S/o portion sizes for kids

fancynewbeesly · September 2013

I get so frustrated with restaurants/ice cream parlors/fast food places where the kids portions are HUGE. We are vacation right now, so eating out a lot and everyplace we go to the kids portion is humongous. Why? I haven't seen a kid eat a soup bowl filled with fettuccini Alfredo or a massive burger. I feel we'll we get Reese a kids portion of something, she will take a few bites and be done. It is just so much waste. Even if she doesn't order off the kids menu, we will still ask for a kids portion and it is still huge.

Arnegard · September 2013

That is why we usually order 2 meals for our 3 kids or have Dylan share with us. At 3, she barely eats at all. The other two wouldn't necessarily finish 3 chicken strips and fries either though.

To think though, most kids meals are offered until age 10 or 12. The meal seems appropriate for the older kids, right?

dizzycooks · September 2013

I think portions everywhere for anyone are generally huge. Typically DD gets some of what DH and I order and we order with that in mind. We might all split fries from my meal, but DH will get a side of fruit or veggies and she gets most of that with a bit of our entrees.

If I order a kids meal for her (rare!) I plan to take part of it home. Honestly, that's the only reason I order her a kids meal. I want the leftovers or it's free because it's kids night.

fancynewbeesly · September 2013

Reese can't share with me due to her egg allergy. Today the only thing off the entire menu that the restaurant felt comfortable with was grilled chicken or Mac and cheese. (It was an Italian restaurant. They wouldn't confirm pasta, pizza, bread, meatballs, etc.

Mrs.Hizzo · September 2013

Yeah, kids meals are huge, but you have to keep in mind that they're usually for 12 and under. An eleven year old boy is going to eat a lot more than a two year old girl.

My complaint is that they're almost always crap. And they're always the same, no matter where you go. Chicken nuggets, burgers, mac and cheese or pizza. Like those are the only four foods kids could possibly eat.

catycate · September 2013

I bring home the leftovers or order side items.

vlagrl29 · September 2013

I hate buying kids meals at restaurants and she either won't eat them or hardly eat them. I feel like its a waste of money. We had a coupon for olive garden: free kids meal with adult entree so I was ok with that. Friday night we went to a mexican restaurant and I brought some mac and cheese from home and glad I did because she didn't eat it.

Hollylb3 · September 2013

Mrs.Hizzo said:
My complaint is that they're almost always crap. And they're always the same, no matter where you go. Chicken nuggets, burgers, mac and cheese or pizza. Like those are the only four foods kids could possibly eat.

Yeah, this is my problem. Obviously ds isn't old enough to have to deal with it yet, but the Mexican restaurant we frequent has fried chicken fingers, burgers, or quesadillas on their kids menu. Not that Mexican restaurants are known for their healthy options, but still.

Guess I'll share my taco salad without the shell with him when the time comes.

ASullivan1231 · September 2013

I love the idea of ordering sides - some healthier options and usually cheaper.

dmartin726 · September 2013

We do sides for DD too and even getting a side of veggies is a waste bc she usually doesn't touch it. I got in the habit of packing a yogurt, cheese stick, crackers, applesauce (combination of those) and a milk and she will pick at those things. On the other hand my niece is not even 2 yet and SIL will order her a pizza or grilled cheese and my niece will eat 80% of it. She's a good eater though.

Katie829 · September 2013

I work 1 night a week a restaurant. More often than not 6+ years old children always finish there meals. We are lucky that we have healthier options. I was irritated when we went to Fridays for a mom group and they didn't have vegetables as a side. I don't give DD fries. She loves broccoli.

fancynewbeesly · September 2013

We definitely pack and do sides-I think because of her food allergies the menu is already limited. Sometimes the "safest" thing is a hot dog without a bun. Reese will eat chicken but is very finicky about it-if it is grilled or dry, she won't touch it. She likes it off the bone with some type of marinade on it.

joyfullyfound · September 2013

Time for a pirate plate!

(i.e. just get an extra plate for her, a let her steal from you)

roxy_jj · September 2013

The kids meal portions are usually huge. If we can get the kids to agree on something, we like to order one kid meal for them to split.

penguingrrl · September 2013

My kids shared a kids order for a long time. Now each eats 3/4 or more of it. As toddlers they didn't, but I brought the leftovers home. No biggie. Ditto hizzo that my biggest complaint is the offerings. My kids will gladly eat chicken fingers and fries, but they will also gladly eat other things. Now that Julia reads the menu I can't hide the kid menu and order off the adult.

I was really disappointed when we went out to a nice seafood restaurant recently. Julia asked for grilled tilapia (one of her favorites) from the kid's menu. It was so salty she couldn't eat it but also didn't tell us that, we thought she just wasn't very hungry. The adult foods there are not overly-salted, so why would they do that to kids? She was so disappointed because it didn't taste like the tilapia I make.

Oh, and I think it's really rude to bring food from home. Address allergies, choose a restaurant your kid will enjoy. Why go out and give yourself the work of packing a meal? Not to mention that restaurants can get in trouble with the health dept if outside food is brought in.

fancynewbeesly · September 2013

penguingrrl said:

My kids shared a kids order for a long time. Now each eats 3/4 or more of it. As toddlers they didn't, but I brought the leftovers home. No biggie. Ditto hizzo that my biggest complaint is the offerings. My kids will gladly eat chicken fingers and fries, but they will also gladly eat other things. Now that Julia reads the menu I can't hide the kid menu and order off the adult.

I was really disappointed when we went out to a nice seafood restaurant recently. Julia asked for grilled tilapia (one of her favorites) from the kid's menu. It was so salty she couldn't eat it but also didn't tell us that, we thought she just wasn't very hungry. The adult foods there are not overly-salted, so why would they do that to kids? She was so disappointed because it didn't taste like the tilapia I make.

Oh, and I think it's really rude to bring food from home. Address allergies, choose a restaurant your kid will enjoy. Why go out and give yourself the work of packing a meal? Not to mention that restaurants can get in trouble with the health dept if outside food is brought in.

Unfortunately where we are on vacation, they are not allergy friendly at all. At home we never bring things into the restaurant but when numerous places told us that French fries are safe-and there was no fruit options or very many veggie options-Greek yogurt is what she has been eating for lunch and dinner.

notkateanymore · September 2013

nowababy said:

For me it's more a matter of the health factor. I don't mind the occasional fries/chicken fingers/pizza. Probably even a little more than occasional. But it'd be nice if they had set kids menu options that were healthier. That's why I usually go with sides and then give her some of DH or my food.

That's why we never order off the kid's menu. When she was really young, we would share what we were eating with her. After about 3 or 4, we would pick something off the regular menu and just take the leftovers home for her and DH the next day. Nowadays she can put a big dent in whatever the protein is and routinely eats a regular portion of fish/seafood and most of any red meat and pork.

pastalady · September 2013

I still usually share with DD. first off the kids menu are awful! Not a veggie in sight lol. So we share an adult entree. Keeps me in line with my portion size too.

notkateanymore · September 2013

Seriously, where do y'all eat that there are no veggies on the kid's menus? Time to pick new places to eat.

notkateanymore · September 2013

Preach it, Amy!

Andrewsgal · September 2013

I call BS on the no veggies even the crappiest chains like chilis and Applebee's have veggies and fruit for their kids meals.

notkateanymore · September 2013

I think the issue is that people keep complaining that there is nothing healthy on the kid's menu, but the obvious answer is not ordering off the kid's menu if it's truly a problem. For me personally, it's annoying to read "there is nothing healthy" etc. when there is a way to fix it.

AimeeL85 · September 2013

nowababy said:

For me it's more a matter of the health factor. I don't mind the occasional fries/chicken fingers/pizza. Probably even a little more than occasional. But it'd be nice if they had set kids menu options that were healthier. That's why I usually go with sides and then give her some of DH or my food.

Do you have a Friendly's by you? When I took DS there about a year ago, I was surprised by the menu, it was the best kids' menu I've ever seen. So much variety and more healthy options than any other place I've seen.

notkateanymore · September 2013

I agree that there are some crappy kid's menus, but I've come across decent ones a lot of places that you wouldn't expect them.

lyingliarlies · September 2013

DS is 2 - he eats a lot & he likes non "kid" foods. sometimes we order an appetizer for his meal (ex. calamari.) we usually order a side veggie in addition to his meal (or as a sub for fries, he rarely has those) but we have been in restaurants with no real vegetable on the menu at all. we've encountered it enough that we usually bring along a veggie that we know he'll eat. many times, kid's meals are NOT enough for him. chick fil a kid's meals are a joke. i don't know how we're going to feed him as a teenager lol.

pastalady · September 2013

I think what people means the kids menu has no veggies. Of course you can order from the regular menu, side dishes etc. but the set kids menu may include a choice of apple slices or carrots at most places I have been to, but mainly it's cheeseburger, chicken strips or pizza with fries. For some reason these are the meals that come in the basket for kids. I don't think any restaurant would say no, you cannot sub broccoli for fries. But why not include a pasta primavera instead of Mac and cheese, or a chicken stir fry? In the cute basket would be nice. I doubt anyone is dining at restaurants without any veggies, they just don't list them on the menu under kids choices.

pastalady · September 2013

Like a pizza place we went to. Independent chef owned, awesome flatbreads. I had a pulled pork and red pepper pizza, very good. I ordered DD a cheese pizza. I was surprised when it came. It was totally a frozen McCain pizza. Not the same sauce, cheese or crust as mine. I was assuming she would get the multigrain crust with the good sauce and cheese I got, just smaller minus the toppings. Nope, it was crap! She just shared mine but what makes a good restaurant do that?

Mrs.Hizzo · September 2013

nowababy said:

Yea, true. I mean clearly I do the same as you, but it would be nice if I could just look at a kids menu and easily see some delicious, healthier sounding things in kids portions and prices.

Yes, this. Of course you can order off the adult menu, but it's kind of a waste when you're dealing with a 4-year-old appetite.

notkateanymore · September 2013

LalaMama81 said:

Mrs.Hizzo said:

nowababy said:

Yea, true. I mean clearly I do the same as you, but it would be nice if I could just look at a kids menu and easily see some delicious, healthier sounding things in kids portions and prices.

Yes, this. Of course you can order off the adult menu, but it's kind of a waste when you're dealing with a 4-year-old appetite.

Lots of places will do a half or kid's portion for half price, though. At least in my experience.

In mine as well. Also, that attitude is what I don't get...either eat the kid's menu food or don't, but there is a solution, a fairly easy one too. Hizzo, why not make your boys share a meal off the regular menu? That way two meals for one and it can be whatever you want.

Mrs.Hizzo · September 2013

KateMW said:

LalaMama81 said:

Mrs.Hizzo said:

nowababy said:

Yea, true. I mean clearly I do the same as you, but it would be nice if I could just look at a kids menu and easily see some delicious, healthier sounding things in kids portions and prices.

Yes, this. Of course you can order off the adult menu, but it's kind of a waste when you're dealing with a 4-year-old appetite.

Lots of places will do a half or kid's portion for half price, though. At least in my experience.

In mine as well. Also, that attitude is what I don't get...either eat the kid's menu food or don't, but there is a solution, a fairly easy one too. Hizzo, why not make your boys share a meal off the regular menu? That way two meals for one and it can be whatever you want.

Oh, we do, sometimes. Or I order them appetizers. You know how kids are, though. Sometimes they can't agree, and ordering one meal creates drama, or whatever.

AimeeL85 · September 2013

pastalady said:

Like a pizza place we went to. Independent chef owned, awesome flatbreads. I had a pulled pork and red pepper pizza, very good. I ordered DD a cheese pizza. I was surprised when it came. It was totally a frozen McCain pizza. Not the same sauce, cheese or crust as mine. I was assuming she would get the multigrain crust with the good sauce and cheese I got, just smaller minus the toppings. Nope, it was crap! She just shared mine but what makes a good restaurant do that?

That's like how almost all restaurants we go to use the Kraft mac 'n' cheese for the kids, even if they make their own delicious man 'n' cheese for the adults menu.

kcisthebombdotcom · September 2013

pastalady said:

I think what people means the kids menu has no veggies. Of course you can order from the regular menu, side dishes etc. but the set kids menu may include a choice of apple slices or carrots at most places I have been to, but mainly it's cheeseburger, chicken strips or pizza with fries. For some reason these are the meals that come in the basket for kids. I don't think any restaurant would say no, you cannot sub broccoli for fries. But why not include a pasta primavera instead of Mac and cheese, or a chicken stir fry? In the cute basket would be nice. I doubt anyone is dining at restaurants without any veggies, they just don't list them on the menu under kids choices.

To play devils advocate, I don't believe the masses feed their four year old chicken stir fry for dinner. I don't believe it's a socioeconomic thing--my sil makes 150k and her kids live on Mac and cheese and chicken nuggets. There's a reason why statistically most of our country is overweight/obese. Restaurants put items on their menu that sell. I work at a resaurant that offers healthy options and they hardly sell. The bump isn't real life--while people on here would order stuff like that for their kids most don't.

LatteLady5 · September 2013

Hav=Fath said:

Then don't order her something, I'd just let her share off of your plate, that's what we normally do. Or I'll order her a side of steamed veggies or something to go with scraps from my plate.

This is what we do the majority of the time. I usually have snacks with me so if she is starving she can have a handful of blueberries or a piece of string cheese to munch on but I've not brought a full meal for her. Also, I rarely finish my food so I'm always bringing home leftovers. If we order for her too I just figure more leftovers for later

pastalady · September 2013

I know, I agree most families I know have zero issues with feeding their kids crap. My BFF, I love her, but her kids live on alphaghetti, kd, hotdogs and beef aroni. Ick.

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