health
‘Before I can stop her, my daughter is licking crumbs from the table’: my search for the perfect kids’ menu
Chips, fish fingers, pizza … restaurant food for children is depressingly predictable. Are there more adventurous options? I took my four-year-old daughter on a month-long mission to find out
TL;DR
- The article explores the common issue of limited and predictable kids' menus in restaurants, often featuring beige, carb-heavy options.
- The author embarked on a month-long quest with her four-year-old daughter to test diverse kids' menus and assess their success in encouraging adventurous eating.
- Experiences ranged from a Sardinian restaurant where the child chose a chip pizza to a Japanese restaurant with a successful bento box offering.
- A high-end restaurant's five-course tasting menu for children presented an adventurous, albeit mixed, experience for the daughter.
- The author found that offering smaller portions of adult menus or dishes from the regular menu, like Indian or Lebanese cuisine, could be successful.
- Ultimately, the success of a kids' menu depends on the perspectives of parents, chefs, and children, with delicious food and a positive dining experience being key.
- The article suggests that encouraging adventurous eating at home can influence children's choices when dining out.