids meal.

You get what you pay for.

You could always eat Oriental/Asian food and share dishes.

There are options, but the sad sort of places offer sad sort of food. It must be what people like.