When I was a waitress, I once waited on a table of 2 parents and a young girl, about the age of 4. When I took their order, the young girl proclaimed to me that she wanted the lamb chops (one of the more expensive entrees on the menu). Since she ordered like an adult, I decided to treat her as one and inquired directly to her, "and how would you like those cooked?" Without missing a beat, she replied, "medium rare." Sure enough, she cleaned her plate. That stays with me because I was so impressed by her knowledge and willingness to eat something that we would not equate with serving a child in a restaurant. In the NY Times food section, there is an article about childrens' menus and the impact of kids as the grow. What was your experience when you were a child? Did you order off the "regular" menu or kids' menu? How might this have impacted the kind of eater that you are?
I found this article rather bittersweet. There's a big problem being recognized here and yet I don't see its resolution coming about without a serious overhaul of our food culture.
ReplyDeleteWhy do we wonder where the weight problem in America, namely children, comes from when right from the get-go these kid's menus consist of mostly fried, processed, nutritionally devoid foods?
When my mother made meals, we never had an array of choices- you ate what was on your plate and if you didn't want to try it then too bad, so sad.
Since half of my family is Italian I tried all kinds of fish & seafood around Christmas time. As a 5-year-old I fell in love with escargot, cardoone, and the fennel & breadcrumb texture in my grandmother's pasta Milanese but I knew I didn't like how that thimblefull of red wine made my mouth feel like I had a sandpaper tongue. If it was good food, I was eating it. My parents even told me, "You know you're eating snails, right?" Yup, they're great.
We didn't go out to eat much but I don't ever remember ordering from a kid's menu. I do remember, however, my mom not being too impressed with kid's menus when we did go out. "Fried chicken fingers with a side of french fries and pop? How does that make sense?" I'm glad I was never introduced to this menu.
Now when I go to one of my friend's house who has children, dinner is a proper three-ring circus. My friend is rushing around trying to get the smiley-face tater tots out to one child while another is yelling for the ketchup to drown an entirely different shape of frozen potato product in and another is saying "I'm done!" and runs to play video games. I don't say anyting, because it's not my place and I'm not a parent, but I find it tragic that these kids don't know anything beyond the daily doses of Velveeta cheese, Pringles, and box after box of neon gummy worms.
I truly believe that these sort of convenience foods & snacks will probably be the death of us. At least they'll come in handy when some half of Americans struggle with hoisting themselves up from their convenient fully equipped recliners but can, however, reach for a convenient box/bag/bottle/can of processed something in the convenient mini-fridge that's built in to the recliner. How convenient! Didn't even have to get up! Wait...where's the remote???
When I was a child, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to eat a quite a few restaurants with my parents. My parents encouraged me to order what I wanted, to try new things, and to try the dishes they ordered. Because of this, I almost never ordered off of "kids" menu. I think this experimentation with trying new things led me to have open-minded, exploratory eating habits. This has led to me as an adult, with a broader range of foods I have tried and am willing to try. I believe it has also led me to be a better cook because I have experienced a broader spectrum of taste. I think that by encouraging children to try new things from the start, it leads them to be more adventurous, and more independent in their choices.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a kid and my family would go out to a nice restaurant I was always excited to try something new but my parents always made me order form the kids menu. In my opinion the kids menu never had enough options; some how there was always some kind of simple pasta, chicken tenders and maybe a burger of some sort. My eyes always wondered to the exciting display of options on the regular menu. Now I try to make up for not being able to explore with restaurants as a kid by ordering the most interesting sounding dish on the menu. Also, I thinks it would be important for restaurants to give more options on the kid's menu. One could argue that kids don't like much of anything but it reminds me of an episode on the T.V. show Arthur where D.W.(a four year old) didn't like spinach and order a dish with spinach by accident and loved it and decided to eat spinach more often. The more you expose kids to new idea the more they can grow to appreciate the ideas.
ReplyDeleteTS72496- Alot of people take their kids out to dinner with them. But they think that they can take their unrulely kids to a fancy place. if your taking your kids out, go to a local family diner and support your " Mom and Pap" place. dont be outraged if there is not childrens menu at a 5 Star rest. Be logical be a parent not menu Nazi.
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting to see this because when I was little I would do the same thing. Order something that a child would not usually order and the response would usually be are you sure? I remember getting frustrated when people would think I was kidding or ask my parents if it was alright. I have always been a pretty adventurous eater, even when I was younger, if it sounded interesting I would try it.
ReplyDeleteI probably ate more things as a kid than I do now. Frog's legs and steamers are a classic example of what I was introduced to as a child. In our house, there was no children's table, menu, or exceptions-luckily. I grew up during the height of the 80's and my parent's paraded me and my older brother out to the hot spots, we knew what hummus was before you could buy it at the stop and shop in 45 different flavors, and we were really exposed to a culinary hay day of sorts-I mean my dad use to work with Martha Stewart before any mid-western home knew her name. Whether it was food, a sport, a hobby, or even a religion (I was raised Catholic but my parent's sent me to Jewish Summer camp which led to a short lived bit of confusion)- we were expected to try everything at least once. It wasn't assumed we'd like everything but I consider myself lucky to have been exposed to so much at such a young and impressionable age. Maybe my parents gave me everything they didn't have as a kids or didn't see a need to separate 'adult' meals...but we certainly got to act act kids...I remember my brother chasing me around the supermarket with a cow's tongues and getting in trouble by the produce boy for breaking all the carrots on display. If anything, I had the opportunity to discover what my likes and dislikes were...they weren't the same as my parents or brother's and have also changed over the years. In fact, If I listed my top ten foods today maybe some were influenced from both paternal and maternal...but there's some on the list that neither of my parents would list as their favorites!
ReplyDeleteI don't think I ever really ordered from the kids menu when I was young. I always liked getting more elegant meals when I ate at a restaurant because it made me feel like a grownup. The kid's menu for me always consisted of either hamburgers, mac and cheese or chicken tenders and it was usually never any good, probably because whoever made it knew it was just going to be made for some kid who probably wouldn't complain if the food was not up to par. This probably impacted me in my eating habits by making me a very judgmental dinner. Even now I examine everything on the plate and usually have something negative to say about it within five seconds of looking at it or right after the first bite.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a child I never wanted to order off the children's menu. The flappy page with puzzles printed on it that came along with a pack of crayons seemed far less appealing than the laminated or leather bound books my parents recieved. Another problem with the kid's menu was the food was always the same options of chicken fingers, mac 'n cheese, and pizza at every restaurant we went to. My future children will always have the decision to order from whichever menu they choose unlike myself. Down with kiddie meals.
ReplyDeletelf803399
I was very impressed with the article in the New York Times about children's menus. I completely agree with Mr. Marzovilla about having a kids menu at his restaurant in Gramercy, New York. What purpose do kids menus serve? In my opinion an easy way out, a unhealthy diet, and cheap parents that don't really care to stand up to their kids and make them learn about culture and food. Food is what brings people together and one of the largest parts of our society. When I was growing up my parents used to let my brother and I order off the kids menu. Today my brother would still order off the kids menu if it would fill him up. When my mother cooked dinner every night she used to make sure there was something that my brother would eat. I'm not going to lie, I am more a picky eater then most people, but I have changed my views on food lately. I figure it's not going to kill me try something, the same goes for children. I wish my parents would have made me try anything that was in front of me. Mr. Marzovilla is right, if you don't give your kids a choice then there is nothing that can do, but try the food. Look at what kind of food his children eat. I was a server for a long time and there are very few kids that order off the adult menu or regular menu. I think people have forgotten our culture, a long time ago people didn't have a choice of what dish they wanted to eat, so we take advantage of choice. Kids should learn at a very young age to try whatever is in front of them as long it doesn't kill them, kids need to train their palate and you get so much more from a regular meal then a children's menu. Parents need to take control of their kids and change the way kids eat. I think this is the reason there are so many over weight kids and people.
ReplyDeleteNI
Student ID 567311
When I was a child, my parents allowed me to order off the kids menu if I didn't see anything I liked. Although, they made me try everything they would get for dinner, so if we went back I could order it if I liked it. This method turned me into someone who will try anything once, and I found out I like most things.
ReplyDeletegrowing up, my family rarely went out to eat anywhere besides Korean restaurants. Most, if not all, of the Korean restaurants in my area were family owned, so usually they were very casual about ordering foods. My parents usually ordered a giant order of meat that we would either Korean BBQ ourselves or have just sent out to us.
ReplyDeleteWhile my brother and I would sometimes get our own items, we would always share the soup that my parents ordered or the BBQ that we ordered as a family meal.
When I was a kid I ordered off the kids menu, because it was cheap and my family was not rich. Once I ordered off the regular menu I was hooked! ordered off the kids menu limits your food experience because all they serve is fried food or pizza. i think if a kid eats off the regular menu they will be a more sophisticated eater
ReplyDeleteMelanie Bindman
ReplyDeleteI believe how a child grows up eating and how the parents treat the subject has alot to do with how they will eat as an adult. That said I also believe that the child and later adult has some say in the matter. Some people just don't have an adventerous personality and if something seem too different to them no amount of convincing will make them try it. But this come back to the parent, if the child is exposed to many different foods all their lives then fewer food will seem foreign. On the other hand some people have genuin dislikes for certain foods no matter how much they want to like it. Me for example, I have never liked chocolate but since I was very young have wanted to like it but the taste never aggreed with me no matter how hard I tried. Now chocolate was never foregin to me actually I was the "foreign" one for not likeing it. Overall the parent and the persons childhood experiences have alot to do with the persons adult eating habits but some of it just comes back to the nature of the person and their genetic characteristics.
I was raised in a home where every plate of food was considered important, it didn't matter if my brother, or I liked it. And as A parent I can relate to Mr. Marzovilla. What I feed my son Is exactly what My mother fed me, what ever was on the menu! But, you really grow and appreciate those childhood experiences. I don't remember ever shying away from the "regular" menu. It was quite the opposite. My mothers constant need to remind us where we came from exposed us to foods that are still very unamerican and quite delicious to eat. The impact is clear, I love to eat different things!
ReplyDeleteI was raised in a home where every plate of food was considered important, it didn't matter if my brother, or I liked it. And as A parent I can relate to Mr. Marzovilla. What I feed my son Is exactly what My mother fed me, what ever was on the menu! But, you really grow and appreciate those childhood experiences. I don't remember ever shying away from the "regular" menu. It was quite the opposite. My mothers constant need to remind us where we came from exposed us to foods that are still very unamerican and quite delicious to eat. The impact is clear, I love to eat different things!
ReplyDeleteThis article is great, kids should be opened to other tastes and not just hamburgers or chicken nuggets and french fries.
ReplyDeleteI ordered off the kids menu until I was 10 years old. I personally don't know how much this affected my eating habits. We didn't eat out that often I believe I was more affected by my siblings pickiness. My mom would make food for the both of us, so I would be restricted by their diets. However, i can see how a kids meal would influence kids. They are encouraged to order of the "non-adventurous" menu by colorful drinks and ice cream treats. Parents are also led to order them for their kids because of the reduced price.
ReplyDeleteKH717358@mycia.net
When I was younger I would always order from the kids menu and once in a while from the regular menu. That wasn't often though, most of my eating out was at fast food places and pizzerias. At age 6 I had moved to NYC from Moscow, Russia and had a whole new world of food available to me, Russian food never appealed to me in any way so coming here and seeing all this amazing food was amazing. Fast food and pizza wasn't bad for me, it was cheap, fast and a million times better then Russian food so to me it was heaven. That impacted me only when I was 18 years old. Only then did I try all kinds of foods and figured out how amazing better food was.
ReplyDeleteid842266
Growing up my parents raised me to try anything at least twice and to confrom to what we had to eat or what ever was available. When ever me and my mom would go out to eat normally i would just eat off of what ever she was eating. I think this is why im not very picky with what i eat. i would have to say this is also where my love and passion of food came from.
ReplyDeleteI find this fascinating because my youngest sister would always order off the adult menu, getting a medium rare stake. As young kids we would always share but at she grew up to about 11 she was able to eat like an adult. You would never guess that a little petite girl such as herself could eat that much. Normally if i witness eating like hers it is with over weight adolescents, but not with her or our family. Eating as an “adult” makes you appreciate food and give people more of an open mind about trying new things. Also i feel it is important to stay healthy if you choose or are allowed to eat big adult portions at a young age. BM798700
ReplyDeleteWhen i was younger i never ordered from the kids menu. I wasn't because i wanted more food or because i wanted to feel like an adult. But the only thing on any kids menu would be Chicken fingers, burgers and, macaroni and cheese. I was always adventurous and ate the things from the adult menu. When my brothers were eating chicken fingers i would eat The Rice and Black bans with yuca and roast pork. I guess that reflects who i am now because i am a very adventurous eater. i think if you put anything in front of me with out telling me what it is i will eat it if it taste good. Iv'e eaten many things people don't eat because it may look gross or they know what it is and wont eat that. Im alway ordering adventurous stuff when i can.
ReplyDeleteUntil I was 12 I always ate off the kids menu. It helped me eat less, but it did not allow me the chance to try new things so my palette is not as developed. I think it is a good idea to have children try new things. My children will have a lot more options than I did.
ReplyDeleteAs a child I always ordered off of the kids menu, in fact I still do now not because its exactly what I want but because it is cheaper and the right portion for me. I really do not think that it has effected what I eat now because I am still willing to try anything, but I do think that some childrens menus could have a few more options to widen the horizon for children and give them more options at the correct portion instead of ordering a large portion and wasting part of it.
ReplyDeleteLisa Appleton
ReplyDeleteID: 648003
I was lucky enough to have open parents as a child. I did have the option of ordering from the child's menu, but I also had the option of ordering from the normal menu. My parents always promoted trying new things, whether I tried their dish or ordered my own. If I ordered something new, but I didn't like it or want to finish it, it wasn't looked down upon in my family. It wasn't seen as a waste of money, either. Because of my parents, I am still eager to try new things. I think it has a lot to do with why I like food so much. You get to experiment all the time. I know I'll never stop trying new things because of how I was raised. The child's menu can be nice on occasion, but like so many have said, the same mac and cheese, chicken fingers and pizza is very limiting. If you want these kinds of items on a menu, don't make it part of the kids menu. Make these entrees have their own twist, so they deserve to be on the normal menu. Kids still might like it.
I think that this draws attention to a really important issue in America. Children nowadays turn their nose up at anything that isn't chicken fingers and french fries, at least from my experience. We really need to do something to expose children to "real" food at a young age, so they can appreciate and enjoy quality, nutritious meals from the start.
ReplyDeleteI have a different perspective on this subject then a lot of the people whos comments i read. I had a very sheltered childhood in the way of food, i was a picky eater and my parents allowed me to eat what ever i wanted mostly from the childrens menu.
ReplyDeleteI do remember very vividly on a Disney Cruise that i went on when i was around 10-12 years old all I eat was chicken tenders, our waiter(who we had every night) told me on the last days breakfast that they didnt serve chicken tenders.
I know that from my past experencies that i will raise my children to eat all kinds of different foods, then chicken tenders...i will not let my children grow up my like that not even tasting lamb or chicken in till their 18th year as i did. My kids will grow up eating those foods.
Basicly i dont believe in childrens menus...:)
As a child I like many other children ordered off the child menu. My parents also never took me to a fine dining restaurant till I was old enough to know how to act in public settings. Most young children are picky eaters and are not like the girl in the article. She has obviously been exposed to different foods and taught how to order and eat like an adult. Kudos to the parents!
ReplyDeleteTR745792
As a child i also got the opportunity to order off of a kids menu or an adults menu. I never seemed to like the tasteless spaghetti and meatball dishes and buttered pasta dinners that we as children were offered. So my parents began allowing me to eat off the adults menu as long as i was willing to try some of the appetizers they would order. I remember the first time i tried calimari. They told me it was fried chicken and i loved it. Later that night i was told what it really was and have eaten it ever since. It is the little things parents do that can make you love or hate something. So i thank my parents for raising me to love food and always being willing to try something new.
ReplyDelete---Vince Tacconelli
I personally think that if there's going to be a children's menu it should be like a stepping stone into "grown-up" food. I think that maybe it should be simplified versions of whatever the restaurant currently serves but to a child's taste. Not having a children's menu at all is just inconvienent to the customers and the public at large.
ReplyDeleteIt is true that the children’s menu in most restaurants resort to a cheese burger or chicken nuggets & fries. I feel that the children’s menu is more than a tool for developing a taste palate of the child. To the parents, it is just a convenient component on the menu that is an option that is chosen not only by the children but the parents themselves. Not that the parents want to feed their child unhealthy processed food, but sometimes it is the only way out. It is difficult to compromise and come down to a decision when ordering for a child. So, something that seems a bit familiar is often an option that pleases the child. If a parent would order only from the children’s menu at all times, then it becomes a bit of an issue; leaving it as an option doesn’t seem to be a huge problem to me. Completely getting rid of the children's menu seems a bit harsh and would turn away parents if they had a difficult time ordering all the time.
ReplyDeleteSH813956
I used to order off of the regular menu any time I had a chance and I believe that has contributed to my love of food. It gave me the chance to try new things that my parents would never cook for me such as liver pate with a side of fried onions. If restaurants continue to serve "children menus" , I believe it will enable the next generation to become accustomed to the high fat, low nutrition items.
ReplyDeletefernanda:
ReplyDeletewhen i was a little girl i did not have the greatest taste on food, when we went out i always ordered from the kids menu. but at homeit was totally a different experience. my mom made a single meal she did not care if u like it or not u had to eat it, if you did not eated u could not get out of the table till u finish it. time passed and i realize that i actually like everything now i do not find hard to taste things i do not know, because of my mom now my palate is big enough to eat thing i have never even thought they eat
id: fl843175
Georgia Curley
ReplyDeleteReading this article, Looking Past the Children’s Menu by Susan Dominus, enticed me to recall what foods I was raised on and exactly how my foods of choice molded where I am today. There is no saying that a child raised off of chicken fingers and fries can’t be molded into an elite chef, but I have a hunch that a child who’s raised without fear of food benefits on another level. My cousins in particular came to mind while reading this article. Though they are now 20 and 16, I still associate their diets to that of a 5 year old. I call them the ‘white kids’ because they live solely off of macaroni and cheese, chicken fingers, white bread, milk, and French fries – all processed, white foods. Every holiday meal while everyone is eating a lavishly prepared dinner, they demand a pot of pasta and devour the rolls with butter even still. I find it interesting that even though my parents and their parents raised us with similar parenting styles and cultured us as much as they could, their diets are the polar opposite of mine. In a sense, they are the staple children of a “Child’s Menu” at these restaurants who refuse to print one with the idea that it’s poisoning a child’s opportunity to become capable of more variety in life.
When I was a child, I vividly remember making my own pizzas with a variety of toppings and being fascinated with the idea that you could make something so good out of a variety of simplistic ingredients. My favorite quote from this article was “If you don’t ask your children to try things, how will they ever know what they’re capable of? And isn’t the same true of us?” In my opinion, age shouldn’t be a factor to alter what you should put in your bodies and how you should be treated in regards to your culinary maturity. I was never amused by the fast food or children’s menu fad. In fact, my mom used to bribe me to eat 3 bites of my cheeseburger at McDonald’s before I could play on their playground. Obviously I caught the food bug somewhere along the line if I ended up here, but why is it that I’m not afraid of most foods and others are? I always thought it was in a child’s blood to be adventurous and mischievous – qualities that should and could come through at the dinner table, too.
I was pretty well known throughout even my extended family for ordering off the main menu. My favorite dish to get at a restaurant was steak - medium rare. When I later realized just how expensive a steak was I ordered it less frequently but for many years every time we ate out I went straight to the steak section. Once, feeling as adventurous as a 6 year old can feel, I decided to try a pasta dish. It was terrible. Well, it may not have been that bad but I sure did hate it. I went at least 5 years without ordering another pasta entree in a restaurant. I wasn't used to sauce that hadn't come from a can and the true tomato flavor put me off. After that meal I went right back to the steaks, sometimes rib. Once I even ordered lobster! I wanted to eat what all the adults were eating so I could feel more sophisticated. I think these experiences overall led me to experiment with different dishes when I'm out. Rather than ordering something I know I'll like I, to this day, will try all sorts of things on any given menu. I always (and still do) loved good old kids food like burgers and mac n cheese but when I go out to restaurants I want something new and unique.
ReplyDeletess769285
As a child I used to eat off of the Adult menu, and often I had to explain to my parents what alot of the meals were. I used to watch alot of Food Network so I had seen alot of different foods on t.v. and wanted to try them out when I went to restaurants. My parents are not very good cooks, and don't really know how to make the simplist of recipes or what is in them. So even as a child, I had to explain to them what things were. I believe this influenced my love for Culinary in many ways. It got me interested in food even as a young child. It also made my curiosity grow. Everytime I ordered something off the "Adult" menu, I would look up what was in it after eating it, if I was unsure. So, yes. I think that not ordering off the kids menu definitely helped me become interested in the culinary field today.
ReplyDeleteSheyna McCallister
I always wanted to be older than I actually was as a kid, and ordering off of the "grown-up menu" was my number one way of feeling like an adult. I tried turtle soup when I was four years old at a restaurant in Cape May, NJ, and fried calamari the next night. Those are just two of the items I fell in love with off of the "grown-up" menu. I was introduced to good food as a kid. I feel that children get catered to way too often these days. When my parents were kids, one meal was made. If you didn't like it, too bad. Today some families are making two to five different options to meet their kids' desires. I think you should WANT to feed your children the same food you feed yourself- not chicken nuggets,or frozen pizza.I read about a women who is definitely taking a step in the right direction. She owns her own restaurant, and the kids menu is the regular menu, but they're half portions. The items are also cheaper. She even allows adults who want smaller portions to order from her kids menu. Don't get me wrong, I loved mac-n-cheese as a kid, but I'm also glad I was given the opportunity to try new foods and develop an expanded pallet. I wish that every child is fortunate enough to do the same.
ReplyDeleteCM822968
I agree with this article and find that it makes a valid statement because children should be exposed to all kinds of food and be raised with an open mind for trying anything. I came from a household where everyone ate the same dinner and you tasted everything. One did not need to consume an item they disliked but you at least tried it. Now, it is one of my biggest pet peeves to see someone deny tasting an item just because they have the idea that they don't like it or it looks unappetizing or whatnot. There are so many picky eaters breed today because parents over accommodate their kids by preparing separate meals and letting them decide what to eat instead of exposing them to new flavors. I don't agree with forcing your child to eat food but I think exposure to all food items would expand their palate at a young age and at the very least familiarize them with different foods. This way, it would not necessarily rid them of aversions, since that depends on personal taste, but hopefully alleviate the fear of trying new foods.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with not providing a kids menu. This only progressses the idea that children receive different treatment and indulges catering to their needs. The fact that so many restaurants provide kids options perpetuates the fear of children wanting to try something new and parents relying on establishments that accommodate this. Marzovilla stated this concept aptly by saying kids menus are often dumbed down and there is most likely something a child would enjoy on the regular menu. This was even proven when the writer's children ate everything that Marzovilla's kids ate just because they had an example set before them. I don't think children are as selective with food as most seem to be. I believe they act that way because of lack of exposure and insistence from parents. This article exemplified the right way to expose kids to try new foods and at the very least respect food even if they do not enjoy them.
Jamila Ross
ReplyDelete-I found this blog very interesting because as a young child, perhaps not at four, but maybe around 8 or 9 I knew exactly what I would prefer to have on a regular menu. When entering a restuarant and proceeding to set the children's menu I would notice that many waiters/waitresses would be surprised. I liked being able to show my maturity to others when it came to food. When going out with friend's parents is when I truly realized that my palette tended to be very different from my peers and that ordering intellectually from an "adult" menu isn't what most kids my age did.
I can't say that i have ever ordered off of the kids menu. My parents taught me from an early age to always try something, even if it smells funny or looks weird. Also to be polite even if I don't enjoy that food for what ever reason. I believe this helped me a lot to expand my knowledge of food from when I was younger to now. So when i go to a restaurant I'll usually try something Ive never had or look for something more unique on the menu. I also believe that if there is a kid menu, the dishes should have a variety of flavors making the expierence more memorable and or maybe the child will learn something from this
ReplyDelete-William Treff
As a kid and to this day I hate 90% of the foods often found on children' s menus. My parents strongly encouraged me to order off the regular menu due to the fact that they knew that it was going to be a lot healthier. Often when I was handed a children's menu by a waiter/waitress my parents would take it from me, hand it back, and ask for the regular menu. Also, being an only child I amused myself with being "grown up" and acting like my parents. With this I would order something that I thought a grown-up would eat; which is when I discovered my love for lamb and veal.
ReplyDelete- Maddy Redo
when i was a kid you had to work your way up to the adult menu. you had to almost prove you were worthy of it. at home at the dinner table you had to eat what mom cooked no matter what it looked or tasted like. a few times you liked it most of the time i hated it. but alot of those things i hated back then are now my favorite foods. i could not stand mushrooms when i was a kid but no i cant get enough.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was younger, I used to try to order from the regular adult menu, but it was common for me to go to my back up chicken fingers and fries on the kids menu. I Feel like i did try many new things that were not on the kids menu like veal. My parents always encouraged me to branch out and try new foods when i felt comfortable doing so. I believe this helped me discover what I truly enjoy and what i do not. No one ever forced me to eat anything. I liked to try things similar to what i already knew and I branched out from there.
ReplyDeleteAs a child, whenever I went out to eat with my family, I did not have the option of eating off the regular menu. My parents always made me and my brother order from the children’s menu. Even if I asked to order a regular entrée, my parents would say no. When I was finally too old to get a children’s menu, I was not use to so many options and had not been exposed to so many foods that I would still order fried chicken tenders or a hamburger. I think my family was a typical American family in that we ate mostly processed foods and had very uneducated palates. It was not until I moved to Italy during high school that I was exposed to different ways of eating. My father was often deployed during the war and my mother was never home, so my brother and I spent the least amount of time at home possible to avoid being alone. Through sports, I got to travel all over Europe and experienced a wide variety of cuisines with the encouragement of my friends and without anyone around to tell me “black people don’t eat that,” something my mother often said. Now that I’m older, when I go out to eat, I’ll always try to experience something new and never order the chicken or the burger.
ReplyDelete-Mavis J
789724
When I was a child I had always ordered off the regular adult menu. My parents felt that when I was a child I needed to be treated as a adult and ordering food was no expectation. I feel as if growing up I was destine to become a chef by this. My parents would always make me try foods many times until they were fully aware that I had no desire to eat this. I remember we had gone to a Italian restaurant around the time I was five, my parents ordered steamed artichokes with hollandaise; I was in love instantly, I think I ate that artichoke and another order as well. My parents had always exposed me to the finest of foods growing up. My parents are still firm believer that the child menu is off limits.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was around 4, I was held to the kid's menu and I was fine with that. However as I became older and started to appreciate more food, my parents allowed me to order off the adult's menu. It's the fact that a children's menu only has the basic chicken fingers, grilled cheese, hamburger, hotdog, and macaroni and cheese. After years of eating these things, you start to get bored of the same old same. My father is a cook so he showed me how to try things. He said I won't like every food in the world, but if I try it once, I will have evidence to back up my dislike of the food, not just because it looks or smells badly. Choosing from an adult menu while developing your taste pallet helps you build the love of food.
ReplyDelete-David Peters
Larry Wildey III said....
ReplyDeleteWhen i was a young and on the rare ocassion that i was able to go a restaurant i would alway order of the main menu i hated the kids menu. I hated the kids menu because it made me feel weak. i wanted real protions i wanted to be an adult. my mother encouraged this she loved it when her children acted like adults. she always wanted us to try new foods and to enjoy ourselfs. i think that child menus are to constricting why does society need them because society needs a way to tell children from adults. i feel it part of growing up that a child gets to choose what they want at a restaurant. it was always exciting for me.
Growing up, I never ate off the children's menu simply because my parents never had forced me too. I grew up eating mozzarella and proscuitto sandwiches instead of peanut butter and jelly, so I never really had any desire to eat off the children's menu. I loved being able to order different things on the adult menu, children's menus are often extremely similair restaurant to restaurant, and I wouldn't have really had the chance to try anything new. My first experiences with many different types of new sfood were in restaurants and I may never have gotten the chance to try something if I had just ordered chicken fingers and fries. Ordering off of the adult menu helped me to build a more mature palate that didn't involve everything paired with ketchup as a sauce and I can say I have never eaten any chicken product shaped as a dinosaur or nugget. Being able to eat whatever I chose encouraged me to try new things now.
ReplyDeleteI would have never tried pickled beets as a child and happened to get them in a dish at a restaurant and I have loved them ever since.
Rachel Munroe 799099
This article is about a topic that I have pondered more than once. Growing up my family rarely went out to eat and doing so was a real treat. I always looked forward to trying new foods and very rarely ordered from the kid's menu. As I got older, about twelve, I started to feel offended whenever the hostess asked If I would like a kid's menu. I viewed the menu as a tool for kids who are not yet ready to make their own decisions about what to eat and who need someone else to do that for them. I did not want chicken fingers, mac and cheese, or any of the popular choices offered to me. I felt like I was being treated unfairly, as though I was dumb. Looking back on those feelings, I find it hard to believe that even now days, as an adult, I still can see my peers ordering from kid's menus without shame. Although none of them dub themselves “foodies” and some even claim to be vegetarians, I find it embarrassing for a full grown individual to order from the kid's menu.
ReplyDeleteHowever, when it comes to children, I believe it is not a sin to order an option from the kid's menu but rather a cop out. Letting ones child order the same three entrees time after time hinders their growth and experiences with food. If all our youth are exposed to is mac and cheese and chicken fingers, then imagine what food will be like years from now. The dumbed down versions of food served to the youth are holding them back from exploring food and developing a love and passion for it. Imagine if all the influential chefs of our time were only exposed to the high fat, salty options our kids are eating today. It is our job to make sure that our youth experience food and install in them the respect and adventurous spirit that I have grown up with.
Jesse Szewczyk
I think it can go either way. On one hand I feel that the adult portions would be too much for a child however the kids menu isn't usually "healthy" mostly chicken fingers, hot dogs, and mac 'n' cheese. I think that instead of a kids menu that a restaurant offer a kids portion option to the regular menu items. This will offer the kids to develop a taste for new foods, to have the chance to order from the adult menu and also reduce the restaurants potential waste incase a kid has ordered a regular item and couldn't finish it.
ReplyDelete-Maxx Lyman
When I was a littl kid my mom actually would let me order off th adult menu. I was always hungry so she figured it would be best for me to be eat adult portions. I loved the different slections rather than the same old burger and french fries on the kids menu. For me I always loved seafood and getting to order off the adult menu gave me a chance to eat a piece of shrimp and not be questioned. It made me realize my love for food and showed how much I wanted to try different foods. TS781451@mycia.net
ReplyDeleteAaron Gonnelly
ReplyDeleteWhen I was younger, I always wanted to order off of the Adult Menu. However, my parents thought i would never finish the "adult meal". I always had to eat off the kids menu. However when we went to get fast food, like McDonalds, I never got the kids meal. When I was about 8, I was able to eat off the adult menu. The servers, hoever thought I should have ordered off the kids menu. I cleared the plate everytime. This changed the way I ate because I was introuduced to many different types of food. Which leads into why I am here today. I just love food.
Growing up I had the choice of ordering whatever I wanted, not because i was "spoiled" or "pampered" but my mother believe I should try new things. Even at a young age, I ate alot and wasn't displeased with any type of food. I believe kids should order what they want in order to experience and try new flavors and taste. Yes, kids can sometimes take a couple bites and not want it anymore but, you can always box it up and take it home. Kids should be able to try new things other than the basic foods on a kids menu, this way when they grow up they can look foward and appreciate all different types of flavors.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was very young, I usually ordered off the kids menu due to the fact that I had not yet developed a palate that accepted most types of strong-tasting “adult” foods. However, when I was around 6 years old, I began to enjoy the taste of dairy and certain meats and vegetables more. I would actually finish my dinner of roasted chicken, steamed broccoli and rice. It was around this time that I also began to order off the regular menu, because I had a larger knowledge of how certain foods went well together. For example, if a burger had a spicier Monterey jack cheese, I wouldn’t mind because the taste the burger and vegetable would help to overpower the pungency of the cheese.
ReplyDeleteI think most parents do not realize that children’s taste buds take such a long time to fully develop. They should start their children on sweeter varieties of vegetables such as tomatoes and corn, instead of bitter broccoli and brussels sprouts. By weaning them into the more savory tastes of vegetables slowly, they can eventually learn to love them.
I was lucky enough at a young age to begin to develop an exception of more flavors than my peers at the time. This freedom to taste lots of different foods at my own will, is the same drive that has brought me to where I am today as a cook. It is this passion that has allowed me to experience new dishes and flavors without holding back. It is my own free will.
KW776460-
ReplyDeleteAs a child, I was always given a children's menu to order off of when my family and I went out to dinner. I almost always ordered chicken fingers and french fries. As the years went on, and I wasn't given the option of ordering off the adult menu, I still got the same thing. It wasn't until one experience where I was out to eat with a friend and she mentioned that the only thing I ever ate when out with her family was chicken, was that I realized this. It seemed the idea that it was engrained in my mind that i should always get the same thing. After this experience, I began to try out new things, which eventually led me to my love of cooking and a greater appreciation for food.
Confession time: I ordered off the kids menu long after I left childhood. As a small person, most waiters couldn't tell the difference anyway and frankly, I knew I would never finish a regular portion size. The kids meal seemed like a better deal: correctly-portioned, well-rounded meals for only half the cost. I mean, as a five foot, one hundred pound teenager, do I really need a nine-by-thirteen serving of lasagna when it's more cost effective and healthy to have a plate of pasta with a side of steamed vegetables (and even a cup of ice cream sometimes)? For me it just made sense.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit, however, I was a fairly picky eater because of it. I'd eat the same few dishes where ever I went and got so bored with eating that my minimal appetite diminished further. Once I felt foolish ordering off the menu (perhaps in the last five years), I was forced to eat "adult food." Ultimately, it opened up a world of different flavors and textures, cooking techniques I had never tried and combinations that were far superior to chicken fingers and honey mustard. Eating once again became a gratifying experience and my love of food returned. That's why I'm here today, learning to create the dishes that gave me back my passion.
So, I guess what I'm trying to say is, while kid menus do make sense sometimes (even for adult eaters), they alone are not an adequate food source. Kids should be encouraged to eat regular adult meals, but make sure that there is a line drawn between "healthy and delicious" and "indulgent and extraneous." Sometimes we need only a light, simple meal to remind us why the U.S. is the home of obesity. Especially considering how far children's meals have come recently. Some are literally smaller portions of adult meals with things like chorizo, squash, and other unusual ingredients.
As a child I really didn't a choice like the little girl your are talking about .My mother cooked at home alot and when we did go out she always asked for the childrens menu for us. I guess thats why I never order a hamburger,chicken fingers or Mac and cheese now. Rasheeda Fowlkes Intro to Gastronomy 6:30
ReplyDeleteI wish I was more like that girl when I was younger. I was never exposed to "adult" food while dining out. My typical meal consisted of fried chicken nuggets or a hamburger.
ReplyDeletePart of it was that I was comfortable eating what I was eating; I had no desire or need to branch out. I even hated a lot of the foods I eat now. I wouldn't touch cheese, salad dressings, or even onions.
I wish it would've been different though. I think kids should be exposed to food as early as possible. Children need to move away from the typical fried, fatty kid-friendly foods. I think it would help them as an adult and may even improve their health and help fight obesity.
-Aaron Gross (806184)
Personally, i feel that children are faced with the simple, cheap, easy meals that are distinguished highly through children menu's and even cafeteria food. We've become influenced that this is the normal way of cuisine for our youth. Ofcourse toddlers won't have to try to chew down a rib eye but their should be the same style of nutrients and amount of nutrients that should be envolved in their meals. When kids are brought up only having grilled cheese and french fries for meals, they are usually scared to evolve their eating habits. I being one of those kids. I feel that their should be more focus on our youth menu's ad cuisines.
ReplyDeleteJk802009
I dont think we need a kids menu per-se... When i was little i ate of the normal menu which a attribute to my love of food now. I know kids like food! they eat so much of it we should try to use this as an opportunity to nurture their appetite and steer them to healty and tasty choices that possotivly affect their life.
ReplyDeleteThis article appealed to me because I was never satisfied with the kids menu. Even at catered parties when children were given the option of chicken fingers, a hamburger, or grilled cheese I wanted the option of chicken, steak, or fish. I was always an adventurous eater and leaned toward the "adult dishes" but this isn't true for most children, and what a kids menu does is make it worse. I do believe that their should be reduced portions for children but there's no reason to be teaching them bad eating habits. Not only are these foods unhealthy but they help form picky eaters. My parents always taught me and my siblings to try different food, eat our vegetables and stressed nutritional value in good food. I get so sick when I see children that wont try any food, eat everything fried, cut the crust of their bread. Its even worse when parents allow or advocate this behavior.
ReplyDelete-Dominique Casillo
I was always brought up to "try everything at least once". Sure, I had my fair share of chicken fingers but I'm greatful my parents allowed me to expand my palate the older I got. To be quite honest, as a child, I was always jealous if I WAS subjected to the children's menu. Ultimately it is up to the parents what they feed their children. However, I feel if a restaurant owner doesn't want to offer a children's menu than that is their choice. Maybe more places should do the same. Maybe McDonald's isn't the best choice for the little one's morning, noon, and night. Maybe the lack of a children's menu would lead to them eating a little healthier. Just a little "food for thought", parents.
ReplyDelete-Jennifer Stevener JS844481
I believe that every kid should have the same menu as their parents. I grew up from Thailand where is no such a thing called kid menu. Every kid in Thailand order the same menu as their parents. One more important thing about kid menu is that it doesn't have enough nutrition it should be. For example, grill cheese,for the kid, I don't think so. I beleive that every kid should be inspired, encouraged and foreced to eat new things on the menu rather than chicken finger or burger.
ReplyDeleteThitid Tassanakajohn TT767423
I wish my cousins be like her. i was once in a five star restaurant in ohio with my uncle my aunt and of course with my two young cousins. when we ordered and the food was on table they started to behave differently. they thought that they were in their house and the food was a game for them. so they started to through the food, play with sauces and yield so loud we could hardly listen the others. it was a terrible experience and i really prefer to pay more in order to make my kid to stay quiet than to destroy a whole restaurant.
ReplyDeleteGV849338
When I was a kid i remember that my parents made me eat everything on the plate, even if I didn't want it. I was born and raised in Bolivia where poverty and extreme poverty are very common, so as a way to teach me how to appreciate food my parents always made me finish everything. Most of the time it was fine I had no problems devouring everything on my plate. But there were a few occassions where I didn't like what was put in front of me, but my parents took one look at me and I knew what they had to say. So I pretty much grew up eating all types of good and aslo strange food that represents Bolivia and my culture in general. Even though I did not like some things, my parents taught me to appreciate every single plate of food, because many other kids or people in general don't have a plate of food to eat every day. In a way this also opened up my horizons to most of the food that my people eat, and I got to try some unique tastes that might only be native to my country. Same case applies now a days for me, I like to try everything on my plate, even if I don't particularly enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the NY Times article and Mr. Marzovilla that argued, children menus are a parenting crutch. With obesity and health issues concerning children on the rise in the US. It's about nutrition. Often children menus offer chicken fingers, mac & cheese and things like cheeseburgers and fries. High saturated fat, high calorie meals. Why not use a parenting style that encourages a child to try different things on the menu. In my family we had a rule, "try it you'll like it, or at least try it, if you don't like it, you don't have to eat it." More often than not we liked it. I believe if you're limited to burgers and fries, not only are the health issues a problem you'll never develop new and exciting tastes and experiences.
ReplyDeleteJacquie Palmer jp847779
There is a certain age I hit where I didn't want to order off the kids menu anymore but my parents spoke for me and would say "yes, give him a kids menu." I would say that age is probably 10 to 12ish where you (the child) feel old enough to order off the "Adult menu" but your parents prefer you to eat off the kids menu. I remember walking into restaurants and the host would ask my parents "would he like a kids menu?" I would want to jump in and say "No thanks!" but it was too late. I don't think eating off the kids menu effected me in any way after all I was just a kid and I am still willing to try anything and everything.
ReplyDeleteStudent ID:811748
When I was younger, I always wanted to act older and do what my parents were doing; this included eating off of the regular menu. While all of my friends were getting grilled cheese and french fries, I was eating things like Mediterranean pasta, and ceviche. My parents always encouraged me to branch out and try new things, while kids my age were pigeon holing themselves into mainstream food. The present is a testament to how much of a difference these early decisions made. Still, to this day, I'll go to restaurants with friends and order things that make them say, "ew." In reality, the things they're eating aren't very good, but they wouldn't know the difference. Had I ordered off of the kids menu, I doubt I'd be as open minded and have the knowledge about food that I do. So, thank you adult menus!
ReplyDeleteBess Walsh BW688032
Minwoo LEE said...
ReplyDeleteWhile I was growing up, going out to dinner with my family was one of the happiest event. My parents were always busy so it was really hard for having dinner together. Anyway, eventhough I was young, I could fully enjoy the regular menu's rich flavors but also, I was happy with a children's menu which was not just pretty, but pretty healthful as well. Sometimes, a children's menu might be able to a good choice for children.
What was your experience when you were a child? Did you order off the "regular" menu or kids' menu? How might this have impacted the kind of eater that you are?
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a child, I liked to have happy meals from Mc Donalds and other kids menu at a restaurant. I liked any kinds of food and had not much desires to eat. my parents usually picked the kid's meal for me... I would have ordered regular meal when I was hungry. It hasn't really affected me by choosing the kid's meal. I just decided to have regular meals one day, and I don't have much memories picking out the menu because my family didn't get out too often.
Tim Park JP833187
As a child i would always order off the children menu. It was a rare occasion to even be at a dinner since we would mostly cook at home. But, ordering off the child's menu I would say that it would keep you closed to the type of food you eat. Since most of the food is chicken fingers or a hamburger.
ReplyDelete864146
RR704110
ReplyDeleteGrowing up we never ate out very often so I rarely had the chance to order from the kid's menu. I do know that no matter what menu it was on, I ate what I wanted to eat. If we were at home I recall eating whatever it was that my mother made because if I wanted to eat that was my only option, the same applied to holidays. There was never a children's table or certain foods made for only the kids.
I'm not a very picky eater now, mostly in part to my mother's attitude that what she made was dinner and if you didn't eat it, for whatever reason, you went to bed hungry. I will always try new things but I tend to pick foods that are familiar to me.
Growing up, my parents always encouraged me to try new things. With parents who were always in search of the latest and best culinary trends and cuisines,I was exposed to a lot of diversity and it has definitly shaped my pallet and my career choice.
ReplyDeleteAs a child I distincly remember ordering off both menus according to my bravery at the restaurant. If it was a dish I was familiar with or I could recognize something in the ingredients I generally chose from the adult menu. If I was too timid or just generally in the mood for pizza or kids pasta, thats what I picked.
I do think however, that it is important for a restaurant to have a children's menu, or at least options for young ones. When a family of with children comes into a restaurant and the child is unhappy, the parents are not going to enjoy their time in the establishment. Chances are,that next time the family goes out they are going to choose somewhere where they ALL can enjoy themselves; and the parents can have a reprieve from the complaining. Despite how good the meal may have been, no one wants to be miserable for two hours hearing your child complain that they cant have chicken nuggets and french fries. If you can keep the kids happy, mom and dad will be happy too.
LZ822960
When I was kid I was always encouraged by my parents to pursue culinary knowledge. So when ever I would dine at a place with a kids menu I would never order from it. I would always try new and interesting food happily. I believe this experience with food definitely improved my aspect on the food world and believe that every child should expand their food knowledge into this world as well. I do understand that kids menus are there to satisfy those picky palates of children and I really have no grudge against them. Although it is still my opinion that children should still be introduced to this part of the culinary world.
ReplyDeleteJordan Kotzen JK890542
Growing up in an Asian family it wasn't unusual for children to eat fish heads, frog legs, bird spit soup or anything that's consider bizarre. As a child I loved fish heads and would fight for it during the dinner table with my sibling. I believe it is the parent who makes a child a picky either.
ReplyDeleteSL788176
Growing up I was a very picky eater. When ever My parents an I went out to dinner i alway had to order off of the kids menu, because if I looked at the other menu i would most likely take forever to decide what i wanted and that also ran the risk of me getting something that I did not like. Even though i always ate off the children's menu I do not think that all restaurants should have one, high end restaurants should not have to have a kids menu, because if you are taking your child to a high end establishment they should be able to appreciate the food in which they are going to be served. Children menus did effect the type of eater i was for a while but once i started to adventure in to fine cuisines the craving for children's food slowly dissipated.
ReplyDeleteAs i grew from a child, i was strict about always getting something off the children's menu. I never wanted to branch away from the kids burger and fries. Broadening my food choices seemed like a very hard thing for me to do. Once i was too old for the children's menu, i forced myself to eat other foods. To my surprise, i loved it. Every time i would go out to eat, i would get something new. I was a very static eater for awhile and now i view myself as a dynamic eater. All thanks to the age limits on the kids menu.
ReplyDeleteKO783872
My sisters and I were never the most typical children when it came to eating out. We were not raised to order from the dreaded children’s menu, for us the appetizer or “small plates” portion of the menu (and of course the dessert menu) was more than adequate. Why would we resign ourselves to chicken strips and horrifically overcooked cheeseburgers when there were crab cakes, bruschetta, and mussels at our disposal? I still laugh when I think back and remember all the different reactions waiters would have when I would order raw oysters, duck confit, or the cheese plate for dessert when I was 9 or so years old.
ReplyDeleteLT855914
I was an odd child, very much like the little girl who ordered medium rare lamb chops. I was very active and had a huge appetite: children's portions were never enough. I was also a very fortunate child because I was the oldest and had parents who did not yet realize that it was unusual to take their toddler with them whenever and wherever they went out to eat. My mother had one rule at the table wether in a restaurant or at home, and that was that no matter what, we had to try at least one bite of everything. "Our tastes change," she said, "and food can taste differently depending on how it's made, so just because you didn't like something one time, it doesn't mean you won't like it this time: give everything a chance." If we didn't like it, we didn't have to eat it, as long as we tried it. Well I didn't mind this rule: I liked almost everything I tried off of their plates. That is not to say, however, that I was not a picky eater: I hated those things most often found on children's menus: french fries, anything with ketchup, chicken nuggets, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Even if I liked some of the ingredients, I found most of what was included on children's menus to be bland or boring. I loved seafood, game, and vegetables. I wanted to try new things. So, for example, even though I might have been 4 years old at a restaurant having lunch with my mother, she didn't act surprised at all when I told the waitress, simply, that I would have the marinated calamari followed by the warm spinach salad with poached egg and bacon. I was always allowed to order for myself, and it always caught the waitresses off guard. I believe this approach very much influenced how I eat to this day. I will always scan a menu for something I haven't tried before, and will never say that I simply don't like something: maybe I will like it prepared another way, or on a different day. I think if all parents stopped coddling thier children, feeding them large amounts of bland food either packed with sugar, fried, or both, and insisted on their at least trying everything once, children would grow up being more experimental in their food choices, and probably eating healthier in the long run as well.
ReplyDeleteOddly enough, when I was a child I had a very little interest in food. Mainly due to the fact that my mom wasn't the best cook. Most of my memories of her food are of bland ones and meals quickly executed. I remember going out to restaurants with my parents and always eating off the kids menu: chicken finger, pizza, and pasta with red sauce. Not once can I recall ordering off the regular menu.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't until I had tasted home cooking other than my mothers that I was willing to expand my menu and start to appreciate food. It is still a topic of conversation now at the holidays, how such a picky eater can grow up to have such a passion for food and all its different tastes.
I feel I was heavily impacted as a child, I was walking around with blinders, and probably making my parent's life difficult every time they decided to go out to eat. Becoming tired of my limited menu and being fortunate enough to eat at a friends house, my whole life had change. I went from eating a handful of items to now trying to eat everything.
bc868616
I think this was a great article and story. Growing up we never went out to eat. Every night though we would all sit down and eat a full meal that had one protein (usually chicken), a starch and a veg. Even though we never had the benefit of expanding our pallet, me and my sisters at least never ate junk food dinners like spaghettios or fish sticks. Im not saying these foods are horrible for kids but I feel its so much more important towards a child's growth to eat a more well balanced diet. I would love it if restaurants served only adult menus because generally kids just don't know how to act in decent restaurants and theres something just wrong about serving a table chicken fingers and ketchup alongside a kobe beef wellington per se. If the parents happen to bring their kids out to eat at a nicer restaurant, and they want some mac n cheese, serve them an orzo mac n cheese with port and truffle oil. Also a children's menu gives picky eaters and option, a chefs worst nightmare. Speaking from experience, my friend, who like me enjoys going out to finer restaurants has a wife that comes along and open orders chicken fingers and french fries. Whenever this happens I am actually embarrassed to be at the table and to look at the bill and see a $6.00 kids plate next to a $68.00 dry age rib eye. Nothing angers me more than picky eaters, and I believe a children's menu only perpetuates the notion that it's ok for adults to pretend like they're children. I salute these bold and adventurous breeds of young culinarians and hope to one day have one of my own.
ReplyDeleteas837546
ReplyDeletethe children menu in my opinion should be no different than the "adult" menu. The only difference should be portion sizes. I always ordered off the main menu as a child. It made me feel like a grown-up. Also everything odn the children's menu was fried or a hamburger/ grilled cheese.
Interestingly enough I was one of those kids that would come close to throwing a borderline temper tantrum if there wasn’t either a separate kid’s menu or something on the regular menu resembling chicken fingers. In my days as a young, naive child I figured that I knew what I liked and nothing was going to change that. Cheeseburger? No way. Chicken breast and mashed potatoes? Absolutely not. Fried Chicken, presented in a “finger-like” form? Yes please. My dining style has changed completely since those days. I often try to pinpoint the moment that I decided it was okay to try new things, but I really can’t figure it out. To go from only ordering one thing, to now being the member in my family (along with my dad and brother Ben) who wants to try the most interesting and different menu items is such a serious change. After reading the New York Times article on children’s menu I started to think that perhaps it was indeed the existence of so many children’s menus that initially provoked my one-track food mind. By not really introducing myself to new foods I developed a plan around one specific item (chicken fingers) that I knew would be safe and consistent. Had I not been able to use the children’s menu as a crutch I’m sure that I probably would have been more likely to explore other food items earlier in life.
ReplyDeleteSarah Mundt
Interestingly enough I was one of those kids that would come close to throwing a borderline temper tantrum if there wasn’t either a separate kid’s menu or something on the regular menu resembling chicken fingers. In my days as a young, naive child I figured that I knew what I liked and nothing was going to change that. Cheeseburger? No way. Chicken breast and mashed potatoes? Absolutely not. Fried Chicken, presented in a “finger-like” form? Yes please. My dining style has changed completely since those days. I often try to pinpoint the moment that I decided it was okay to try new things, but I really can’t figure it out. To go from only ordering one thing, to now being the member in my family (along with my dad and brother Ben) who wants to try the most interesting and different menu items is such a serious change. After reading the New York Times article on children’s menu I started to think that perhaps it was indeed the existence of so many children’s menus that initially provoked my one-track food mind. By not really introducing myself to new foods I developed a plan around one specific item (chicken fingers) that I knew would be safe and consistent. Had I not been able to use the children’s menu as a crutch I’m sure that I probably would have been more likely to explore other food items earlier in life.
ReplyDeleteSarah Mundt
This is an interesting conundrum. As a child, my sister was a very picky eater, my parents tried to get her to try new things but even as a baby she was a pill. Thus, through her formative years and into her teens if left to her own devices she would really only eat grilled cheese, chicken strips and ice cream. I on the other hand loved just about everything as a kid; my parents enjoyed exposing me to different flavors and because of such I have very few food aversions. I don’t know if forcing your child to eat what you give them or not eat at all like the father in the NYT article is necessarily the best approach. I would be curious to hear the perspective of a child psychologist on the subject. My parents raised my sister and I the same way and they tried their hardest to expose us to a wide variety of flavors from the get go because my dad loves food; this tactic worked for me but not for my sister. I think that when approached with a picky child many parents will eventually give in to what is easy (i.e. traditional kid food) because they want their kids to eat something without meals having to be a battle. Also, many adults carry their own food baggage so it is hard for them to expose their kids to something when they are neophobic themselves. I’m reminded of Jessica Seinfeld’s book “Deceptively Delicious” where she literally hides good fruits and veggies via purees into foods that her kids (and husband) like in order for them to get the proper nutrition. I think that we would have to change the culturally accepted American perception that a child’s palate is less refined and therefore requires bland “kid food”. Barriers such as big business (think Gerber Graduates) want to keep this notion in place so that they can sell more products so a change such as “no kid’s menu” isn’t impossible but might be slow to catch on.
ReplyDeletehttp://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304223804576444393604792386.html
ReplyDeleteI saw this article on the WSJ; thought that it might be an interesting addition to the debate :)
At a young age I discovered my love for food and therefore rarely ordered off the children's menu. I saw no point in ordering foods such as mac and cheese at a restaurant when I could eat that at home. I loved reading menus and the descriptions of new foods I had never eaten or heard of. Children's menus have created the idea that only adults should have an extensive palate, yet if a child is never exposed to foods other than what is on a children's menu then how will they ever learn to like other foods with a wider range of flavors? Rather than a chilren's menu with generic 'kids' food, why not offer child sized portions to help show children that there is more to chicken then chicken tenders and that pasta can be served with more than a simple marinara sauce. My parents encouraged me to try new foods and I am thankful for now I have been exposed to many different flavors which will help me when I am creating dishes in my own kitchen
ReplyDeleteI think that both good and bad can come from a kids menu. Yes its quick and easy because its dumbed down for the children but isn't that the point. If the child is willing and capable than let them order what they want from the normal menu but don't make it so that a parent has to go through a menu at a restaurant with there child to find something they will eat. However i do agree that parents should take there own time at a family meal to teach there children to experiment and try new thing
ReplyDeleteI don't think I ever really ordered from the kids menu when I was young. I always liked getting whatever type of food my parents were having when I ate at a restaurant because it made me feel like a grownup. The kid's menu for me always consisted of hamburgers,a simple pasta or chicken tenders and it was usually never any good.This impacted me in my eating habits by making me a very judgmental eater. My mom now always calls me a food snob due to the fact that I like to actually look at my plate to eamine everything and I usually always have something negative to say.
ReplyDeleteI was very lucky as a child to be exposed to a variety of different foods. When I was young my Father worked at Mohank Mountain House Resort. At the resort they had several fine dining restaurants which my family would eat at several times a year. I was always encouraged to try new things and eat off of the adult’s menu. At the age of five I was eating mahi-mahi, rack of lamb, veal, broccoli rabe, yorkshire pudding, risotto, and tuna tartar. I had quickly graduated from the children’s menu, and never looked back. Waiters would stand at awe at my meal choices and courage parents would question my Mom and Dad how they got me to eat all my vegetables, let alone try something. Once I had gone to a restaurant with my friend and her parents for dinner and I proceeded to order an entrée off the adult menu. The mother of my friend actually called my parents asking if I was allowed to do that…I was in first grade. Even at home, my parents showed me a wide range of food. From going to the local farm stand to pick up summer favorites like yellow squash to hearty meals of venison and bear meat. I never found the chicken fingers and mac and cheese on the children’s menu exciting. Even back then, I want to try something new, that I knew that I wouldn’t get at home. I feel that eating new types of food feels almost like an adventure to me, it is something that excited me and that I always look forward too. I think because I eat like this when I was little I have a better attitude to try new things and not just food. I think it also taught me a lot about food and its cultures.
ReplyDeleteI feel that the children’s menu isn’t the best thing. I feel that it helps to form picky eaters. I still have friends to day who order off the children’s menu today at the age of 18 and I think that is just a shame. My parents encouraged me to try new things and in turn that was a type of learning for me. What can you learn from a hot dog… the industrial food system, perhaps? But give a child a bowl of couscous and you are showing them a new food and exposing them to a little bit of Northern African and Middle East culture. Eating should be just as much filling as educational. Eating off the children’s menu is like taking your child to a museum and only having them look at the stuff they all ready learned, why should your experience in a restaurant be any different. I feel that eating like an “adult” create more knowledgably eaters in the long run, less picky eaters, teaches your child about the world and the variety of food around them, and helps to expand their minds with the simple act of ordering new foods and lifting of a fork.