When taking children out to a restaurant, cafe or hotel do the catering people think that kids only eat junk?

Question

Seems all that is on offer is burgers, sausages, fish fingers or chicken nuggets and chips with baked beans offered as a veg. My two year old nephew has never eaten things like this, or packet crisps or biscuits, he eats what we eat, and snacks on fruit. As a baby he never ate meals from a jar either. He has the most wonderful skin, doesn't get coughs or colds, has had NO problem teething, and he sleeps like a dream, he's very happy too, we call him Mr giggles coz he's so happy!

Answer 1

Its a disgrace isn't it?
I would never let a child eat one of those fat and additive laden so called kids dinners, I would always ask for a small portion of something else on the menu or just share my food.
This is how children get into appalling eating habits that lead to health problems - maybe Jamie could overhaul eating out as well as school meals?? Jamie's restuarant dinners, could catch on??

Answer 2

I have no problem with well-behaved kids but they are so few and far between that it's no wonder that kids aren't welcome anywhere anymore. Who is to blame? The parents who sit drinking coffee while their kids run riot through a shop and cafe and cause mayhem. The poor waiting staff are taking their lives in their hands trying to serve paying guests because if they spill hot soup on a child who has run into them, they can be sued! Parents, keep your kids in check and mothers, park your buggies with consideration and tuck your handbag handle under the table before someone gets hurt! Rant over but I still don't feel better. On the up side, when you do see well-behaved children (the exception these days rather than the rule) they are a pleasure to serve. When I was a child, if I bawled then I went outside for the duration of the meal and quite right too. People should be able to eat in peace. Life and society leave us so little time out that surely a half hour of peace for lunch shouldn't be too much to ask.

Answer 3

You are to be commended.

Unfortunately, society in the UK, and possibly the US as well, does not always take a lot of interest in food and seem to think it de rigeur to respond to advertising, which is frequently aimed at children - hence Ronald McDonald.

I have worked Front of House (waiter) in restaurants, and I am appalled at how little knowledge both parents and children seem to have about food, I'm not talking about noisettes of lamb with a celeriac and potato rosti and vichy carrots - I'm talking about steak. When I have asked a customer whether they would prefer fillet or rump, the reply frequenty is 'anything - it's all steak, innit".

European families all sit down at table, and even the six-year olds know their way around a menu. English kids do not even seem to know what to do with a knife and fork, and whinge and create tantrums if they have to eat adult food. I've seen fifteen year olds sulk because we do not serve our Aberdeen Angus burgers in a bun, and adults have sent back the chips because they are "too fat". One of these days I will lose my rag and tell the parents that the skinny matchsticks they expect are not chips, but, more correctly, pommes de terre allumettes.

I am doing some work for the Institute of Hospitality that combines my experience in catering with my qualification as a Social Scientist - I am looking at the catering industry from this dual perspective. Many writers that I have researched claim that there hase been a revolution in food knowledge in the UK, and this is partially the case - the middle classes are more knowledgeable about food, than, say, ten years ago and also dining skills, and, when I go to France, I am no longer a laughing stock because I am an English chef. There is an ever-widening gulf between the social classes, however (witness the parents who pushed pies and burgers through the school fence as these had been banned from school dinners).

You have done the right thing. Food is something to be appreciated and enjoyed, family mealtimes around a table offer a vehicle for conversation and laughter, and children can enjoy honest food as much as adults. Fast food can be eaten with enjoyment at the right time - say, on a trip to a Theme Park, but any parent who stuffs their kids with high-fat food and does not teach table knowledge and etiquette is putting their child's future at risk. Knowledge of food and etiquette is still a requirement in any job outside of social class V.

Finally, I'm not talking about the Gordon Ramsay class of cuisine - I can cook that sort of stuff if need be. What I am talking about is things like soups, stews, gratin dishes, pasta dishes, fish and fruit. If children can eat this sort of fare, then their health and social future is assured. Well done!

Answer 4

I guess when we go out to eat a restaurant, you will more than likely order something different from the food that you eat at home, because it's a treat or a special occasion, perhaps they feel that kids should be offered foods they don't eat at home?? I'm happy for you that your nephew is so good, and more than likely his diet is a big factor in his health and behaviour, but not every parent is so lucky, I had a friend who brought her child up exactly as you described and he was a total nightmare, it depends on the nature of the child as well.

Answer 5

Yes, they do think kids eat junk food. And the parents think that if a restaurant won't cater to that, they won't even come eat, losing money for the restaurant. I know when my parents took me out, I did not order off the menu for kids. They wanted me to learn about good food. But to appease my customers I had to have a kids menu. You have no idea how many chicken strips I served over the years. I would have been happy to do smaller portions of decent stuff for kids, but they wanted the danged chicken strips!

I'm glad your nephew is growing up with an appreciation for real food.

Answer 6

My 9 year old isn't a fan of nuggets and burgers and if we go for a pub meal he always has the pasta option followed by fruit. One pub we went to actually sent someone from the kitchen to check that the order was right because my son wanted an apple for his dessert, apparently even though it was on the kids menu, no-one had ever ordered one before !
At my sons school they've spent all year teaching them why it's good to eat healthily and he's really taken it to heart, I'm trying to make my 12 year old was more like that, if it isn't crispy coated he complains !!

Answer 7

I agree totally. When I was growing up there was no junk food in our house and we were frequently taken out to restaurants - part of dad's business perks - and there was none of the junk that we have in there nowadays. If you did not like something, you did not get! Some of the posher restaurants would bend over backwards when my sister's friend would eat nothing but fish fingers. They did not have them (it was a steak house) but they went out of the restaurant, bought some fish, cut it into the right shape and coated with natural breadcrumbs and sauteed. We did wonder if she would eat them because of the colour, and the waiter said that they were special fish fingers which only the Queen's children ate in their nursery. Thankfully she accepted that and ate them without any more ado.

If kids are brought up on convenience food, how are they going to learn? We were brought up natural and apart from the odd dislike, we did not suffer for it!

Answer 8

That does seem to be the case I've gotten to where I eat out less with my kids and serve restaurant quality foods at home my kids have the palettes of gourmets. My daughter loves salads while my son is a meat and potatoes type but neither one really eats the burgers or nuggets they get from fast foods just the fries. When we go to a nice place I usually take them to a place that offers sides of broccoli or salads or a spaghetti plate for the kids.

Answer 9

Well sadly the truth about it is ... most kids only eat junk these days.

Well I think it is brilliant that your nephew is fed properly I only wish the rest of the world would follow suit and do the same.

You will have to take him to perhaps a more organic restaurant to have a meal. Coz these restaurants patronise children with all sorts of junk food.


nai nai xx

Answer 10

They are just stereotypical, they think that because burgers and other junk are tasty that they're the only things that kids like. They try to give what will get them the most money. Good for you for feeding your child healthy food, especially in this day and age.

Say hi to Mr. Giggles for me:)