Rant: Kids Menu= Horrible Diet

[Mandychelle79]

Her father and I!! For you to even say that...I won't even go there. The plate returns every meal time until she TRIES it. It's not a hard concept and I'm sure after a few times she will get the idea.

I once thought like you. Now I have meals that arent a power struggle. When I insisted that my kids try something they didnt want to try.. they would force themselves to gag ( to prove they didnt like it) and then proceed to vomit. Now I put the food on their plate. Tell them I would like them to take 2 bites of it, but if they dont I dont force it.

My kids eat healthy 95 percent of the time. When we go out or on vacation its a treat for them, therefore not a big deal to me if they dont eat healthy.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Here's my complaint with the WDW food choices for kids. Yes- they offer healthier options at most places. However the healthy options are often something that I as an adult won't even order. I don't want dried out grilled chicken or fish. My kids enjoy regular food that the adults get to chose from. I really wish they would offer smaller portions of the adult menu. I would even pay a little more for it. My kids eat food like salmon, crab cakes, steak etc. While the might like the junk offerings after a few days they are sick of it. Every kids menu is the same. We usually just share with them or order another meal. We also do a lot of buffets so they can get better food. (and we love the characters!)
Disney offers fruit and carrot sticks as an alternate but I can tell you by day 3 the kids are sick of grapes and carrots. As an adult I would not want to eat the same thing every day. Why on earth would kids? Besides the fact that they are both choking hazards! Can they not offer a banana? Maybe some strawberries and whipped cream? Something other than grapes and hard carrots. I feel like they went to extremes. They give a choice other than fries but the option is a weight watchers meal for toddlers. For this reason I don't think we will do the dining plan for a while. Unless we are doing all buffets it doesn't pay for us.

 

[Bell30012]

Mouse House Mama, that has been my side of this discussion all along. My kid likes to eat what I eat. There just isn't that many places that have similar choices on the menu.

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

Mouse House Mama, that has been my side of this discussion all along. My kid likes to eat what I eat. There just isn't that many places that have similar choices on the menu.

If they want to eat what you eat, order it for them. Problem solved.

MHM, they sell bananas on the fruit stands, if you need one. I always pick one up and keep it with me for a quick carb if we need one.

 

[gr8mommy]

I think the point most of you keep missing is that kids' don't HAVE to order off the kids' menu, unless you're on the dining plan. If they want to eat what you're eating, share what you've got, and add a salad, soup or appetizer if you (or they) are still hungry. And even if you are on the DP, you can still pay OOP for something else.

The children's menu is there for picky kids who won't eat other stuff. Not to punish those who do.

Disney (and most other establishments) will not offer smaller sized portions of adult meals because it isn't cost effective. This is why most places don't allow adults to order off the kids' menu.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

If they want to eat what you eat, order it for them. Problem solved.

MHM, they sell bananas on the fruit stands, if you need one. I always pick one up and keep it with me for a quick carb if we need one.

I do pick them up but if we are having a sit down dinner I am not going to whip a banana out of my pocket. The only place that we have been to that had a decent kids meal with real fruit etc. was California Grill. We will go back there as my kids loved it. They had steak, salmon and tried some of my dh's ostrich. When I pay for the dining plan I just expect a better meal for my kids. Sorry but I do.

I think the point most of you keep missing is that kids' don't HAVE to order off the kids' menu, unless you're on the dining plan. If they want to eat what you're eating, share what you've got, and add a salad, soup or appetizer if you (or they) are still hungry. And even if you are on the DP, you can still pay OOP for something else.

The children's menu is there for picky kids who won't eat other stuff. Not to punish those who do.

Disney (and most other establishments) will not offer smaller sized portions of adult meals because it isn't cost effective. This is why most places don't allow adults to order off the kids' menu.

Well, if I pay for the dining plan they should be able to get something reasonable. A week of nuggets or hot dogs wrapped in pretzels is gross. This is why we probably won't do the dining plan anytime soon. While it can be a great value it isn't when you have to buy other food at every meal that isn't a buffet. If we were planning a week of buffets it would be worth it though.
Most places we eat at at home do have a much better child's menu.

 

[gr8mommy]

Well, if I pay for the dining plan they should be able to get something reasonable

The dining plan isn't mandatory, and in that case may not be the best idea for your family. If you like the 'prepay' option, put your food budget on a gift card to simplify things.

You also are not stuck using kid meal credits for mealtimes. Use them as fillers during the day, when you're too hungry for just an ice cream or an apple.

 

[Ava]

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/MindMo...red-insurance/story?id=11361332&partner=yahoo

Interesting. I actually would agree that an adult with that extremely limited of a diet has some type of eating disorder, or obsessive-compulsive disorder.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

The dining plan isn't mandatory, and in that case may not be the best idea for your family. If you like the 'prepay' option, put your food budget on a gift card to simplify things.

You also are not stuck using kid meal credits for mealtimes. Use them as fillers during the day, when you're too hungry for just an ice cream or an apple.

I know it is not mandatory. My point though is that if you don't research all the meals and just book it like most people do you are expecting better meals.

 

[bicker]

The children's menu is there for picky kids who won't eat other stuff. Not to punish those who do.

Yes, well-put. This is an important insight that folks visiting WDW really need to understand.

My point though is that if you don't research all the meals and just book it like most people do you are expecting better meals.

If you buy something without researching it then you deserve to be surprised.

 

[U2_rocks!]

Adult portions are always too large for me anyway, so I do a lot of sharing with my kids. Or, my kids will split an adult entree. The dining plan would never work for us.

For those who do find value in the DDP, it would be nice if Disney could pick just one scaled-down version of an adult entree to add to the kid choices, at least at those restaurants that don't already do that (I know there are some that do). There are so many people who aren't on Disboards like all of us, doing tons of research before they go - those people eat at wherever they happen to be when hungry, and they won't even know that there's a restaurant elsewhere in the park that does have good quality kids menu food.

 

[PSULion]

If you buy something without researching it then you deserve to be surprised.

 

[lovesdumbo]

I know it is not mandatory. My point though is that if you don't research all the meals and just book it like most people do you are expecting better meals.

I don't think I would assume a theme park would have lots of healthy options in children's menus. I would think if that was important you would do research before you went. If you do research you can find healthy options at Disney.

I've got 3 kids-one who will eat anything, one who eats a lot and one who is very picky. I do research to see where miss picky will eat something. I don't do the meal plan. My 11 year old doesn't eat enough to justify the DDP for her. I don't always want to eat a TS meal with dessert. I find we do better paying OOP and ordering exactly what we want.

 

[williamson_ja]

I haven't read through the whole thread here, but I just had a few comments. First of all, Disney's offerengs are much healthier than our local amusement park. There are no grapes, apples, juice, etc. offered at the amusement park for kids. Also, I work at the local elementary school and have to say that Disney's kids meals are more healthy than the meals the kids get served at school every day. That stuff is just awful! I can't believe the garbage that gets served to our kids at school. I would expect healthier options at school than at Disneyworld, but it isn't the case.
My gripe with the kids meals is not that they don't have healthy options, I think they do. I just hate going to a CS place and have 10 options for adults and only 2 options for kids. I just wish there were more options. Now that I know that they don't differenciate between adult CS and child CS, I'll just be getting my dd an adult CS meal when the options are not good for her. Again, though at school the kids (here anyway) are not given any choices about what to have for school. They are given whatever meal has been prepared for them that day. If they don't like it, they just go hungry. So, even in that respect, it's better than what is offered at school.

 

[robinb]

I've got 3 kids-one who will eat anything, one who eats a lot and one who is very picky. I do research to see where miss picky will eat something. I don't do the meal plan. My 11 year old doesn't eat enough to justify the DDP for her. I don't always want to eat a TS meal with dessert. I find we do better paying OOP and ordering exactly what we want.

I had to do research for my vegetarian DD too. Many of the CS places only offer meat options in their kids meals and the others only have that nasty mac n cheese for veggie kids. My DD only ate cheese pizza or the uncrustables on the kids menu . That being said, I would still buy the DDP when she was under 10. After that ... it just wasn't worth it to pay $42 for her to eat like a picky, vegetarian bird.

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

I had to do research for my vegetarian DD too. Many of the CS places only offer meat options in their kids meals and the others only have that nasty mac n cheese for veggie kids. My DD only ate cheese pizza or the uncrustables on the kids menu . That being said, I would still buy the DDP when she was under 10. After that ... it just wasn't worth it to pay $42 for her to eat like a picky, vegetarian bird.

Is your whole family vegetarian? My daughter is leaning that way and we have always been a house of happy omnivores.

 

[lovesdumbo]

I had to do research for my vegetarian DD too. Many of the CS places only offer meat options in their kids meals and the others only have that nasty mac n cheese for veggie kids. My DD only ate cheese pizza or the uncrustables on the kids menu . That being said, I would still buy the DDP when she was under 10. After that ... it just wasn't worth it to pay $42 for her to eat like a picky, vegetarian bird.

My picky eater isn't the "Disney adult". I can't imagine it would ever be worth doing DDP with her as an "adult".

I did consider doing DxDDP with my DS-he's my good eater before he turned 10. But decided I couldn't eat enough for DxDDP and went with paying OOP.

 

[Nettaboo]

That shows a want not a need.

Lol, if one can't afford to feed their children that isn't
disney's fault. Save a year more. Cut back somewhere else. Bring in healthy sandwiches, fruit and veggies or
wraps. Disney doesn't owe anyone anything. It also isn't disney's fault
if kids like eating pizza, chicken nuggets and pb & j. If you have a problem with the culture and eating, a theme park is the last place I'd start.

I question how much a need there really is for more variety. With just a quick look at 4 of the kids menus for quick service at the Magic Kingdom I have found that:

Three places have chicken salad
Two places have chicken nuggets
Three places have mac & cheese
Three places have PB&J
One place has a burger
One place has pizza

That is six different lunch or dinner choices at 4 places in just one park. And it is not the same menu at every place. I doubt many families go to WDW and eat 6 counter service meals just in the Magic Kingdom.

I have never understood why the children's menu causes so much discussion. Businesses are free to offer what they want and what they believe will generate a profit. We are free to choose those offerings or to choose something else. I believe that the price point is the issue. People determine how much that they are willing to spend on a childs meal and Disney restaurants, along with most other restaurants, offer what is within that amount.

It is easy enough to research wihich restaurants have adult portions that are generous enough to share with a child or to research which restaurants offer choices that you want to feed your child on the children's menu.

As I have said before, we all try to accomodate my DGD if she cannot find anything ont the children's menu but in the years we have been taking her to Disney, she has never gotten bored or gone hungry. It takes a little time prior to the trip and sometimes costs a little more during the trip but there are plenty of healthy options to choose from.

As someone else mentioned, it demonstrates a want, not a need. Besides, expressing one's preference to the powers that be (in this case WDW food management) isn't whining. Complaining over and over again to a bunch of folks on a message board who can't do anything about it is.

Actually, imho, a discussion board isn't a place for complaints, per se. It is a place for us to share information and perspectives. Complaints, by their very nature, imply an expectation for remediation, and afaic this isn't the venue where complaints may be considered for remediation. Instead, I would like to think of this as a place for reviews: "I don't like that ..." And information: "You should be aware that ..." And comparison: "XXX is better at this than YYY ..." And for learning: "Where is the ...? How do I ...? When should I ...? etc." I would prefer seeing us focus on helping each other get the most out of our vacations, as they're available to us, and leave Disney to handle their own customer satisfaction issues.

Personal, no. It is merely a conversation on a msg. board to fill the time. You won't always be able to control your daughter. I've seen it tried. You have never addressed the question of what you will do when she says "no." Stuff it down her throat? Or do you really believe she will always do and like everything you tell her to do and like? Whether you have one or five, you still can't control everything. Parents who try to are my big money maker, lol.

You sit in judgment of people when you haven't walked in their shoes. You imply that your way of parenting would solve the problems of diet, and health in america. You assume people don't try. You assume that you know more about parenting...Not cool. People have given real life examples of the "whys" and possible reasons for what you have seen and experienced in your little camp example, but you ignore it all.

As for the food at the parks, your points keep changing. Now it is the size of adult portions, lol.Use your money to speak. Don't go if you don't want to. Don't buy kid's meals if you don't like. No one is twisting your arm or holding a gun to your head.

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.

Allowing your child to decide which foods (out of healthy choices) and how much food to put into her own body is not letting her run the house. It's respecting her as a fellow human being.

As Horton says, "A person's a person no matter how small."

Not that you are going to listen to anyone else, but please please understand that the kids who wind up in my office or referred to me come from 2 sorts of homes. Those that have no boundaries, the type you are concerned about. And the type that are totally authoritarian. Children should learn to respect their parents, not fear them.

There are adults on this thread saying that what you are saying (which is hopefully not what you are doing in the extreme) affected their lives forever. Their parents thought that what they were doing was best. All parents do, or wouldn't do it.

You may have been raised this way, and think that you have turned out fine. But how fine is it to look down on others? That isn't nice. I hope that you consider what people have shared. They did it out of concern for your daughter, and really of you. And you obviously have no clue where eating disorders come from. Most come from overparenting, and the need to control something in their lives. Food becomes that thing to control.

What might have been an interesting discussion of our culture, of helping kids to eat a healthy and varied diet became a thread dissing the parenting choices of others. Complaining about theme park food is weird, I guess. It is a vacation and theme park. If you don't like the choices eat elsewhere. We rent points and stay dvc because we don't care for eating out every meal. Problem solved.

duckie, I am so buying Kale at the farmer's market today! I have my mandolin back, and hope to have better beet chips. Mine have been iffy when I cut them myself.

The best way to accomplish this is to "speak with your wallet".. Don't go out to eat; don't patronize places that sell objectionable food; do not allow your kids to eat lunch in school; and when vacationing and you have to eat out, share from the adult menus..

As long as people pay for it, they will continue to sell it..

I think the point most of you keep missing is that kids' don't HAVE to order off the kids' menu, unless you're on the dining plan. If they want to eat what you're eating, share what you've got, and add a salad, soup or appetizer if you (or they) are still hungry. And even if you are on the DP, you can still pay OOP for something else.

The children's menu is there for picky kids who won't eat other stuff. Not to punish those who do.

Disney (and most other establishments) will not offer smaller sized portions of adult meals because it isn't cost effective. This is why most places don't allow adults to order off the kids' menu.

THIS THIS AND ALL THIS!!LOL
Bottom Line.. Everything 'AINT' for Everybody!!!
Yes Disney COULD offer different things but for now they are not.. So either buy it or you don't.
If you really want things to change, perhaps a letter to Disney(the people who can make the changes) with maybe a signed petition showing that there is really a need and want for the changes...

 

[gr8mommy]

My gripe with the kids meals is not that they don't have healthy options, I think they do. I just hate going to a CS place and have 10 options for adults and only 2 options for kids. I just wish there were more options.

The problem is, they could have 200 options, and there would still be people who complain.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

The problem is, they could have 200 options, and there would still be people who complain.

The complaints then would be "These menus are way too complicated. It's taking people too long to decide what they want to order. The lines are horrendous. Disney should simplify things."