Rant: Kids Menu= Horrible Diet

[Bell30012]

Since you brought up school lunches, I have to say it... Even my daughter's school has more options on the menu than a Counter Service restaurant at WDW. I eat at my 7-year-old's school often and I love it. In the morning they poll the kids to find out what entrees to prepare. The child is given the tray with the entree on it then they must select two side items, one desert and one drink. Those two sides can be the same if they want. There are always several sides ready. It is sort of like choosing from grapes and carrots except they add other decisions. *Note* All hot food is prepared on site then pre-packaged before lunchtime. The fruit came from a can.

Sometimes my child wants the same thing Daddy is having. Backlot Express doesn't have a hot dog on the kid's menu. As a matter of fact no Counter Service restaurant in the Hollywood Studios has a hot dog on the kid's menu.

 

[kimmyann]

BELL30012, I wish our school system would do this. They have two choices a day and it is all processed, they even say on the menu "Tyson chicken nuggets". They do offer two side choices (veggies) and fruit, but the kids don't have to take any of it.

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

Eh, school lunches are mandated to have certain choices. And paid to do so. And feed children 180 days a year. How is that in any way related to theme park food?

As far as your daughter (who is adorable) there are plenty of things I would like to eat that aren't available everywhere. I'd just split the hotdog, personally. No one needs a whole one! Ick, lol.

 

[bicker]

Good point... The linkage is a bit like saying that everyone should be taxed to subsidize vacation destinations everywhere offering yet-even more child meal options. In reality, Disney is already subsidizing child meal options to the extent that they are being offered. Taxation to provide yet-even more works when you're talking about a municipal service, perhaps, but when you're talking about a mass-market consumer service, what consumers reward suppliers for best is what prevails.

 

[gr8mommy]

Sitting at the table till she tries it

Really? And when she'd rather sit there than eat it, to show you who is in control, what will you do? When she'd rather go straight to bed that eat it, will you give it to her the next morning? Then what?

I have one that was an extremely picky preschooler who will now eat anything slow enough for him to catch; one preschooler who has never known the meaning of picky; and one entering 4th grade who is the pickiest kids you can imagine. Honestly, 100% pure grape juice is the only fruit she consumes.

A very wise physician friend told me when my first child was born that there are two things parents CAN NOT control----what a child eats, and their elimination. Parents will not win in table or toilet battles. You can control their choices----so yes, give them healthy choices. Which leads back to the choices at a theme park.

If you don't like the choices on the children's menu at WDW, there are several things to do:

1) write to Disney about your concerns
2) don't give Disney your business
3) bring your own food for your child
4) buy an adult meal to share with her

It really isn't rocket science.

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

You hit the nail in the head, gr8t. You cannot
force a child to eat and keep it down, lol. I've seen kids put it in and puke it out far too often.

I remember my amazement when one of my own told me
"no" for the first time. Even if a parent could parent perfectly there are no guarantees about how our chdren will fare, because each of us has the power of choice.

I absolutely think that healthy food shoul be available for every kid on this planet. I work to eduacate parents, and institutions that healthy food makes for children who can make better choices. But I do not ever assume (probably because of age and experience) that my way is the only way!

Nor do I think that general health has any place in a theme park. At least not since they closed that exhibit in epcot. People have the ability to buy or take whatever their child needs or wants (even if it is a giant hotdog!)

 

[mirandaperez10]

that lunch really doesnt look appetizing!!!

 

[Nancyg56]

I absolutely think that healthy food shoul be available for every kid on this planet. I work to eduacate parents, and institutions that healthy food makes for children who can make better choices. But I do not ever assume (probably because of age and experience) that my way is the only way!

Nor do I think that general health has any place in a theme park. At least not since they closed that exhibit in epcot. People have the ability to buy or take whatever their child needs or wants (even if it is a giant hotdog!)

ITA I think that even theme parks could offer healthy options but I do nto feel that it should be a "mandate". I also think that folks should buy what they want and if the children's menu does not offer what you want do not use that portion of the menu.

I liked when restaurants could accomodate my DGD's food allergy but I never thought that any were required. If the only food she could have was on the adult side so be it. When we are vacationing and she wanted to try a turkey leg we bought one. Too big for her but someone else helped her to finish, we never expected the cart to have mini legs to accomodate one small child.

 

[Bell30012]

What if Disney's kid's menu was to offer smaller portions of the three or four things on the adult menu... then allow the kids to pick two items from six choices and a drink?

I wonder how many people won't do the DDP because of the limitations of the kid's menus? We did do the DxDP one year where we abused all the table service restaurants on property but that was just too much food and too much time taken up with three TS per day.

My complaint really is that the whole family can't choose the same type of items. When you go to McDonald's the kid's menu has hamburger, cheeseburger or chicken nuggets. The adult menu has larger versions of the same thing. When I go to Red Lobster, the child's menu has shrimp, fish, chicken nuggets, mac & cheese, etc. Just like the adult menu.

Wouldn't it be odd to go to a restaurant where the adult choices were chicken, ribs, burgers, hot dogs... Then the kid's choices were chicken nuggets, PB&J or Turkey sandwich... Oh wait, that is Cosmic Ray's menu.

What about a BBQ restaurant where the adults eat ribs, half a chicken or pork sandwich but the kids eat baked chicken drumstick or hot dog. Oh wait, that is Flame Tree BBQ.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

Huge potential to blow up in my face? Why because I'm not letting my child control my house? She is the child and I'm the parent. She is subject to OUR will.

Good luck with that.

 

[PSULion]

What if Disney's kid's menu was to offer smaller portions of the three or four things on the adult menu... then allow the kids to pick two items from six choices and a drink?

Then adults would order kid's meals instead of more expensive adult meals and Disney would lose money. Not good business.

 

[Ava]

A very wise physician friend told me when my first child was born that there are two things parents CAN NOT control----what a child eats, and their elimination. Parents will not win in table or toilet battles.

This is probably the best advice ever for new parents. They should put it on the first page of the handbook in 72pt. font.

My DD is 15 months old & she definitely has opinions about what she likes & doesn't like to eat. And sometimes those preferences are... odd. For example, she likes pesto - homemade, garlicy pesto. But she does not like mashed potatoes. She likes roasted potatoes, and french fries, but not mashed potatoes. I know, weird kid. Since she's still young & toddlers can change their minds daily, we do still offer her mashed potatoes if we're eating them. But so far she doesn't like them. There are days when all she will eat for lunch is a handful of frozen peas - we figure she'll eat when she's hungry & try not to worry about it too much.

Anyway, back to the kids' menus at WDW... nuggets anyone?

 

[mirandaperez10]

This is probably the best advice ever for new parents. They should put it on the first page of the handbook in 72pt. font.

My DD is 15 months old & she definitely has opinions about what she likes & doesn't like to eat. And sometimes those preferences are... odd. For example, she likes pesto - homemade, garlicy pesto. But she does not like mashed potatoes. She likes roasted potatoes, and french fries, but not mashed potatoes. I know, weird kid. Since she's still young & toddlers can change their minds daily, we do still offer her mashed potatoes if we're eating them. But so far she doesn't like them. There are days when all she will eat for lunch is a handful of frozen peas - we figure she'll eat when she's hungry & try not to worry about it too much.

Anyway, back to the kids' menus at WDW... nuggets anyone?

amen, i don't have any kids yet but i will have to remember that one!

 

[bicker]

What if Disney's kid's menu was to offer smaller portions of the three or four things on the adult menu...

Folks have already addressed why this is impractical, a few times in this thread.

I wonder how many people won't do the DDP because of the limitations of the kid's menus?

I suspect it is an insignificant amount of guests. Even if it was a significant number, I doubt it really matters much, because the most price-sensitive consumers are typically the lowest-margin consumers.

We did do the DxDP one year where we abused all the table service restaurants on property but that was just too much food and too much time taken up with three TS per day.

"Abused" is one reason why I suspect that Disney is seeing less and less value in offering the Dining Plan.

My complaint really is that the whole family can't choose the same type of items.

Sure they can. Just have everyone order off the regular menu.

 

[Bell30012]

When I say we abused the DxDP, I paid $90+ per night for the two of us to eat so we did more TS meals than we normally would. I daresay there is no way we consumed $90 worth of food per day, although I believe we may have tried a couple of times.

I agree Disney has the right to put whatever on their menus they wish and will continue to do so. I like other parents will purchase one adult meal and share that with my child which costs Disney money. Two adult meals between us is too much food and would either result in waste or waist (on me). However, if there were decent kid's meals available I'd be purchasing the DDP which would mean Disney would get even more of my dollars in their coffers.

 

[bicker]

And if all families with young children would do that, perhaps things would begin to change. Unfortunately, I don't think there is anyway to get everyone on-board for things like this. As you can tell from my signature, I'm a vegetarian, so I deliberately avoid restaurants that do not do a good job offering vegetarian meals. I know that if many diners shared my priority, then more restaurants would improve their vegetarian offerings. And I have seen some small amount of movement in that direction, because (1) most vegetarians do as I do; and (2) even a lot of animal-eating families are making similar decisions.

I think your predicament is even worse than mine, because (as I indicated) I can count on, at least, most (though not all) other vegetarians to do as I do, and even some animal-eating families. With families with young children, I think you'll end up with a lot more of you not getting on-board with the changes you'd like to see made, and so a lot of them will continue to patronize (and therefore reward) the restaurants that don't change the way you'd like them to change. And, of course, families without young children probably won't pay very much attention to this issue at all.

 

[scrapquitler]

ITA I think that even theme parks could offer healthy options but I do nto feel that it should be a "mandate". I also think that folks should buy what they want and if the children's menu does not offer what you want do not use that portion of the menu.

Here's the thing: If serving healthier choices was a PROFITABLE thing to do, then Disney ( and other theme parks, restaurants, etc) would do it.

If those items are on the menu and don't sell in a high enough volume to make it worth keeping them in stock, then they won't stay on the menu. No restaurant is going to keep 10 different menu items on the menu if they don't sell. That's just a fact of supply and demand.

If BBQ Tofu Burgers were in high demand, Disney would probably do some test marketing of them. If the test marketing showed that the item would be profitable, then they would add it to the menu. If that item sold well, then it would stay on the menu. IF those BBQ Tofu Burgers were sitting in the kitchen and weren't selling, they'd be removed from the items.

Obviously the items on the menu, regardless of how healthy or unhealthy they are are the times that people BUY. If you go in the restaurant and you don't like that item, order something from the adult menu and pay OOP for it.

 

[jodifla]

My point's aren't changing I'm just adding to them.
I'm pretty sure I answered the "if she says no" question but I will repeat: Sitting at the table till she tries it. Am I supposed to give in to her every "NO", no but there will be a balance. Can I control everything, NO but for the first few years I'm 95% in control of what comes in and out of her life so yes I'm going to take advantage of it. When shes older all I can do is hope that DH and I placed a solid foundation and she will make the right choices.

I don't assume anything I'm just stating how it was in my parents homes and many of my friends parents homes and how it will be in mine. There's not way around the fact that many times parents give in and give up. To think that's judging someone is not true.
As for camp, I don't really care what the kids do in the long run. They have nannies and parents and therapist that can deal with them the other 48 weeks in the year.

You are being naive and unrealistic. Your daughter has the control, not you. Toddlers start rejecting food around 1 years old, oftentimes. Google around...you'll find lots of doctors talking about it. It's natural.

And I clearly recall a conversation with a mom about her 4 year old who was a good eater, then juts started dropping foods.

Your "good old days" weren't really so good. Lots of eating disorders came this kind of force. I clearly remember being forced to eat some foods, and thinking I'd never do it to any child of mine.

And I don't.

My mother was wrong to force me, but that was the "in" thing to do those days: Show 'em who's boss! Guess what? I'm the boss of what I eat. I STILL don't like the liver she was trying to make me gag down. But I do like all sorts of foods now, and there's a small list of things I won't eat.

 

[Nancyg56]

Here's the thing: If serving healthier choices was a PROFITABLE thing to do, then Disney ( and other theme parks, restaurants, etc) would do it.

If those items are on the menu and don't sell in a high enough volume to make it worth keeping them in stock, then they won't stay on the menu. No restaurant is going to keep 10 different menu items on the menu if they don't sell. That's just a fact of supply and demand.



Obviously the items on the menu, regardless of how healthy or unhealthy they are are the times that people BUY. If you go in the restaurant and you don't like that item, order something from the adult menu and pay OOP for it.

Oh I absolutely agree. I think that the reason nuggets, fries and burgers are the backbone of children's menus is becaues that is what people will purchase. We always offer DGD an entree on the adult menu if she does nto want the dishes on teh child menu. Lately she wants the mac and cheese.....her Mom does not give her this kind of thing at home anymore so the burgers and fries are treats.

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

Ok, well that is a start. What happens when she tries something, and doesn't like it? Will you fix something else, send her to bed hungry, what will be the msg you want to send? If you have a 'pleaser" your way may work just fine. What you will be raising, though, will be a little codependent. At 15, that is an invitation to not saying "no" even if she feels "no."

Or you may have a child with "spirit" who will sit there 24 hours to avoid a bite of liver. (Had that been a situaton in my life, that would have been my choice, lol. -even though I tend toward being a pleaser-I cannot even stand the smell of it!) This child, if pushed to the extreme by a control freak will be sneaking out the window to pressure some guy, lol. j/k. I think it is obvious what the potential is.

Parents, even perfect parents of perfect children (the anorexics in the crowd) need to realize that kids are different, and that some have strong tastes that can't be changed at the parent's rate. My painter (who was a PhD student) was "potty trained" like a dog, and forced to eat whatever was placed in front of him. He grew up to be a hamburger helper, no veggie eater. I know this because I stocked the house when he dog sat for us. He also still remembers having his nose rubbed in "it" and choosing not to potty for 2 weeks, putting himself into the hospital at 2 1/2.

You do have 95% control right now. I would suggest you use your power gently. And realize that grace is a good thing. At least if you believe in any sort of karma or reaping what you are sowing. You may need to lean on some of those terrible parents when you hit a wall, or the world doesn't turn out quite the way you believe it should.

Maybe you don't get that your post wreaks of entitlement and judgment. No one is entitled to specific foods at a theme park. Simple enough. And I've already addressed the judgment issues.