Fussy Kids Effecting Restaurant Kid Menus? Are Parents to Blame?

[quandrea]

My 12 year old is autistic and also has very defined food preferences and aversions. He doesn't eat meat of any kind, mostly because of sensory issues w/ it...but will eat his weight in broccoli, corn, peas, or cauliflower!

I scour the menus looking for pasta, pizza (not flatbread), grilled cheese, & quesadillas... you would be surprised how few menus have at least one of these items on them. FWIW, not one CS in MK has any of these outside of BOG, which is really a hybrid CS/TS and difficult to walk up to. On our two MK days we are opting for the Plaza so he can have grilled cheese.

My family just doesn't eat at many of the popular restaurants because of their limited offerings. No Ohana, Hoop De Doo, Skipper Canteen, Satu’li Canteen, etc and many times our TS meals are mixtures of different locations so the adults aren't restricted in their choices. When he was younger we opted for buffets so the adults could have a wider choice and there was always pasta somewhere...but at 12yo we are now paying adult dinner charges and I can't bring myself to pay $40+ for a plate of pasta for him.

Personally, I would love it if every restaurant would be required to have at least one of those four things. Some posts here are complaining about chicken nuggets and burgers everywhere...and neither choice helps us at all. It really isn't hard to make sure you have some kind of plain pasta available.

Thankfully, breakfast isn't too much of an issue because ds is a huge fan of pancakes and waffles

Satu li Canteen has cheese quesadillas on the kids menu. Might help.

 

[sponica]

The thing is, stuff like nuggets doesn't take exposure or multiple tastes to decide if one likes them. They are salty and breaded! Salt tastes good! A good number of the "dumb foods" fall into that category, where they don't even necessarily qualify for how with infants you need to have them try things at least 3 times before throwing up your hands about them liking it or not.

I always note that the average child in any number of non-US nations does not think chicken nuggets are a dietary staple, so there is absolutely an element of culture, exposure and socialization, even in preferences.

My toddler refused to eat chicken nuggets for the longest time. Loves chicken, hated chicken nuggets (made birthday parties a pain). Now she eats them, but she prefers a grilled chicken breast. The good parent in me is "yay healthy eating" but every now and then my life would be sooooo much easier if she'd eat chicken nuggets.

 

[lolomarie]

I don't look at kid's menus for our children prior to booking any restaurant. I also do not consider food kid's food or adult food, just kid's portions and adult portions. I also do not change what I serve for dinner, if my kids don't like it, they don't have to eat it, and deal with the natural consequence of hunger until the next meal or snack. I have the same rules on vacation, as well. Sometimes they get their own meals, sometimes they have to share with us. We decide. The only time I concede with this is if something is too spicy. I do not consider butter chicken spicy. I offer a glass of milk and bread to offset the "spice".

 

[cadien]

Because restaurant portions tend to be so huge, we often just share our own meals with our son rather than ordering from a traditional kids menu. Especially when he was a few years younger and wouldn't even finish a kids meal. He somehow dislikes fries. (!?!?) And chicken nuggets, now that I think about it. He'll eat his weight in hot dogs, though, so it's not like he's a junior health food nut.

 

[mombrontrent]

My toddler refused to eat chicken nuggets for the longest time. Loves chicken, hated chicken nuggets (made birthday parties a pain). Now she eats them, but she prefers a grilled chicken breast. The good parent in me is "yay healthy eating" but every now and then my life would be sooooo much easier if she'd eat chicken nuggets.

I understand what you mean. It’s the same with people with food allergies or diet preferences. My youngest daughter had always been a vegetarian so could never participate in school or birthday party lunches, BBQ’s ect. She also doesn’t like dairy since she says it hurts her stomach so she avoids it which is easy at home because I am vegan. It was ours and her choice (she 11 now) but all these meals always include either pepperoni pizza (maybe cheese), nuggets, burgers, hotdogs, Mac and cheese ect. She’s used to eating a bun with veggies, salad and fruit or veggies if it’s available but still I’m sure it sucks sometimes for her but she never implies that it does.

 

[susieq76]

I agree about the kids menus. And yes, I'll take the controversial stand that in many instances it IS the parents faults. I have three teenage sons. I watched my sisters children eat like 6 foods their entire childhood (FYI- they are in their late 20s now AND STILL have a very limited, immature palates, but at the time, feeding them what they wanted every night was easiest for my full time working with a firefighter husband sister). When I had my kids I was determined to feed them what we eat, not "kids food". While in the long run it has cost me a fortune since kids menus are so limited it is crazy, I'm glad that I did it. Luckily with 3, a lot of times when they were little, they could share one adult entrée and appetizer and be happy. There are instances where the kids have issues that make it difficult (texture ect), but not the majority. It's a problem in the US and I feel bad for the children.

 

[OneinThree]

It's a problem in the US and I feel bad for the children.

Absolutely this.

 

[laceemouse]

I don't think it fully binary.

Kids, like anyone else, do have preferences. I can tell you stories about my sister in law, who is a grown woman, and the litany of things she won't touch vs. the short list of things that are okay. Her brother is totally different in that regard, so I don't know that it's anything to do with exposure.

That said, a lot of people and a lot of parents don't expose their kids to much. I remember when I was young on a camp out, one of the dads insisted his girls be given hamburgers, rather than the steaks we were making for the rest of the troop and parents, because he'd told the girls "they wouldn't like steak" because they didn't want to buy it for the girls regularly while the adults ate it (cost). Or parents who hesitate to let kids try new stuff because they might not like it and they'll have to get them something else. I know parents who believe that nuggets are what you feed kids, and somehow magically at puberty the kids will want sushi and kombucha.

The thing is, stuff like nuggets doesn't take exposure or multiple tastes to decide if one likes them. They are salty and breaded! Salt tastes good! A good number of the "dumb foods" fall into that category, where they don't even necessarily qualify for how with infants you need to have them try things at least 3 times before throwing up your hands about them liking it or not.

I always note that the average child in any number of non-US nations does not think chicken nuggets are a dietary staple, so there is absolutely an element of culture, exposure and socialization, even in preferences.

Agree 100%. You mention kids in other countries, also think about back in the '20's (when my parents were born) and '60's (when my husband and I were born) Parents didn't make separate meals for their kids back in the day. They ate what they were given or they didn't eat.

 

[OneinThree]

Agree 100%. You mention kids in other countries, also think about back in the '20's (when my parents were born) and '60's (when my husband and I were born) Parents didn't make separate meals for their kids back in the day. They ate what they were given or they didn't eat.

Largely, "parenting" in the US could be described accurately as both lazy and inept.

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

I have a peanut allergic vegetarian and one that likes standard kid foods. Neither likes the Disney Mac and cheese (it's gloppy). I look at menus and find places that work for us. We don't subscribe to the eat it or go hungry thing.

 

[OneinThree]

Neither likes the Disney Mac and cheese (it's gloppy).

How many children don't get to enjoy a Disney vacation? If any of my 5 complained about the food, they may never see another such trip.

 

[DLgal]

I always note that the average child in any number of non-US nations does not think chicken nuggets are a dietary staple, so there is absolutely an element of culture, exposure and socialization, even in preferences.

Don't kid yourself. Kids in other countries are picky too. Every country has their own version of "kid food." Ever since McDonald's became a global phenomenon in the 80s, chicken nuggets, hamburgers, and fries have become staple foods in MANY countries, not just the USA.

I am always amused by people who claim that picky eating is somehow an American thing. It isn't. Not at all.

I know of many kids from other countries who are just as picky as my kids. The city I live in has a large population of immigrants and first generation American children, mostly from various Asian countries. I know of kids in my son's classes who bring the same meal of white rice, fruit, and (yes) chicken nuggets to school everyday. I have eaten lunch with him a few times and it's often a version of that OR a Lunchable. Many parents hand deliver fast food for their kids every day...usually In N Out burger or Chick Fil A. These kids are usually English language learners, often Chinese or Korean or Japanese. Their lunches are no healthier than my son's lunch of a reduced sugar peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole wheat, fruit, lowfat chocolate milk, and yogurt.

This claim that other countries are somehow superior to our own in how they handle kids meals is just unfounded nonsense.

 

[Moliphino]

Agree 100%. You mention kids in other countries, also think about back in the '20's (when my parents were born) and '60's (when my husband and I were born) Parents didn't make separate meals for their kids back in the day. They ate what they were given or they didn't eat.

We could eat what my mom made or fend for ourselves (cereal, sandwich, canned ravioli, that sort of thing). I was a fairly picky eater, but my parents didn't pick restaurants around my food preferences and I could always find something on a menu that I would eat. It might've been an appetizer/sides/dessert, but it worked out.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

We are also not an "eat it or go hungry" family, but we do require that they try things at least once. How do you know you don't like it if you've never tried it? It always drives me crazy when parents discourage their kids from trying new things because "oh, you won't like it".

 

[OneinThree]

This claim that other countries are somehow superior to our own in how they handle kids meals is just unfounded nonsense.

Don't be deceived. I for example, referred to the US not to dismiss the same in other countries, but just to speak to the culture I know. "Nonsense", would be to justify bad choices and behavior by the bad choices and behavior of others. Just sayin'.

 

[rg35]

Our kids are exposed to a wide variety of foods at home. Sometimes they like things, and sometimes they don't. We have one "picky" eater related to anxiety issues and trying new things, but even despite that, we have never been to a restaurant at WDW (and we have been to a variety of places, incl. Skipper Canteen, Tiffens, etc.) and have never had a problem with our kids finding things to eat (be it from the kids menu or sharing something from the adult menu).

But it's not only kids, it's "picky" adults that lead to menu changes. How many adults post on here about not being interested in diverse menu options or fret about not being able to find things they might like at a restaurant? (Sanaa is a good example of a restaurant that falls in this category). I think it's great that WDW is not all chicken fingers and burgers, but even "adventurous" places at WDW aren't all that "adventurous" nor should they be intimidating to people. But I don't blame people per-se...if you don't live in a metropolitan area or close to a suburban ethnic conclave, you simply may not have exposure to different kinds of foods. But I think with frozen foods and fast casual dining a lot of people don't cook at home and give themselves the exposure to different things. For others it may be a matter of cost.

But it is funny given how America is always characterized as a "melting pot" how many people there are out there that are just kinda siloed off from trying different things.

 

[disneyvoice]

Some kids are just fussy eaters, regardless of their parents wanting them to be more adventurous. I always encouraged my son to eat all kind of different foods, definitely didn't prepare what would be considered "kid foods" when he was younger, yet he just didn't like a lot of more adventurous things or anything with much of a seasoning. Our rule was you have to try everything but you don't have to like everything (after all, there are some things I don't like either - mayonnaise, raw onions, and grapefruit immediately come to mind and having someone force me to eat those things won't make me like them).

Parents are certainly not limited to having their children only order from a children's menu. There were many times when my son was younger that nothing on the kid's menu appealed to him so he ordered from the adult menu. It's one of the main reasons we have never liked any of the Dining Plans - it made no sense to us that our son was limited to a child's menu or that we would end up paying for his meal twice if he ended up ordering from the adult menu. We also always made it a rule that our son ordered something that made sense based upon the restaurant. For example, he loved salmon when he was little so he would order salmon at a seafood restaurant, not a cheeseburger. And at a steak restaurant he would order steak instead of chicken nuggets. He liked salmon and steak so it was never a problem for him but very often it did require him to order from the adult menu. We would not, however, have made him go to a restaurant where there was NOTHING on the menu that appealed to him. After all, would you purposely go to a restaurant where you didn't like anything that was served?

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

But it's not only kids, it's "picky" adults that lead to menu changes. How many adults post on here about not being interested in diverse menu options or fret about not being able to find things they might like at a restaurant?

Excellent point! LOTS of adults are pickier than kids!

 

[Disneylovingmomof2]

Wow I didn’t realize I could potentially be judged for how my kids eat!! I will eat anything- literally there is not much I can say I wouldn’t try. I ate the standard “kid” foods when I was younger, I didn’t want to eat different veggies or try new things. So obviously how I was when I was younger didn’t carry over to adulthood.
My first grader won’t eat anything. Not because she’s not exposed to things bc she is. We always have fruits and vegggies in the fridge, she’s watched me eat sushi and I ask her if she wants some, I constantly try to get her to try new things but she doesn’t want to. If she wants to eat cereal for dinner it won’t kill her- I did that too when I was a kid and didn’t like what was for dinner. My toddler ate more when he was one but now that he’s two he’s on a “new food” strike and only wants the “typical” kids food like pizza, chicken fingers, pasta, fruit, yogurts, etc. We still eat out and if my first grader doesn’t want to eat then oh well. I’m certainly not lazy and I’d love to put bowls of whatever we’re eating in front of them and have them eat it but I’m also not going to come home from work every night and fight with them about not trying dinner. All these holier than thou responses about how their kids eat everything- that’s great- but my kids don’t and it’s not because I get the family McDonald’s every night (I have never brought home fast food, ever). Soooo perhaps the reason we want chicken fingers and French fries on a menu is just to make things a tiny bit easier and more convienent.

 

[MamaBelle4]

My kids have widely different opinions on food. My oldest is the pickiest. She wouldn't eat meat until she was 5. She just wouldn't. I think it was textural.
She has a sweet tooth, or spicy food. Next one loves home cooked foods (spaghetti, PA chicken pot pie, tacos). Next one's favorite food is broccoli and loves all forms of pastas. Next one eats everything. Last one is a baby, so he doesn't count for this discussion.

Point is, it is difficult to find a restaurant that has all the bases covered. So the kids know they need to find something on the menu to try, either something new or a staple. And DH and I encourage them to try what we have too to try to open their minds a bit.

I'll try anything once and I'd like the kids to look at food with that mindset too. You never know what you're missing if you don't give it a shot.