kids meal substitution question (and Chefs de France ?)

[CheriePenguin]

Two kids meal questions...

First, when it says that the kids meals include carrot sticks and grapes (or similar), with applesauce, cookie, (or Danimals yogurt) available upon request, does that mean the applesauce in place of the carrots (side) and the cookie in place of the grapes (dessert)? What about the yogurt (is it a tube, cup, or bottle - and a side or a dessert)? Is it choose any 2 of the 4, or are they strictly a 1 for 1 substitution? Could you get grapes and a cookie, for instance?


Second, I thought I read some time ago about kids being able to request a house made pasta and cheese at Chefs de France (or other table service places) that was a higher-quality pasta dish, not the standard sticky yellowy mass of noodles as some places.

DS8 likes mac and cheese, and loves buttered noodles. Is buttered pasta or house mac and cheese something he could request there? If not, am I correct in presuming the child's breaded chicken strips with pasta at Chefs de France would at least be a cut above standard chicken nuggets and mac and cheese? (I seem to recall that the mac and cheese we got most places was not that great - and since he doesn't like meat, I don't want him to end up with mostly that mac and cheese for a week.)


Thanks for your input!

[PictureJumpr]

To answer your first question, the meals are listed with the healthy options as the two sides (side and dessert) - usually carrot sticks and grapes, or something along those lines.

Locations which sell french fries will give you fries, most locations will give you a cookie, some will give you applesauce or yogurt or pudding instead of one or both of the listed options. They will also give soda or other beverages instead of the milk listed with the meal on the menu.

It helps just to think that you need to give them two side choices when you order the meals - I've ordered plenty of kids meals with double grapes, when I was not interested in the other options at the time.

The yogurt is almost always strawberry yoplait light.



As for table services and their pastas, I don't have much experience with that question. I would think that buttered noodles of some variety should certainly be feasible in a location that serves a pasta dish. Not as sure about special-made mac and cheese, although I do know that some places make special-made pasta meals for various dietary restrictions (having traveled at one time or another with vegans, observers of halal, vegetarians, and folks with gluten/dairy issues).

[jennylyn_b]

You can choose any two you want for them that they offer. I have gotten my daughter the grapes and yogurt or grapes and a cookie no problem. You get two, you choose!

[CheriePenguin]

Thanks for the replies so far. Any other experience with pasta for kids at Chefs of France?

[tb1972]

If I remember correctly, there is a small side of pasta served with the kid's chicken tender meal. I think it was a light sauce.

[lillykat]

Anyone know what the cookie choices are? Is it only chocolate chip or is there a non chocollae option like oatmeal or sugar?

[jennylyn_b]

There is a kids meal at Les Chefs that has a couple chicken fingers on top of plain pasta with a side of marinara sauce.
I have only ever seen chocolate chip cookies as an option for kids.

[parkhopping]

I love the Crepe Florentine at Les Chefs, but I am also a big mac 'n cheese fan - especially the gourmet varieties. So on one visit there, I asked if I could have a side of the Gratin de macaroni. The server said he'd have to ask, then came back and said it would be $7.00. I thought that was pretty high for an extra side, but I really wanted to try it so I decided to splurge. When I got the bill, it was marked as "Kids pasta minus chicken" or something to that effect. So I figured what I got served was the "Blanc de Poulet aux Nouilles - Breaded chicken strips served with pasta" without the chicken. I'm not sure if they just added the gruyere/cream sauce to the kids' pasta, or if it normally comes with this sauce on it just like the adult macaroni & cheese. If your DS wants to try this, I'd ask your server if the pasta that comes with the chicken meal has the same sauce as the gratin de macaroni, and if not, can they add it? It was quite delicious, by the way! I probably won't pay an extra $7 for it again, but I'm glad I tried it.

And by the way, that kids' entree is only available at lunch. If you go for dinner, you'll want to ask for a kids' portion of the gratin de macaroni.