Eating Out

[Laurie919]

Do you allow your kids to order what they want or do you order for them?

This is another thing I allow Taylor to do, then I just eat off of her plate most of the time. That way we don't bring so much of it home.

 

[lucypevensie]

Sharing dinners is a good idea. If you don't have room in your stomach for a big meal it's pointless to buy a whole meal. Restaurant meals are often so much bigger than necessary anyway.

For the msot part we let them order what they want, as long as it's not an ice cream sundae for dinner or something. My kids always want to order root beer to drink, but around here the root beer is almost always more expensive than the other soft drinks. So we usually have to say no to root beer, which they hate, but...that's life.

 

[Laurie919]

Sharing dinners is a good idea. If you don't have room in your stomach for a big meal it's pointless to buy a whole meal. Restaurant meals are often so much bigger than necessary anyway.

For the msot part we let them order what they want, as long as it's not an ice cream sundae for dinner or something. My kids always want to order root beer to drink, but around here the root beer is almost always more expensive than the other soft drinks. So we usually have to say no to root beer, which they hate, but...that's life.

What is it with kids and root beer? That is Taylor's favorite thing to order too. Since I only drink water I let her order what she wants to drink.

She will often order "sweet tea" though. Being from the south we drink a lot of that.

 

[£amb]

My boys are old enough to order what they want....thank goodness. My oldest eats enough to order off the regular menu, but my youngest is still in between the children's menu and regular menu. It really depends on what they have.

 

[Laurie919]

Depending on where we are eating Taylor will order a steak just like she knows what she is doing. The person taking our order will always look at me to see if I approve I guess.

 

[pmcleanj]

The daughters know what will be allowed (milk, natural juices, fruit, salads, most plain meats) and what won't be allowed (soda-pop, chocolate or sweetened milk, fries). Generally they will ask "May I have ..." before the server comes to take their order. Depending on the style of service I will give the order myself in most cases, but in a casual dining-room where we are on familiar terms with the staff the server will ask the girls directly for their orders.

My foster children need a little more supervision. They've been taught that eating out is a time to splurge: one likes to choose the most expensive thing, and the other the fattiest and sweetest thing. So their menu choices always get vetted first before being passed to the staff.

 

[coffeegal]

we very rarely eat out. when we do, the kids order what they want.

 

[JulySheMustFly]

We show the kids the items that typically are "clear" for them. We can't let them pick whatever they want because we'd have to pay with some very unpleasant consequences due to food intolerances and such in our family. From the list of the safe things they decide on their own and place their own order with the wait staff.

 

[CarrieAg93]

Except for our 2-yr-old, our kids pick what they want and order for themselves.

 

[Laurie919]

We show the kids the items that typically are "clear" for them. We can't let them pick whatever they want because we'd have to pay with some very unpleasant consequences due to food intolerances and such in our family. From the list of the safe things they decide on their own and place their own order with the wait staff.

Do you guys have a lot of food allergies? There is a girl in Taylor's class who has tons. I had never known anyone like that prior to meeting her. She can't eat peanuts they had to use the epi pen on her because a child next to her ate a peanut butter cup.

 

[JulySheMustFly]

Do you guys have a lot of food allergies? There is a girl in Taylor's class who has tons. I had never known anyone like that prior to meeting her. She can't eat peanuts they had to use the epi pen on her because a child next to her ate a peanut butter cup.

I have a daughter with celiacs. She cannot have gluten it will make her ill. It isn't an allergy but an inability to process the proteins in that particular food by the intestine. We've also found that she cannot have dairy which is the same with my oldest child. My oldest does not have an allergy but the behavior side effects when she eats dairy is violent and it just isn't safe or fair to risk those behaviors for the taste of cheese.

We do have some little food allergies like shellfish and an MSG intolerant child as well. Thankfully nothing needs an epi.

 

[GolfingMom]

We give the boys a choice, they order it.

 

[CrystalBrooke]

Emily's only 2 and I give her options like "would you rather have A or B". I think it's good to let them choose what they want.

 

[AJ29]

My 3 year old knows what he likes so we usually give him a choice of a couple of things we know he will like.

We often order a few starters, instead of just one main meal each - that way we get more variety and different things to share.

 

[ShannonMcCatholic]

Going out to eat is a big treat for us....and as such--the kids are allowed to order whatever it is they'd like to have.
We eat very healthy at home--and so one meal of indulgence doesn't bother me at all--and we aren't going anywhere with a real high price point as a family--so I see no reason to set restrictions. They actually all make great choices about what they'd like.

My kids all have to order their own food and drinks- as well as say thank you when their drinks and food shows up. I figure that it's how they'll learn how to have proper manners in a restaurant.

 

[Athene]

Except for my nearly 2 year old, my kids order what they like as long as it's not ridiculously expensive - if they wanted lobster or filet mignon I would say no.

 

[Laurie919]

Except for my nearly 2 year old, my kids order what they like as long as it's not ridiculously expensive - if they wanted lobster or filet mignon I would say no.

That is the two things Taylor will order. At Outback or when we go to a Japanese steakhouse she will order both. Since we only get one meal it usually doesn't bother me.

 

[ShannonMcCatholic]

Heck if we go out and we're splurging- I'm getting me filet mignon and lobster- fo' sure!

We go to places we can afford--and if it's not in the budget for everyone to end up with lobster, etc--then we don't go there. (They wouldn't all order that--but you probably know what I mean.)

Sometimes our trips to a restaurant are a local BBQ place or a little diner- with a little more extra cash on hand maybe Cracker Barrel or Applebee's type places...and only very occasionally we'll go somewhere more expensive like Outback, etc.

Mostly we stay away from chains and eat at local places-but for comparisons sake...

 

[Laurie919]

We don't have a lot of places that have lobster. We have a lot of seafood places but it is more like seafood out of the gulf not lobster. I love lobster. I love crawfish to though and they are usually a lot less expensive. Since it is just the two of us and we share our dinner we usually eat out once a week like this.

Lately though we have been cooking filets at home. That is the most awesome cut of meat. You can put it on the george forman and it still cut with a fork.

 

[NotHardcore]

My kids all have to order their own food and drinks- as well as say thank you when their drinks and food shows up. I figure that it's how they'll learn how to have proper manners in a restaurant.

When I have children, I'm definitely going to make them talk to the waiter/waitress. My mom always gave the waiter/waitress my order because I was a very shy child. Now, I'm actually afraid of waiters and waitresses. I couldn't bring myself to order my own food until I was 18. I still can't look the waiter/waitress in the eye when I order my food. I just stare straight down at the menu and timidly place my order:o .