Open a Menu, Open Their Minds

The kids’ menus at most restaurants look identical, whether you’re eating at a burger joint or an Italian bistro. Cheeseburger. Pizza. Chicken strips. If the restaurant is really cutting-edge, they might throw a corn dog on there.

A main reason for heading out to eat is to try something new. Parents have a variety of options to choose from, but for kids, their choices are limited to high-fat and deep-fried cuisine. While every kid deserves a treat once in awhile, sticking with the same choices time after time can start leading to some picky eaters.

Thankfully, some restaurants have stepped up and added meals on their menus to tempt even the choosiest of children. Sage in Soulard, for instance, has the usual hamburgers and macaroni and cheese, but also offers a tossed salad with grilled chicken. Each kids’ meal also includes an appetizer and a yummy dessert.

Remarked Julie Culbertson of Sage via email, “We offer a salad for kids which is a healthy combo of mixed greens and carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes (if they want the veggies) and their choice of dressing. We recommend our house which is a light raspberry maple herb vinaigrette. Also, for the kids’ appetizer, we serve carrots and celery with ranch dipping sauce. We know the ranch isn't the best, but if the kids get a serving of veggies, that's great! Dessert is their choice; usually between a fruit cheesecake, a fruit crisp/cobbler, a chocolate cake/torte, or when in season, fresh fruits with whipped cream.”

Another way to introduce your kids to new foods is to select an ethnic restaurant or one that specializes in a particular cuisine. Highway 61 Roadhouse and Kitchen in Webster Groves serves up Memphis-style kids’ meals, such as a ¼ slab of ribs. In addition, kids can choose from a variety of unique sides, like their amazing BBQ spaghetti, green beans, red beans and rice, sweet potato pie or grilled corn on the cob. When kids are stuck with French fries at every restaurant, choices such as these can open a new world of tasty discoveries.

Still another dilemma for parents is what to order for older kids. Kids’ meals often don’t provide the variety tweens crave, and adult meals may be too large or too expensive. ARAKA in Clayton, which serves up Southern European influenced cuisine in an upscale atmosphere, solves this problem by offering healthy options for older kids, such as Scottish salmon with mashed potatoes and broccolini and grilled shrimp with polenta and broccolini. Best of all, the restaurant uses many locally-sourced ingredients throughout its entire menu.

“At ARAKA, the ‘For the Big Kids’ menu was inspired by the notion that the kids in the upper-end of the 13 and under category don’t always want chicken fingers, hamburgers, and French fries,” said Brad Beracha from ARAKA. “Like the Adult menu, everything is made from scratch, and the portion size and price point of healthier entrees is better for both the diner, as well as for the paying parent.”

Although it might be difficult to find a restaurant that spotlights a diverse kids' menu, the hunt is worth it. Your kids can enjoy a new culinary experience and you can feel satisfied they're learning chicken doesn’t always come in the form of a nugget.

So, are there any restaurants you love that do a great job catering to kids?