Instead of nuggets and fries, order mild, soft dishes from the main menu and share them: soups, dal and rice, idli and dosa, steamed dumplings, noodle soups, grilled fish or chicken, risotto, egg and paneer dishes. Ask for less spice, a small bowl, and let your child taste from your plate.
It always starts the same way.
The server hands you a menu, then turns to your child with a smaller, brighter card covered in cartoons.
Chicken nuggets. French fries. Pasta with butter. Mini pizza. A milkshake.
Different restaurant. Same five dishes.
For a while, we ordered from it without thinking. It was easy. It felt safe. Then one evening our daughter reached across the table, took a piece of our grilled chicken, and asked for more.
She ignored her nuggets for the rest of the meal.
That was the night we stopped ordering from kids’ menus.
01Why Kids’ Menus Fall Short
We understand why they exist. Restaurants want to make families feel welcome, and parents want something quick and predictable. But most kids’ menus have a few problems:
- They are almost all the same. Fried, beige, and built around a handful of “safe” foods.
- There are rarely vegetables. Or there is one sad slice of cucumber on the side.
- They separate children from the meal. Everyone else shares a table; the child gets a different kind of food entirely.
- They underestimate children. Little ones are often far more adventurous than we expect, especially when they see their parents enjoying something.
Children learn to love food by sitting at the table and tasting what everyone else is eating. A restaurant is one of the best classrooms there is.
02What to Order Instead: Cuisine by Cuisine
These are the dishes that work at our table. Most are mild, soft and easy for little hands, and every one of them comes from the regular menu.
Indian
- Dal with steamed rice or jeera rice
- Idli, plain dosa or uttapam with coconut chutney
- Curd rice
- Paneer tikka or a mild paneer gravy, chilli on the side
- Soft phulka or kulcha to tear and dip
- Khichdi, the most comforting dish of all
Japanese and Pan-Asian
- Cucumber, avocado or tempura prawn rolls
- Steamed dumplings, cut in half to cool
- A mild ramen or noodle soup, split into a small bowl
- Edamame, fun to pop and eat
- Chicken or vegetable fried rice
- Mango sticky rice for dessert
Italian
- Mushroom or vegetable risotto
- Pasta in a simple tomato (pomodoro) sauce
- Gnocchi, soft and easy to eat
- Minestrone soup with bread
- Grilled chicken with mashed potatoes
Middle Eastern and Mediterranean
- Hummus with warm pita
- Falafel, broken into pieces
- Grilled chicken or fish with rice
- Labneh with olive oil and bread
Kerala and Coastal
- Appam with a mild vegetable or egg stew
- Soft Kerala paratha with a light curry
- Fish fry, carefully deboned
- Puttu with banana or kadala
Continental and Café
- Scrambled or poached eggs on toast
- Pancakes with fruit
- Grilled fish with vegetables
- Soup of the day with bread
03How to Order for a Child From the Main Menu
- Ask for less spice. Most dishes cooked to order can be made milder, or the chilli can be served on the side.
- Ask for a small bowl or plate. Share from your own dishes, or split one portion.
- Order one familiar thing and one new thing. The familiar dish gives them confidence to try the new one.
- Order a side of plain rice, bread or vegetables. It is the safety net.
- Ask the staff. “What do children usually enjoy here?” often leads to a wonderful suggestion.
04How to Encourage a Little One to Try Something New
- No pressure. Put a little on their plate and let them decide.
- Eat it happily yourself. Children copy what they see far more than what they are told.
- Talk about the food. The colour, the shape, the crunch. Curiosity comes before taste.
- Try again another day. It can take many tastes before a child accepts a new food. A “no” today is not a “no” forever.
- Celebrate small wins. One bite counts.
05A Gentle Word to Restaurants
Some of the warmest moments we have had while eating out came from teams who understood this without being asked. A kitchen that split our ramen into two bowls and added an extra piece of chicken for our daughter. A server who asked her directly how the food was, and waited patiently for her answer.
She said, “Super yummy.”
No kids’ menu could have created that moment. It came from treating her as a guest, not as a problem to be fed.
If you run a restaurant, consider offering half portions of a few mild dishes from your main menu. Families will remember it.
We do not have a picky eater. We have a curious one. And we are not sure that would be true if we had kept ordering from the cartoon menu.
The best thing we ever ordered for our daughter was not on a kids’ menu at all.
It was a seat at the table, and a taste of whatever we were having.
Three hearts. One table. Countless stories.
Frequently asked
Why are kids’ menus not ideal?
Most kids’ menus offer the same few fried or plain dishes such as nuggets, fries and buttered pasta. They are often low in variety and vegetables, and they teach children that restaurant food for them is different from food for everyone else.
What should a toddler eat at a restaurant?
Choose mild, soft dishes from the main menu: soups, dal and rice, idli or dosa, steamed dumplings, grilled fish or chicken, risotto, noodle soups, paneer or egg dishes. Ask for less spice and share from your plate.
How do I get my child to try new food at restaurants?
Put a small amount of what you are eating on their plate without pressure, eat it happily yourself, involve them in choosing, and pair one new dish with something familiar. Repeated, relaxed exposure works better than insisting.
Can I ask a restaurant to make a dish less spicy for my child?
Yes. Most kitchens can reduce chilli in dishes cooked to order, keep sauces on the side, or serve a plain portion of rice, bread or vegetables. Ask when you order.
Is it okay to share an adult portion with a child?
Yes. Sharing one adult portion or asking for a dish to be split is common and usually reduces waste. Many restaurants will bring a small bowl or plate for children if you ask.
