Food for Babies and Restaurants

[etoiles]

Hi all,

I was wondering opinions on this. Since having my DS we have not gone out to eat much as a family. If we want food we have ordered take out or delivery instead. However, more recently DS is much more predictable and is able to be behave well so we want to go out to eat as a family.

I was then wondering at what age do you have to order from the child's menu or get food from the restaurants vs. bringing in your own food for your baby? When is it rude to bring your own sippy cup or food and you must buy them something or have them eat from your plate?

 

[Bren's Mom]

I think if the child needs a dippy or jarred food or a special diet, it's fine. Especially under age 3 or so.

 

[Minnesota!]

I, honestly, never brought our own food for our kids. Maybe some gerber puffs for the time we were waiting, but typically, we ordered something, and when they were really small, they ate off our plate. Cut up chicken, some potato, veggie, etc.

We always brought a sippy cup, ordered a water, and filled it at the table.

I would not be comfortable with bringing in my own food for my child, really.

However, my first was on table food at just over 6 months, and we really never did baby food with him, so it was just how we rolled, he sat in a high chair, ate people food, etc.

 

[pumpkinmomma]

I don't know about ok, I just went by what we did at home. If they were capable of eating table food at home, we fed them off of our plates at restaurants. If they were still on baby food at home, we fed them baby food at the restaurant.

My kids were mostly on table food by 10-12 months old. I still brought a sippy cup until they were old enough to manage a cup without making a huge mess.

We ate out a lot when my oldest was a baby and it was never a problem to bring baby food. But know that most restaurants cannot warm food for you.

 

[bdcp]

I never brought food either for my two DS after they were about 6-7 months old and eating all table food. Cut up pieces of most food was fine with them. They also would eat mashed potatoes and pasta as well as soft fruit. They ate almost everything we did by then. They were better eaters at one than they were at three because they got pickier by then.

 

[VAfamily1998]

I never brought food either for my two DS after they were about 6-7 months old and eating all table food. Cut up pieces of most food was fine with them. They also would eat mashed potatoes and pasta as well as soft fruit. They ate almost everything we did by then. They were better eaters at one than they were at three because they got pickier by then.

Same. When my kids were old enough to eat solids I really didn't bring food from home. We would just find something on the menu that was soft enough or able to be neatly mashed/cut at the table.

 

[bigbabyblues]

I never took any food for my kids after they were off baby food (9-10 months, maybe?) We don't eat out a lot, but when we did, we chose restaurants that had things they could eat: baked or mashed potatoes, cooked veggies, pasta, and we cut their meat into really tiny pieces sometimes mixed with gravy, if they had meat. That's how we fed them at home, though, they ate whatever we were having.

We did take a sippy cup, especially before they knew how to use a straw. We got water or milk for them.

 

[Lilliputian]

I voted under 24 months. Really, they're making very little profit off the sale of a kids' meal anyway (and nothing off a child eating off your plate). The whole reason they have kids' meals is to get the parents into the restaurant to eat. I probably voted a little older than some others would, though, because I have kids prone to food allergies and have to be very careful about introducing things one ingredient at a time, and restaurants can rarely tell you exactly what's in their food.

 

[usnuzuloose]

Once they are off baby food, I would not bring their food. But if they had allergies to something and did not know if the place could provide what was needed then I would bring my own.

 

[Allison]

After they were no longer eating baby food.

 

[Burnedout]

It doesn't hurt anything to take your own. Especially if they are under the age to be charged. That said restaurants gave an opportunity to try the stuff I was too lazy (or tired) to make myself.

 

[minkydog]

It depends on the kid. My oldest two kids would eat nearly anything from 8 months on. My youngest, Christian, is very autistic and had LOTS of food aversions. He was on pureed food until he was 4. Even after that we had to really pick and choose pur restaurants. I always took a PBJ sandwich and some peaches with us, in case they didn't have anything he could eat.

It's much easier nowadays. He's 19 and just about inhales his food. The only thing he won't eat is chips and candy

 

[superme80]

DS #1 is super picky so he usually eats before we go, or we pick up something on the way. DS #2 he loved food so much, so we stopped bringing baby food after about 12 months. DS #3 is just starting to eat baby food, so we shall see. I never had any problems bringing food in for my kids under 2. Once they are over 2 I feel they need to either eat off my plate or order something.

 

[lauradis]

voted 24 months. my kids love to eat everything and by 2 years old they ate what ever I was eating.

 

[Hannathy]

I voted under 1 because over 1 they are usually eating solids and you can find something for them. Under you may be on all baby food.

Saying that I don't remember ever bringing any food , we always just ordered something, plain macaroni, mac N cheese, mashed potatoes, Vegetable soup and gave them the veggies from it. , etc. Lots of options.

I was always very flexible on feeding them, so we could always find something.

I think over 2 is really pushing it.

 

[MSSANDRA]

We ate out early and often with our boys. We took jar food when they were infants and fed them after we ordered and before our food came. As they started to eat more solids we almost always fed them off our plates, but always had a fruit cup or apple sauce or sometimes one of the gerber graduates veggie cubes to go with our meals. We loved salad and often had meat potato and salad and wanted our little ones to have a fruit and veggie. We rarely ordered a kids meal before they were like 6 or so. We preferred they not get used to the fried nuggets and hot dog kid stuff when they were happy with grilled adult chicken. We always had some type of cereal for nibbles if the food took a while even as they got a bit older. I think sippy cups lasted til about 3 or4.

 

[kmb584]

I voted 1 year or younger. When DD was still eating baby food I brought a jar or two along but by 12 months she was eating regular food cut up into small pieces so I just fed her from my plate. Those Gerber puffs went everywhere with us though until 20 months or so.

 

[BadgerGirl84]

Mt DD is 9 months and she loves all table food. However, I always bring food for her. The main reason is that she has a milk protein intolerance (she should grow out of it by 2 months). It's tough to know what restaurant foods don't have dairy--especially butter. I try to order food I know she can eat, like some grilled chicken, but sometimes I want pizza! Plus, she can't eat soup or salad yet, and if someone at the table is eating, she HAS to be eating, too! So she usually eats a mix of Cheerios, a pouch and table food.

 

[mombrontrent]

Do what ever you feel comfortable with. The restaurant/waiter does not care if your child is eating food you brought in or off of your own plate. Either way you are not purchasing anything extra. They make money and tips off adult meals and drinks, not so much off the cheap kid meals.

I always found the majority of kid meals at restaurants to be humungous in size. Three kids could slit most meals let alone one kid trying to finish them. There is no way I would order a kids meal for a toddler. I didn't start ordering one until I had two kids old enough to split one. My older 2 kids used to split a meal all the time. Now my DS14 eats off the adult menu, my DD11 usually orders either an appetizer or a kids meal. My youngest DD7 usually shares with me and or her sister. We still never order her a full meal. While the kids meal portions are big the quality of food is not. Being vegetarian my girls can't eat most standard kid meals. They are not fans of the standard grilled cheese, pasta with tomato sauce or cheese pizza. My DD7 would happily make a meal out of soup and salad. She likes everything I like so we share.

 

[etoiles]

Thanks for all the posts so far!

I guess the poll shows that there are a variety of opinions on this so I will do what I feel comfortable with depending on the restaurant.

He does need to have food in front of him right away for him to be well behaved and quiet so I think that is most important to everyone!