The past couple of weeks seem like a blur.  We took a long overdue but short family vacation to Washington DC, where the kids were thrilled to see the Space Shuttle Discovery being flown in on top of a 747 right over our heads, enjoyed the Air & Space and Natural History Museums, had a fabulous private tour of the Capitol Building even witnessing Congress voting on a bill, but maybe even most of all that we stayed in a hotel with an indoor pool.  Ah, the little things. 

The boys also loved that my strict no soda policy was relaxed.  I allowed them root beer one day and ginger ale or Sprite another. Whoa!  One thing I noticed since we ate out every lunch and dinner was how shoddy kids’ menus are, especially when it comes to giving kids any vegetable.  Almost all the restaurants serve chicken nuggets or tenders and macaroni and cheese.  But there were so few that gave any vegetables with their meal— I don’t really count French fries as a vegetable.  Of course I pay extra and order  sides or my kids split an item off the regular menu. But I just don’t get that these chains can’t see that offering mac and cheese (often just Kraft’s disgusting artificially colored garbage), soda and a free ice cream is not doing these kids any favors.  (I guess I’m on another rant!) 

We need restaurants to get on board with offering kids meals that are tasty and nutritious.  Why must they give the same ol’ same ol’ hot dogs, mac & cheese, chicken nuggets and burgers?  Can’t they use some of the creativity that goes into the “adult menu” on the “children’s menu”?  Don’t they realize that many parents not only want their kids to eat, they also care about them to eat well?   How about a vegetable pasta or a hummus platter?  Maybe offering side salads (green, coleslaw, bean)? 

I think I wouldn’t have minded so much if it had been only one meal, but when one is on vacation most meals are eaten out.  And I find that lunch and dinner are when my own kids eat the most vegetables. Again, I altered what they got by ordering sides or splitting “adult” mains.  I just wish it was part of the package they already offer.

What do you do when you take your kids out to restaurants?