Quality of Kids' Meals?

[leebee]

The 8 year old in our travel party is a good eater, likes a wide variety of foods, and won't be interested in nuggets or burgers if there is something more interesting on the menu. I am curious about the quality of the kids meals. Lots of places offer kids steaks- but are they decent cuts of steak, or just trimmings off a better cut, for example? Are the kids entrees as carefully prepared as the adults are?
(In reality, I'm thinking as I'm a small eater, he'll order a kid meal, I'll order an interesting grown-ups meal, and we'll end up swapping... so I'm asking as much for myself as for him!)

 

[Marthasor]

IMHO, the quality isn't as good. Perhaps consider an app or two instead of ordering the kids' meal?

 

[pixiedust33]

I think it varies by restaurant and you’ll need to take a look at the menus of the places you’re interested in. For instance, my son got a well seasoned, well cooked and sizeable serving of salmon with his choice of side at the Boathouse at Disney Springs off the kids menu, but the kids menu at most quick service locations we went to was pretty standard kid fare. The buffets and family style meals work well for kids with more adventurous palates though, as they can take as much of they like of the main “adult” food. My son (and our whole family) enjoyed the family style meal at Sebastian’s at Caribbean Beach and the buffet at Cape May Cafe. There are also some adult entrees ant quick service locations that are definitely large enough for the two of you to share if neither have huge appetites.

 

[DodgerGirl]

These days kids meals at restaurants have changed mainly because the restaurants want to focus more on healthy eating for kids and Disney Parks were always big on developing better quality and healthy kids meals. Because I bet when you were a child growing up you hardly ever ate big meals because you would always answer "i'm full" when you ate dinner? The reason why Disney Parks have changed quality and the image of their kids meals was to simply focus on healthy eating and since most young children simply have limited menus and may like or dislike some foods that's why restaurants invented kids menus to provide foods that are child-size portions. Take for example I cannot figure out why Disney Parks now gives kids sliders instead of a hamburger? Because kids eat small hamburgers but giving them sliders I can't understand why? Another example is why Disney Parks have macaroni and cheese but it is a pricey entree for kids and for the kids menus the price for macaroni and cheese should be lowered. Another thing I find odd is why Disney Parks are adding things like peanut butter and jelly pizza and pumpkin flavored Mickey waffles to the kids menu and most kids dislike pizza with peanut butter and jelly and pumpkin Mickey waffles. If Disney Parks were to develop kids favorite foods such as spaghetti with the option of sauce or butter and kids cheesy nachos and for dessert a cookie and milk it would bring Disney Parks a lot of money to their restaurants

 

[sponica]

It probably depends on where you eat more than anything else. My daughter still raves about the pasta at topolinos.

When I want to eat lighter, I just get an appetizer and a salad rather than an entree.

 

[Mle8308]

These days kids meals at restaurants have changed mainly because the restaurants want to focus more on healthy eating for kids and Disney Parks were always big on developing better quality and healthy kids meals. Because I bet when you were a child growing up you hardly ever ate big meals because you would always answer "i'm full" when you ate dinner? The reason why Disney Parks have changed quality and the image of their kids meals was to simply focus on healthy eating and since most young children simply have limited menus and may like or dislike some foods that's why restaurants invented kids menus to provide foods that are child-size portions. Take for example I cannot figure out why Disney Parks now gives kids sliders instead of a hamburger? Because kids eat small hamburgers but giving them sliders I can't understand why? Another example is why Disney Parks have macaroni and cheese but it is a pricey entree for kids and for the kids menus the price for macaroni and cheese should be lowered. Another thing I find odd is why Disney Parks are adding things like peanut butter and jelly pizza and pumpkin flavored Mickey waffles to the kids menu and most kids dislike pizza with peanut butter and jelly and pumpkin Mickey waffles. If Disney Parks were to develop kids favorite foods such as spaghetti with the option of sauce or butter and kids cheesy nachos and for dessert a cookie and milk it would bring Disney Parks a lot of money to their restaurants

Not sure how you can comment on this, you have mentioned previously that your last trip to a Disney park was in the late 1990's.

 

[Nayan]

Take for example I cannot figure out why Disney Parks now gives kids sliders instead of a hamburger? Because kids eat small hamburgers but giving them sliders I can't understand why?

Because adults can, and often do, order from the kids menu. I've done that myself.

Another example is why Disney Parks have macaroni and cheese but it is a pricey entree for kids and for the kids menus the price for macaroni and cheese should be lowered.

Disney is pricy for food, period and no the price will not be lowered. Adults also order mac and cheese.

Another thing I find odd is why Disney Parks are adding things like peanut butter and jelly pizza

This is offered as a dessert, not as a 'normal pizza'.

and pumpkin flavored Mickey waffles to the kids menu and most kids dislike pizza with peanut butter and jelly and pumpkin Mickey waffles.

And you know kids don't care for them...how?

If Disney Parks were to develop kids favorite foods such as spaghetti with the option of sauce or butter and kids cheesy nachos and for dessert a cookie and milk it would bring Disney Parks a lot of money to their restaurants

Disney has plenty of options for kids. One thing you have to remember is that Disney is very 'sensory/allergy aware' and offers safe foods like mac and cheese, nuggets, plain pasta, etc. There are adults who consider these their 'safe foods' and order them just as well as kids.

Disney makes a boatload of money from food/drinks. They are not hurting if that's what you think.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I can comment on a few kid's meals, all at QS, I'm afraid. Pecos Bill's in MK has a delicious Chicken Rice Bowl. In AK, Harambe Market has a good shrimp bowl. Also, Satuli Canteen's cheeseburger pod kid's meal is great, but their wood-grilled chicken bowl doesn't come with any sauce, and if you don't notice it's very dry. I was told later that you can ask for sauce at pick up (so don't forget!) At Regal Eagle, the kids chicken salad looks good-I haven't tried it yet, but I plan to.