Kids meals in restaurants. How old?

[sparkleshine]

Ok so this really isn't weaning but not sure where else to put it.

My DS is 10 mths and eating all foods and when we go out I've always taken jars or my own food in sealed bowl.

But I just wondered how old do children have to be to eat restaurant/ cafe/pub food, like the kids meals? Should I wait til he's at least 1 yr or older? Obviously it would be the healthier options (due to salt +sugar) but it seems just easier to do this rather than packing stuff from home, now that he can eat even more foods.

Usually I end up giving him some of my food anyway if out.

What do others do?

My DS is 1 on Thursday but coming up to 10 months corrected; we just ask for a small empty plate and put bits of our food on it for him to eat. It is great as it makes us eat healthy!

I do not allow him anything else processed that day as you never know about salt even if you order steak.

They are much too large for younger children. They are the same size for toddlers as 10 year olds. Just give a bit of yours, saves money.

I have two dc's - one who is just over 4 and one who is 21 months. I tended to pack a little sandwich etc for the little one if we go out for lunch (we tend to go out mostly on a Saturday as a family) and cut up bits of fruit etc in pots - that is partly so she doesn't have to wait for hers and to keep her occupied for a while as eating lots of bits seems to shut her up for a while longer ! . If we go for a pizza she'll have a few of her bits, maybe a bit of DS pizza as DS never eats it all and bits of ours. On Saturday for eg,we went to a place where they didn't do kids meals but they would do a smaller portion of fish and chips for eg...so they had that. I tend not to worry about what they eat on a Saturday and make sure they eat "well" the rest of the time. We go out less in the evenings now so I love to go out as a family and eat together - it's great for the kids to do too....so that's what we do - when she can eat more I'll just not bother to take anything....

DS is also 10 months and we are BLW, so he has had a bit of what we are having since he started weaning. It is good as it does make you choose healthier options. I don't think I'd order a seperate kids portion for a good while yet, as they are so big, so far more than he would be able to eat and I don't normally finish a meal anyway, so am not missing out by giving him some of mine.
It's great when you go out with a few people and the babies end up trying a lot of different things, one of my best experiences was going out for a meal with my dad who got very enthusiastic and was piling all sorts of stuff in front of DS, DS had a great time :o My dad was eating something that I wouldn't order myself, so it was good for DS to get a try of that too :)

Thanks for the tips ladies x
I guess they are a bit too much for a child so young, especially as his appetite isn't big anyway. Good idea about asking for an extra plate. Will try that.

He already eats bits from everyones plate already. I do take snacks like fruit just to keep him occupied while waiting for ours to come coz he gets fed up or give him his first then he picks from ours when we are eating.

Feed them on bits of your food until they get to the age/appetite level where you start looking at what's left for you and feeling a bit starved/hard done by.

But then getting them a starter as a main course is often a better option than getting a "kid's meal". The portion size tends to be better and it's often a healthier and more appetizing choice.

We have found that DS (9 months) is now at the stage where he eats too much of our portions that we're sometimes going hungry (depends on the restaurant) but not enough to warrant ordering his own. We then get a starter or a couple of small side dishes as well as our mains and share those around. Cheaper, less waste and you get variety

Can't remember for DS1 but DS2 usually had a starter instead of a children's meal until he was about two. I think DS1 had a bigger appetite earlier but lost in the mists of time!