And after all that navel-gazing
Interesting discussion at the New York Times about the controversy over children’s menus at restaurants. This is the prompter:
In his early days as a parent he regarded children’s menus as a great thing, David Kamp writes in today’s Dining section, but he has come to conclude that the kids’ menu is regressive, encouraging youngsters to believe that there is a rigidly delineated “kids’ cuisine.”
“It pains me that many children now grow up eating little besides golden-brown logs of kid food, especially in a time when the quality, variety and availability of good ingredients is better than ever,” Mr. Kamp writes.
What do you think of children’s menus?
I’m intrigued. I’d love to raise my (hypothetical) children to be gourmands by feeding them lots of fresh vegetables as soon as they’re able to eat it, but since I’ve never had children I don’t know how learned picky eating is. I could be characterized as a picky eater by some. I don’t drink milk, don’t eat many types of cheese, have only recently figured out how to like eggs (the secret is to not hard-boil them, blech). But it generally turns out I’m allergic in some fashion to the things I don’t eat now, but had to eat as a kid and felt sick afterwards.
Parents? Picky eaters? What do you think?
Ry wrote:
Man, thats really a good article to read. I can totally understand about the variety of kid’s menus. typically you will always have chicken tenders(that are fried) with fires, a kid hotdog or kid hamburger. rarely any other healthy options. But at the restaurant I work at we have healthier sides to offer like mandarin oranges, applesauce, cottage cheese. However I do seem some parents making their children getting like extra side of vegetables or a healthy salad.
Maybe more restaurants should offer a vegetable only portion and maybe some more creative entres in kid size meals? Oh well. thanks for bringing this up Alissa.
-Ryland
Posted on 30-May-07 at 9:35 pm | Permalink