NOW CLOSED: PizzaExpress have a new kids Piccolo menu. Tell them what you think of it and be in with a chance of winning one of two £80 vouchers

[AnnMumsnet]

PizzaExpress is releasing a new kids menu and to coincide with the launch, they'd love you to hear what you think of it.

PizzaExpress say "We know how stressful meal times can be, so we have worked hard on our new Create Your Own Piccolo menu to make sure that your kids can have more choice, they can now even choose a Gluten-free base. We believe in treating kids like mini adults, they should be able to choose exactly what they want and therefore enjoy eating their favourite pizza".

Here's a link to the new menu if you haven?t had the chance to try it out for yourself yet.

So:

~ Have you tried out the new Create your Own piccolo menu and if you have, what did you think of it?

~ If you hadn't seen it yet, what are your initial reactions to the menu?

~ Do you think your kids will enjoy the 'create your own' element of the menu? Will it make them feel more involved and interested in eating the food? What combinations would they choose?

Everyone who shares their thoughts on this thread will be entered into a draw in which two winners will each win a £80 PizzaExpress voucher for a family meal.

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ

PS check out their Facebook comp for a chance for your child to win an Italian cookery lesson.

[FuckThisShit]

~ Have you tried out the new Create your Own piccolo menu and if you have, what did you think of it? not tried yet, but to be honest it doesn't look a great deal different from before and I would like to see much more from the main menu on it. My youngest DD loves lasagne and cannelloni and I'd like to see those on there rather than her eating half of mine and leaving hers. It would be good if all the toppings were available to add, and salads too - I'm not happy to buy a salad for her - it's too big - but she loves them. I'm not a massive fan of special child menus, but somewhere like Pizza Express can present the same menu with smaller portions and I wish they would.

~ If you hadn't seen it yet, what are your initial reactions to the menu? I think above sums it up

~ Do you think your kids will enjoy the 'create your own' element of the menu? Will it make them feel more involved and interested in eating the food? What combinations would they choose? She'll enjoy it if she can do it herself, absolutely. But I also know she'd want to fling onions, garlic, prosciutto, anchovies and peppers on. Basically if it's edible and works on a pizza for older children and adults, I can pretty much guarantee most children I know would want it.

[Teladi]

~ If you hadn't seen it yet, what are your initial reactions to the menu? Looks good to me, I like the idea of kids menus that include small starters and afters. My dd is still small (20mo) so we are not quite at this stage yet, but being able to keep her occupied with something nibble while giving DH and I the option to have a starter is great. I do really like that there is the option just to buy a main course too though, at the moment that's the best option for us. DD eats what we eat and so far isn't interested in fish fingers etc so something like this menu works well for us.

~ Do you think your kids will enjoy the 'create your own' element of the menu? Will it make them feel more involved and interested in eating the food? What combinations would they choose?
As previously, DD is little so wouldn't choose herself yet. She likes pizza though and I would probably get her chicken and tomatoes on it, as she likes those the best too.

[choccyp1g]

~ Have you tried out the new Create your Own piccolo menu and if you have, what did you think of it? Not tried it yet

~ If you hadn't seen it yet, what are your initial reactions to the menu?
looks very similar to the existing menu which DS loves

~ Do you think your kids will enjoy the 'create your own' element of the menu? Will it make them feel more involved and interested in eating the food? What combinations would they choose? DS would choose "La Reine" pizza, he always does. I do not like them not telling you haw much extra it is to add your own toppings.

[choccyp1g]

HOW much extra

[SvetlanaKirilenko]

~ Have you tried out the new Create your Own piccolo menu and if you have, what did you think of it? Haven't tried it yet

~ If you hadn't seen it yet, what are your initial reactions to the menu? I hadn't seen it before, it doesn't look a lot different to before and I know my DD would order the same as usual from it. But I like the fact you can just get a kids main course for £3.95, the whole menu is too much for very little ones. Also, it's great that you have some gluten free options.

~ Do you think your kids will enjoy the 'create your own' element of the menu? Will it make them feel more involved and interested in eating the food? What combinations would they choose? Not my DD (5) at present, she sticks to margherita every time, but hopefully when she's older she'll get a bit more adventurous!

[Thurlow]

Is the £3.95 kids main meal new? I haven't noticed that before but I like the sound of it. DD is only 15mo so too young to manage three courses like that and normally I take her some fruit and veg and let her share my pizza or salad, as I know £7 will be a waste. But £3.95 I'd be happy to pay for a bowl of pasta.

I haven't ordered off the previous kids menu before but I have looked at it (deciding if DD is ready to eat it yet) and it doesn't look much different. I think a choice of pasta shapes would be nice, and possibly vegetables too i.e. spaghetti or penne or spirals, with tomato or garlic or cheese sauce, with mushrooms or brocolli or peppers, for example.

[AmandinePoulain]

We haven't tried the new menu.

It looks very similar to the previous one to me, apart from the addition of olive oil and balsamic vinegar with the doughballs, and slightly different pasta options. I thought you could always add extra ingredients to the pizzas? Dd1 tends to stick to bolognaise if she picks pasta and margarita pizza, she might have chicken if she's feeling adventurous .

I'm disappointed with the dessert menu - everywhere offers chocolate cake and ice cream - I'd prefer to see something different like fruit salad to be honest. Dd1 hates ice cream but will eat fruit until it comes out of her ears!

[dozily]

I'm pleased it's reduced salt although not so bothered about calories and fat for an occasional treat.

The create your own aspect doesn't seem particularly new as I'm sure all pizza places are happy to adjust toppings if requested.

Nice to see there's a dairy free main (bolognese) and dessert (sorbet) as my youngest Dd is allergic to milk

[mawbroon]

The new menu would probably work ok with my 2 DSs.

DS1 doesn't like chocolate though, so only has one choice for desert as both the others are chocolate.

What about lasagne? Mine both like it.

[orangina]

~ Have you tried out the new Create your Own piccolo menu and if you have, what did you think of it?

I have just had a look at it, and I'm struggling to see a massive difference between old and new to be honest......

~ If you hadn't seen it yet, what are your initial reactions to the menu?

Um, what's the difference? I can see that something is now labelled as "gluten free", and that you can add or take away things from your pizza, but to be honest, we were able to do that before on request.....

~ Do you think your kids will enjoy the 'create your own' element of the menu? Will it make them feel more involved and interested in eating the food? What combinations would they choose?

I think they would love to be involved in creating their own food, but what has been suggested is just a wee bit safe and not terribly exciting, in my opinion (sorry!).

Otherwise, please can you shake it up a bit?! Too much bread in the menu (can we have another option for a starter please?). And I agree with the previous poster who said she would like to see fruit as a pudding option.....

[spababe]

I haven't tried the menu yet or seen it before.
The menu looks a good choice and I like the addition of salad with the dough balls. I'd hope it would be presented in a ramekin or similar so that it hasn't touched the dough balls.
As you can tell I have a very fussy child so alongside the Margharita pizza I'm delighted to see the addition of pasta with just butter. I have asked for this in the past but been told pasta is delivered to the store with the sauce already on it so cannot be removed.
I don't think my child will use the create your own option as he prefers margharita also we do not eat meat.
Will there be a separate allergy list?

[izzybobsmum]

Not tried the new menu yet. To be honest, we've been getting far better value for money at Las Iguanas!

£6.50 for a kids meal, without a drink, is expensive up North. If we go to Frankie and Bennys, there are two sizes of kids meal to choose from (one priced at only £3.95 including a drink) - which is great when you have someone like my DD with a small appetite.

The Bambinoccino you could get rid of for me, as my DD hates warm milk - better if they had the option of a soft drink or a bambinoccino.

The Create Your Own isn't that novel really - just replacing one topping for another - my DD would just want to order and then get on with colouring in.

The pasta choice is better, the dessert choice is too chocolate centric.

The gluten free option is a must these days, although you're a bit behind other companies like Pizza Hut and Dominos with your gluten free base.

One disappointment is that the gluten free trials you carried out, to which you invited food bloggers, only happened in London. There's lots of coeliacs up North!

My friends blog - Positively Coeliac (positivelycoeliac.wordpress.com) - is a prime example of the excellent comms opportunities you've missed out on!

[Thurlow]

I've just looked at the Strada one and if I'm being honest that is much, much better. Much less stodgy, and a lot more friendly towards very little ones. While the cheaper Pizza Express option is good, not much of that food is particular good for children under 2.

[Helspopje]

we went today. for some reason, the choose your own quality of it didn't come across today and the waitress didn't point out the new menu content otherwise we may have tried that. don't recall it being prominently featured.

small person (age 3) isn't that interested in doughballs, but wolfed the meatballs off the adult menu - is there a prospect of more starter choices eg mini bruchetta or pasta with meatballs for a main as I find lumps of sauce do better than runnier options as they tend to fall off the spoon less. spirali and penne do better for the same reason.

delighted to see gluten free options and the prospect of a romana base as, again, she regularly nicks my romana pizza as it is easier to finger feed than a normal base that goes a bit floppy. hope it doesnt come with a pizza wheel like the big romana though or there'll be some accidents.

Am about to have another baby and will def be making use of this bit "For the really little ones, order any Piccolo main for £3.95." as there is way too much food on a piccolo for a tiny (as demonstrated by small person rarely making it beyond the doughballs and salad bits when she was smaller.

delighted to see more pasta choices there and equally delighted to see the sorbet/gluten free desert options

the Bambinoccino is cool, but I'd really rather have a normal drink included within the price (eg as at strada/giraffe)

will think about going new piccolo menu next visit, but if the £10 for 2 adult courses is still on, I'll be sorely tempted by the starter butternut squash risotto for her as the portion size looks just right.

[ClaraOswinOswald]

It looks really good, I love the idea of picking out what you want, although my own children aren't too fussy they don't like mushrooms.

What are the portion sizes like? My 2 are starting to want more than a child's portion but can't eat a full size meal- an option to upsize for £1 extra would be good for the inbetweeners.

We love pizza and pasta but the high salt/fat content in many restaurants can be a bit off-putting. Still, it's got to be better than the deep friend options so many restaurants seem to favour, so well done for that.
:)

[EauRouge]

~ Have you tried out the new Create your Own piccolo menu and if you have, what did you think of it?

No, not yet

~ If you hadn't seen it yet, what are your initial reactions to the menu?

It's OK, nothing new really. More choice of toppings would be nice. I don't think either of my DDs would like the babyccino thing

~ Do you think your kids will enjoy the 'create your own' element of the menu? Will it make them feel more involved and interested in eating the food? What combinations would they choose?

Choosing toppings isn't that new or exciting, I don't think they would be that bothered. If there was a way for them to interact more other than just picking some toppings off a list then that would probably be more appealing.

[ohmeohmyforgotlogin]

1. Haven't yet tried it though was at pizza express on Saturday.
   
2. I like the extra veggie pasta option. And the gluten free brownie. 3. 3. Probably wouldn't add extras as kids don't really want them and don't want to pay more as I think the kids drinks are overpriced. Might add olives perhaps.
   

Think this is an improvement on previous. Give some cheaper drinks and I will be happy

[Thurlow]

One other thought that just occured to me is the highchairs at Pizza Express. DD is too young to use a spoon herself yet, so at home she eats directly from the high chair tray. I haven't brought her meals in restaurants yet because I don't entirely know how to feed her. She'd just tip a bowl over and want to eat off the table. So the other choice is to spoon feed her, which meals one of the adult's meals getting cold while you do that. So often when we go out I take a sandwich etc, not because I begrudge £4 for a meal, but because I know she can at least eat that without spreading it everwhere. I can't be the only parent who feeds straight from the high chair tray. I appreciate high chairs with trays take up more room, which is an issue, would something more like a tray that a bowl/plate would be incredibly useful.

[DragonPaws]

Have you tried the new menu yet?
No.

What are your initial reactions to the menu?
Doesnt seem hugely difference to what is currently offered. A couple more pasta options is good for any kids who dont like pizza (DD does!).

Do you think your kids will enjoy the "create your own" element, etc?
The staff at our Pizza Express are very nice and DD always specifies what goes on her pizza anyway. So no change to what she would order and I have always assumed all restaurants would make the pizzas to order anyway.

Overall it doesnt seem very different than the current menu (which is fine by DD....)

[MoogDroog]

Haven't tried the new menu yet, but very familiar with the old one!

Create your own sounds good, but I fear DS would end up creating cheese on toast (the fuss-arse). Wider choice of pasta looks good, but would have liked to have seen some pesto on there (again, fussy DS). I approve of the better choice of puddings and really approve of them being marked as vegetarian - big thumbs up!

Will be trying it soon I reckon!

[Nehru]

LOVE that it has gluten free

[GoldenGreen]

Haven't tried it yet.

The create your own option is good, and ds will probably enjoy this element of it. I also think the 3.95 smaller option is a good idea - we would have used this when the dcs were younger. And i know a few people who will be delighted with the gluten free items.

All good except for the fact that the Nutella and dough balls pudding is no longer there - ds will be gutted!