What age did you start ordering off the kids menu?

[Anonymous]

Other than puffs or a sippy cup to stave off the crankies, I don't bring food from home. We stopped that after we passed the puree stage.... We started ordering off the kids' menu when Ds was around a year, but even at 19 months we sometimes do and sometimes don't, depending on what we're having/where we're at. Portion sizes are big enough at some of our familiar haunts we know we'll have enough food if DH and I just share a few bites each. Otherwise DS gets his own because he's a big eater!

[Anonymous]

18 months.

[Anonymous]

I bring my own stuff, kids menus are SO expensive! DD is 15mo

[Anonymous]

If I'm ordering something that my 14 month old can/will eat, then I'll just let him eat from my plate. If I'm ordering something he probably won't like then I'll get something from the kid's menu.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I bring my own stuff, kids menus are SO expensive! DD is 15mo

Really?

I find the opposite...I'm loving the fact that I don't have to carry any additional food for my 20 month old now. I guess I'm willing to pay for the convenience.

[Anonymous]

15 months. Or if the portions are big and the kids menu is not appealing he will share with me (I put some on the bread plate for him). He is now 2 and we eat out a lot.
My son is not into chicken fingers and burgers, the normal junk they have on a kids menu except he does like all pastas and whatever we are eating. A lot of places do 1/2 orders off of the regular menu. Or we do a side dish like sweet potato or green beans or something and give him some of our fish or meat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:15 months. Or if the portions are big and the kids menu is not appealing he will share with me (I put some on the bread plate for him). He is now 2 and we eat out a lot.
My son is not into chicken fingers and burgers, the normal junk they have on a kids menu except he does like all pastas and whatever we are eating. A lot of places do 1/2 orders off of the regular menu. Or we do a side dish like sweet potato or green beans or something and give him some of our fish or meat.

This is so aggravating - why is the kid menu so often a list of junk? Would a grilled chicken strip, a baked french fry, be so hard? To say nothing of more veggies, fruits, etc...

[Anonymous]

Around 15-16 months or so we started using the kids menu. It depends on the restaurant, though, sometimes he will share with me and DH, sometimes we get him his own meal - he is a big eater.

[Anonymous]

I think it depends on the restaurant. Does your child like what you are eating, or does he want something different? What are the portion sizes like? I have a 3 yo and a 5 yo and between the two of them we need to order 3 kids meals at Austin Grill -- they each eat 1 1/2. They are normal size kids (50% for weight, 50-75% for height), but love the food at Austin Grill. At other restaurants they usually leave lots behind on their plates. I think we started around 18 months to 2 years with our kids. Some places, like Austin Grill allow you to order single items (like a single fried egg, or a side dish) which is perfect for really little ones.