Real food for kids

EATING OUT is normally a rewarding and enjoyable experience

EATING OUT is normally a rewarding and enjoyable experience. Fifty per cent of parents find it so because they take their children to meals in restaurants once a month. But there are concerns about special children’s menus because of the amount of sugar, fat and salt involved and 98 per cent of parents would like to see child-sized portions of adult meals being provided as healthier options. An initiative by the Restaurants Association of Ireland and the Nutrition and Health Foundation has been designed to encourage such a development.

Six hundred members of the restaurants association will be asked to place a “Kids Size Me” symbol on their menus during coming weeks to indicate that child-sized portions of the adult meals are available. Details of participating establishments will be published at www.wheretoeat.ie. This will not transform lives. It is just another small step in counteracting the rapidly rising level of obesity. Because of that, the initiative should be encouraged and supported. Two-thirds of Irish people are either overweight or obese because of poor diet and a lack of exercise. Children are very much at risk. One in 10 children between the ages of five and 12 are already obese. Overweight children and some of their parents require help and encouragement if they are to avoid the long-term consequences of obesity that may involve heart disease, diabetes, cancer and dementia.

Children are great mimics. There are few things they like so much as playing at being grown up. That is why this initiative could have an important impact on long-term eating habits. Providing children with scaled-down versions of adult meals will encourage them to eat a wider and healthier range of foods, while appropriate pricing can persuade their parents to provide restaurants with repeat business. It offers a win-win situation.

Giving people what they want at affordable prices amounts to good business. A survey of family restaurant-goers showed that three-quarters of the children chose their own meals. And more than half ate meat and pasta dishes from the adult menu. Encouraging such grown-up behaviour through the promotion of child-sized portions will not, in itself, prevent weight gain. But, combined with other changes – like offering water and milk rather than sugary drinks with the meal – it could make a difference. This is all about encouraging children to avoid the ubiquitous chicken nuggets and chips in favour of the healthier and fresh taste of good quality food.