Lack of kids food in kids meals, being healthy has gone too far!

[Malcon10t]

I just want to say all of you with children who are not picky or don't have sensory issues are super lucky. I feed my kid whatever we eat at dinner, and she doesn't eat. I do want the option of some of the things she will eat because the only time she generally eats is at daycare and since we won't be there, I'd like her to actually eat something.

I can understand and relate. My daughter is 25 and Aspie. It can still be a challenge with food textures. But there are few places we can't find something she is willing to eat. Even if it is mac and cheese. (we went through a period where this was ALL we could get into her.) When my daughter was younger, we bought along something we would know she would eat to have as back up. She was probably 20 before she could really order off an adult menu. She has learned the chicken sandwich at Cafe Orleans will come plain if she wants. She knows she can get a plain steak at most restaurants. It does take thinking ahead, but she CAN eat at Carthay. (Just why when we can go other places we like better.)

 

[JadeDarkstar]

to tiff joy this is what I was meaning when i so called implied what I did. I quoted this quote from another who said it.

This is actually not the "usual child's fare" now, especially in California, super especially in Southern California. I don't know ANY kids that usually eat hot dogs, burgers and processed nuggets. NONE.

That is what I was saying was so wrong. I also do not believe No kids eat that stuff. I was trying too make a point. There is no way No kids in southern Cali eats non of that stuff.

Also to those of you who are saying why don't I read the menus Oh I do. I check them over the six months before my trip to pick out what places to go. I just think That if I want to go to BB or CC I should be able too. As I said its fine to have healthy options and I have no problem with that but I want them to also offer something I and others like me would like. It doesn't have to be hot dog nuggets or burgers. Just less of the healthy options or add a few more options for us. You can't tell me it wouldn't be ordered. It would because I know I am not the only one who wants it.


Monte Cristos, , Chicken Fried Chicken, are two things I do like too. I wish BB had the Monte Cristos on the dinner F. Lol And yes there are some things at some places that have different food we like too but most at cs.

 

[SuzanneSLO]

I just want to say all of you with children who are not picky or don't have sensory issues are super lucky. I feed my kid whatever we eat at dinner, and she doesn't eat. I do want the option of some of the things she will eat because the only time she generally eats is at daycare and since we won't be there, I'd like her to actually eat something.

Senrory issues aside, which I know can add a lot of additional issues, I think most kids are picky eaters. However, for some, that means refusing to eat fast food hot dogs, hamburgers and chicken nuggets. -- Suzanne

 

[SirDuff]

to tiff joy this is what I was meaning when i so called implied what I did. I quoted this quote from another who said it.



That is what I was saying was so wrong. I also do not believe No kids eat that stuff. I was trying too make a point. There is no way No kids in southern Cali eats non of that stuff.

Also to those of you who are saying why don't I read the menus Oh I do. I check them over the six months before my trip to pick out what places to go. I just think That if I want to go to BB or CC I should be able too. As I said its fine to have healthy options and I have no problem with that but I want them to also offer something I and others like me would like. It doesn't have to be hot dog nuggets or burgers. Just less of the healthy options or add a few more options for us. You can't tell me it wouldn't be ordered. It would because I know I am not the only one who wants it.

No one is stopping you from going . No restaurant is going to serve every type of food and there is no "right" to eat the specific food you want at any and all restaurants.

 

[cmpeter]

That is just so wrong. Kids eat hot dogs and Burgers and Nuggets all the time. If it isn't happening in California I feel bad for the kids there.

And a lot of kids don't eat those types of foods or eat them very rarely. I would be hard pressed to get my two to eat a hot dog or chicken nugget. They would eat a good burger, but nothing of the fast food variety. We eat our fair share of junk, but not a lot of fast food type junk.

 

[MommyJKM]

That is what I was saying was so wrong. I also do not beliee No kids eat that stuff. I was trying too make a point. There is no way No kids in southern Cali eats non of that stuff..

Not being pedantic but I said NONE OF THE KIDS I KNOW, not "No Kids". My experience in living in Southern California (which I do not anymore) was NONE of the kids I KNEW ate cheap fast food or microwaved/processed meals. I live in San Francisco now and it's very similar. But again, Farmer's Markets are prevalent, we have grocery stores readily available, and the lifestyle is different. At my DD's preschool there are strict guidelines about their sent lunches- and I appreciate that. These may be our lifestyle choices, but again - they are a pretty standard Californian style. I was making a broad generalization. I did not say EVERY kid is this way, I was sharing my experiences.

 

[LizzyS]

In regards to the "locals park" slant, there are plenty of guests that are not "locals" that would rather have some healthier options as well. Southern California doesn't have a monopoly on healthy food, lol. I think the issue is expecting to find a lot of generic "kid's meal"-type offerings at TS restaurants, which are more fancy, so to speak.

 

[coaches24]

to tiff joy this is what I was meaning when i so called implied what I did. I quoted this quote from another who said it.



That is what I was saying was so wrong. I also do not believe No kids eat that stuff. I was trying too make a point. There is no way No kids in southern Cali eats non of that stuff.

Also to those of you who are saying why don't I read the menus Oh I do. I check them over the six months before my trip to pick out what places to go. I just think That if I want to go to BB or CC I should be able too. As I said its fine to have healthy options and I have no problem with that but I want them to also offer something I and others like me would like. It doesn't have to be hot dog nuggets or burgers. Just less of the healthy options or add a few more options for us. You can't tell me it wouldn't be ordered. It would because I know I am not the only one who wants it.

I don't understand your point I think. There are plenty of restaurants all over (not just DL) that have very specialized menus. There are many that I don't eat at because I don't like anything on their menu. But I am never going to complain to them because they aren't catering to "me". The restaurants can serve whatever they want and I can choose if I want to eat there or not. Why do they have to change simply because "I" don't like whats on their menu?

I don't go to most Sushi restaurants because I don't like Sushi. And I wouldn't go to a steak house for a vegetarian meal.

So to say "I want to Eat at BB" makes no sense to me. Why would you want to eat there if you dont see anything on the menu.

So I don't get why someone would be upset over a restaurant not serving the kind of food they want to eat. Just find somewhere that does.

 

[Malcon10t]

I just think That if I want to go to BB or CC I should be able too. As I said its fine to have healthy options and I have no problem with that but I want them to also offer something I and others like me would like.

But this is also similar to going to Taco Bell and expecting them to serve a hamburger, because that is what you would like. I doubt you would find fine dining options that are junk food. There is a steak on the CCR menu for dinner, and a burger and "ultimate sandwich" on the lunch menu (I actually enjoyed the ultimate sandwich...) That would cover most who prefer "non-fine dining" like me. Heck, my 25yo daughter orders the CCR Burger "plain, just meat cheese and bun"... But she liked the pickles. Basically, that is $24 for the burger, $2 tax, and $5 tip = $31 for a plain burger. But you are paying to eat it at Carthay....

 

[joannamet]

This is why we like the buffets. They're DDs favs because she can choose mac n cheese if she wants and she can try lots of things to eat. They have plenty of salads, fruit and veg. As adults we are also happy to eat at Crystal Palace or Boma.

 

[Keels]

I don't have kiddos, but I have a lot of littles in my life whose appetites and preferences span the entire galaxy of food choices, so I absolutely empathize with everyone on this thread.

We're going in September for Half weekend, and we've got an 8yo girl coming with us. She's pretty picky about eating - but so is one of her parents. After looking through all the menus, we've decided that the only TS meals we're going to do are going to be breakfast/brunch (with a surprise celebratory dinner at Carthay Circle for the three of us running the half) - that way, everyone is happy. The little traveling with us likes all of the things in the Power Pack meal, so we'll grab her those as she gets hungry and the augment with other food as she wants it. But she'll also murder a steak, so Carthay seemed like the perfect option.

I guess I'm in the minority - but I LOVE looking at menus and pre-deciding what I plan on eating before a park trip. I also love the different and varying array of food available in the parks!

I am very sorry the OP's expectations weren't met - and to an extent, I agree that it wouldn't hurt to expand the kid's meal offerings ... but, also I think that DLR is very open to substitutions when things are available (like subbing vegetables for fries and vice versa).

Parenting is SUCH a personal choice - I'm glad I don't have to do it! I'm not going to bag on someone because their kid wants a Lunchable or a corn dog, because I've seen it all and sometimes, you JUST have to do what it takes to finally get them to eat SOMETHING.

 

[VandVsmama]

i think that we all need to take a chill pill about the food issues. Each family should decide what is best for them. And you shouldn't judge until you've walked a mile in the other person's shoes. You never know what the person's circumstances are. For example, maybe the person was really looking forward to eating in a certain location at DL because he or she has had a rough year.

Every person has something that is their "thing." Some kids have sensory processing disorders so they can't eat certain things. Other people have food allergies and they can't eat certain things.

Other people are married to somebody who only eats certain types of food while you might be the more adventurous eater.

Other people are frustrated because they might have a new disability that prevents them from going on more rides than they did in the past. Or maybe they're really sick with something and we're hoping to do "X" on the trip and couldn't for some reason.

Please...everybody needs to just calm down and stop being so judgemental toward each other. So your kid does or does not like hot dogs. That's great. Please go preach about food religion and politics elsewhere.

 

[peterpanandwendy]

Ok, I actually sort of get what OP is trying to say now (maybe) I"m going to summarize for them, but please, OP, step in if I am totally way off base…

I think what OP is saying is that they were looking forward to eating at some nice TS places. We ALL (being Disney fans) get the wonder and excitement of eating at a place like Blue Bayou, I mean, really, who didn't, as a child, go on POTC and say "one day, I'm going to eat there like those people!" (This is purely me speaking, I did that, and as soon as I was an adult and paid for my own Disney trip that is the first thing I did)… So I can see how it would be disappointing to get there and there is nothing on the menu you actually want to eat What a bummer! Then you have to fork out $40 per plate just for the 'ambiance'… Same goes for Carthay etc…

I've never been to Disney World, but I've heard that perhaps they do a better job of this? Offering more TS locations than Disneyland does with more varied menus?

I think that Disneyland does a great job of offering a few different TS menu's at different locations, but perhaps this person had their heart set on a certain location and was disappointed by the menu. That is all.

And I'm not sure I have seen a lot of judgement and food religion and politics, and I think people are just saying that there are a ton of different types of foods for a lot of different types of people, and Disneyland is trying thier best to accommodate this, but it can be really hard. I also have a daughter with special needs, and when we were there last time I had a hard time feeding her, but there were a lot of options in the park and the places I went to seemed to bend over backwards to accommodate…

 

[707MickeyGirl]

So I can see how it would be disappointing to get there and there is nothing on the menu you actually want to eat What a bummer! Then you have to fork out $40 per plate just for the 'ambiance'… Same goes for Carthay etc…

I think the point is that you don't have to "get there and find nothing on the menu you actually want to eat." The menus are readily available so there shouldn't be any surprises. If you've made a reservation, you planned to eat at the place, you can easily look over the menu and see if it works for everyone in your party. If you don't have a reservation and you've shown up hoping to get in, the menu is posted outside the restaurant.

This thread started off with a false generalization about Disney doing a bad job feeding kids. I don't agree with that. There are plenty of choices for every palate, and I've read countless times about how accommodating Disney is for special dietary needs. I think Disney does a great job of offering plenty of food options for everyone - you just have to choose the right place to eat, and that's easily done with a little bit of research.

I haven't eaten at BB or at Carthay Circle. Over the past few years, I've taken my DGD6 to Disney five times and I know her palate, and she enjoys more casual dining at her age. I don't feel it's a good fit or a good value for me to take her to BB or Carthay Circle (even though I want to eat there), so we make other choices. However, this month I'm going on an adult trip so I have reservations at BB and Carthay Circle where I'm very much looking forward to enjoying both menus.

Really, if you think about it, it's just like the rides. When my DGD6 wasn't tall enough for a ride, I didn't go on it either because it was just the two of us. We didn't complain about Disney not having ONLY rides that she was tall enough for. We waited until she grew. Now we can go on all the rides. So it goes with dining... when she's older, she will enjoy BB and Carthay, I'm certain. For now, not so much. I don't view that as a Disney problem.

 

[Blue32]

 

[adSimba]

Ok, I actually sort of get what OP is trying to say now (maybe) I"m going to summarize for them, but please, OP, step in if I am totally way off base…

I think what OP is saying is that they were looking forward to eating at some nice TS places. We ALL (being Disney fans) get the wonder and excitement of eating at a place like Blue Bayou, I mean, really, who didn't, as a child, go on POTC and say "one day, I'm going to eat there like those people!" (This is purely me speaking, I did that, and as soon as I was an adult and paid for my own Disney trip that is the first thing I did)… So I can see how it would be disappointing to get there and there is nothing on the menu you actually want to eat What a bummer! Then you have to fork out $40 per plate just for the 'ambiance'… Same goes for Carthay etc…

I've never been to Disney World, but I've heard that perhaps they do a better job of this? Offering more TS locations than Disneyland does with more varied menus?

I think that Disneyland does a great job of offering a few different TS menu's at different locations, but perhaps this person had their heart set on a certain location and was disappointed by the menu. That is all.

And I'm not sure I have seen a lot of judgement and food religion and politics, and I think people are just saying that there are a ton of different types of foods for a lot of different types of people, and Disneyland is trying their best to accommodate this, but it can be really hard. I also have a daughter with special needs, and when we were there last time I had a hard time feeding her, but there were a lot of options in the park and the places I went to seemed to bend over backwards to accommodate…

This is spot on... My child is an only child and has in some way come to feel that grown up atmospheres are particularly special, he has dreamed of eating at 'fancy restaurants' like those at Disneyland. But he mostly wants to be there so he can eat in a nice place, not for the food, which, honestly much of what we ate at Carthay my wife and I were saying 'this tastes like my version of ...'

I understand it is my fault for not looking more into specific child menus when I read many people on this board complain that children's menus only have simple child fare and nothing like what I ended up giving my child as the only options.

 

[BigAlsGal]

I understand your pain op. While I don't necessarily think it's bad for them to put healthier options on the menu my kids wouldn't touch them with a 10 foot pole. They're so picky.

Spaghetti. Orange Mac n cheeze. Grilled cheese. Hot dog. Chicken nuggets. Pizza. Turkey sandwich. Is about all my kids will eat at this point. We went to a fancy burger place one time and ordered them a grilled cheese but they wouldn't eat it because it was a fancy grilled cheese and not the white bread/Kraft singles grilled cheese.(and heaven forbid it have any overcooked cheese or the bread be grilled too much!)

Also the ketchup was a house made ketchup and not Heinz so they wouldn't eat their fries either. My kids left hungry. I know it seems bad to say but if my kiddo gets a warm cup of mac n cheese, some grapes, and yogurt in their bellies I feel relieved. I stress when they don't eat a meal.

 

[l4dyj8]

I have a picky eater but not the traditional sense. She won't eat hamburgers, sandwiches or hot dogs. We usually find something she can eat at TS. We've been to Carthay, Catal (DTD), Ariel and Cafe Orleans. If we don't, I always have packed snacks on me. (I do wish they had a plain fries option at Cafe Orleans! But sometimes I accept that's a good thing) For CS, there is always the power pack that's perfect.

I do have a complaint on the Ariel's Grotto menu change. Their attempt to be cute with the menu is a little weird. Mac & cheese with goldfish mixed in plus a hot dog sitting on top to resemble an octopus is unappealing. Many kids don't like their food touching. Before she would get pasta or chicken but that's no longer on the menu. Now she gets fries and chicken strips. Go figure... The opposite has happened here.

Edited to add: we went years ago with visiting family. (2009). The kids menu was exactly the same at every single TS. It was te burger, nuggets and Mac & cheese. It was a 4 day stay and our nieces were bored by the menu

 

[JadeDarkstar]

Thank you VandVmamma and peterpan and windy- This is exactly what I was getting at. Thank you for some one understanding. . We want to eat at BB and CC not because of the food but because of the restaurant it self. My hubby is a huge Walt fan so yes CC is something he has been trying to get us to go to. BB I just like the place and will get the MC again I just wish this was also on the F menu.

 

[Mousequake]

It's pretty demeaning to tell parents that don't feed their kids the standard Midwestern fast food choices that "It's just wrong" not to eat processed meat and sodium filled food because we choose not to. My daughter doesn't seem to be crying over not eating chicken nuggets and meat slurry and is perfectly happy.

It's 'demeaning' to tell parents that they're doing the food thing wrong, then you immediately proceed to lump an entire section of the country into a single group as 'feeding their kids wrong. That's pretty funny and ironic.