Going out to eat at a restaurant with young children can be an odyssey and some may even look at us badly for entering with them. Among other things, because it costs to keep them entertained, but do not despair because restaurant and children are perfectly compatible.
Today we want to talk about the gastronomic offer for the little ones. Many family restaurants offer a children's menu with the intention of facilitating the choice of dishes for the little ones, but we will tell you why the children's menu of the restaurants aimed at the little ones is not a good idea.
Why restrict children's food supply?
The relationship of children with food should be as natural as possible from the zero minute, from the first time we offer a solid food, a milestone that happens at six months of life when they start with complementary feeding.
Ideally, they should do so by choosing what and how much to eat, in pieces, with their own hands, self-regulating, instead of offering them pureed foods and deciding for them the amount they eat.
Since they start eating alone they must be able to decide what they eat, one of the premises of the Baby Led-Weaning method that consists in putting varied foods within reach and that they themselves decide what to choose and how much to eat. In this way they try new textures, different flavors and combine food as they like.
Following this mode of food does not make much sense that with the wide gastronomic offer that a restaurant can offer, the menu for the little ones is always limited to the same dishes (hamburger, nuggets, pizza, spaghetti, etc ...) Why restrict children to the choice of 4-5 dishes from the children's menu? Like adults, they should have a broader offer of where to choose what they like or fancy at the time.
Food for children and food for adults?
The food offered in a restaurant and even the one you cook at home is not classified as 'adult food' and 'children's food', or at least it shouldn't. Since they start eating solids, they should be offered the same food the whole family eats (as long as the age of introduction is adequate, of course).
Food is food and some people like certain foods more and others, others, regardless of their age. I know children who eat seafood and adults who are not even able to smell them. As well as adults who love hamburgers and french fries. I think it is a mistake to classify food according to whether you are a child or an adult.
Restricting choice in restaurants is not convincing. Some children would choose nutritionally richer dishes such as seafood, fish, stews ... There is very little imagination when it comes to making the children's menu and limiting it to what others consider children should eat is a mistake.
Variety is key to healthy eating. If we always offer the same, children they don't have the possibility to experience new flavors and enrich your culinary culture.
And the price?
In reality, many times we turn to the children's menu for being pragmatic, and also for the price, the truth. There are children who eat very little and ordering an 'adult' dish would be to spend more and leave half of the food on the plate. Nor is it a solution.
Instead of a children's menu, what restaurants should offer is for children to choose the dish they want from the entire menu and serve less, at a price somewhat lower than the letter price.
Thus, they can have access to a greater variety of dishes and choose what they like best without spending too much. What do you think about the children's menu in restaurants? Would you like it to be more varied? Do you see it necessary?
