Ordering healthier food when dining out- tips for healthier choices for the kids (& parents too!)
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Healthy Kids' Restaurant Tips | Deli -Ethnic Foods |Fun Resources & Printouts
Consider skipling the kids meals and let your kids order a meal from the 'real menu'. Ask for an extra plate, when the meal arrives you set aside 1/2 the meal to take home for leftovers .
It's a good practice to let children eat food not designated for "kids", they'll be able to try a wider variety of foods and will not get accustomed to eating lower nutrient and quality foods that are often in the kids' meals.
Until recent times, children would eat the same food as the rest of the family. This is a healthy habit to start despite all the marketing of foods for 'kids'. It's especially important to have children try a variety of foods beyond kids meals and foods (nuggets, pizza, mac and cheese, toy meals, etc) as young children are developing their tastes and food preferences and we don't want to limit their exposure to fresh healthy foods and real meals!
If ordering from a restaurant that has large portions, you can try sharing a meal with your child or other adult.
When looking over the menu consider a soup and salad as your meal- ask the waiter/waitress if they would add and charge a reasonable fee for some protein on the salad such as; seeds, cheese, lean meat or grilled salmon.
Get creative while ordering- another option is to order a salad with a yummy appetizer or several healthy side orders to make a complete balanced meal!
If the restaurant is one that offers a bread basket before the meal, ask them for whole grain bread or to hold the bread and wait for the main course. Or if your really hungry ask them to bring a salad or healthy appetizer instead. This reduces calories and give you and your child a better appetite for the actual meal.
-Plan healthy meals tips for dining out with your child
★ Talk to your child before ordering a meal, so that healthy substitutions are already agreed upon ★ Let your child know that they can ask for food items prepared a specific way. For example, salad dressing on the side, baked or grilled instead of fried, brown rice rather than white rice ★Find out if the restaurant has nutrition facts on their menu or website to help you to choose healthier options ★ Discuss the menu and offer lower fat protein choices such as: chicken, turkey, fish, or vegetarian ★ Agree on at least 1 healthy substitution with your child ★ Decide ahead of time if you'll be ordering a dessert- bring a few pieces of fruit to eat after dinner or prepare a dessert for when you return home. Or if you plan to order a dessert, make a paln that the dessert will be shared--this is a great way to have a treat, limit the portion size and enjoy the same food together. *Try to order a naturally sweet dessert such as fruit pies or low-fat ice cream or frozen yogurt.
Use Portion Control: ★ Ask for child’s size, even for á la Carte side order items ★ Order the regular size and split the order and share it ★ Avoid ordering extra large portions just because they are a deal! ★ Avoid foods with the words jumbo, giant, super sized or deluxe in the name
Make healthier food and beverage choices ★ If ordering a kids' meal- Don’t be shy about making healthy substitutions even in Kids Meals (usually comes with a toy) ★ Ask for fruit instead of fries or chips ★ Drink nonfat or low fat milk or water instead of whole milk ★ Choose water, milk or 100% fruit juice instead of soda ★ Order prepared foods steamed, broiled, grilled, poached, or roasted- not fried ★ Choose a regular size, single patty hamburger without cheese and mayonnaise ★ Order a baked potato instead of fries ★Use salsa or mustard instead of mayonnaise ★ Order salads with ‘lite’ or non-fat dressing instead of regular dressing ★ Minimize the use of gravy, sauces and dressings; have them served on the side ★ Look for vegetarian options on the menu- or use this tool to find a vegetarian friendly restaurant
Avoid or eat less of these breaded or fried foods (higher in fat and calories) ➡ chicken nuggets ➡ fried chicken ➡ fried fish sandwiches ➡ onion rings ➡ french fries
★ Set a good example by ordering a healthy meal for yourself, and spend some time talking about why they are healthier choices.
★ Print healthy eating activity pages and bring to restaurants for some fun! Choose from:
★ When ordering remember the new guidelines offered in the MyPlate image. See our blog post about the new MyPlate
-Related Resources from our Website- Nourish Interactive
Balanced Meal Lesson Plan for Teaching Kids how to create a balance meal
Build a Meal Game - Kids choose foods for meals in a kitchen, a cafeteria, and a grocery store and find out if the meals they created are balanced meals.
Bon Appetite Game - A fast paced, arcade style game collect food for your healthy plate!
Color my Plate Healthy- Coloring page
Print ➪ The Food Groups PDF for Kids to introduce or reinforce the concept of food groups and balanced meals.
Print healthy eating activity pages and bring to restaurants for some fun! Choose from:
New study: Restaurant Calorie Counts Found Lacking - Soups, salads often more fattening than listed, Tufts researchers say
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