Kids' Cuisine

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Here in the USA, we seem to have a distinct category of kid food. Menus will often have a kids' menu with smaller portions and 'kid-friendly' food options--things like breaded chicken or fish nuggets, mac & cheese, hot dogs, peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, etc. For babies, there's baby food in little jars. Now that I've got a kid on the way, I keep wondering what they do in other countries--I hear that baby food is not quite as widespread (my mom never bought any, she just mashed up food for me). So does anybody know what babies in, say, India, eat? Do they get tiny curries or is the food they prefer similarly processed and blandified?

― teeny (teeny), Monday, 19 September 2005 16:07 (twenty years ago)

i know a lot of adults who still have a 9 year old's taste in food - basically anyone who loves to go to applebees for the chicken fingers

― Homosexual II (Homosexual II), Monday, 19 September 2005 16:21 (twenty years ago)

i can understand special baby food, if for no other reason than babies have no teeth and also might be more sensitive to food allergies, but the idea of "kid" food doesn't make sense to me. all it seems to do is teach children to want bland, fatty, salty food and to abhor vegetables.

― lauren (laurenp), Monday, 19 September 2005 16:27 (twenty years ago)

anyway, in my experience children in europe (aside from the uk) are fed on smaller portions of whatever adults have.

― lauren (laurenp), Monday, 19 September 2005 16:29 (twenty years ago)

lauren OTM

for many american children, vegetables = mcdonald's french fries

― elmo (allocryptic), Monday, 19 September 2005 16:30 (twenty years ago)

I was just reading (where O where?) that in Mexican/Latin American communities where chili peppers are added liberally to adult servings, the children's servings contain only a minimum of seasoning. Kids generally don't like hot foods until age 6 (or something), whereupon they start gathering from adult habits that peppers must be good because everyone else likes them! So little by little starting in mid-childhood kids begin to try peppers, eventually coming up with adult eating habits. Wish lima beans had been administered this way in my childhood kitchen.

― Laurel (Laurel), Monday, 19 September 2005 16:36 (twenty years ago)

yeah I grew up near the mexican border (although I didn't move there until I was 7) and have always loved spicy foods but I never paid attention to how parents introduced it to young kids.

― teeny (teeny), Monday, 19 September 2005 16:39 (twenty years ago)

Have a suspicion that the awfulness of "kids' menus" stems from two issues. For the first, serving foods kids can eat relatively neatly with hands/uncomplicated utensils (ie no long ropes of pasta or things which can't be trapped on spoons), which is probably a fair demand for young children if their parents expect to have any semblance of grown-up dinner conversation.

The second, and uglier, cause I can think of is the fact that Americans as a culture don't demand/prioritize fresh, creative food or great eating experiences. Generally we see great eating as a luxury, something enjoyed on occasion or by the privileged, so by that logic great food is "wasted" on children who don't know any better. This is a terrible conclusion on many levels but there you have it: feed 'em something familiar they can, and will, eat quietly in public. No challenge for the kids' palates, minimum of extra work for the kitchen, parents feel like they're saving money compared to an adult entree -- nothing like appealing to the worst in everyone!

― Laurel (Laurel), Monday, 19 September 2005 16:48 (twenty years ago)

I have an adult friend who only eats kids food.

She doesn't like chocolate crossaints because they look weird and the word crossaint implies it may have ingrediants in it she won't recognize.

― Google Proof'd, Monday, 19 September 2005 16:49 (twenty years ago)

http://home.earthlink.net/~r3dzone/kc.gif

― the son of dean cameron (dr g), Monday, 19 September 2005 16:55 (twenty years ago)

I read once that toddlers' taste buds take a while to develop, and that they don't taste flavors as intensely as adults. I was looking into this after an incident in a restaurant with our daughter — it was a country-style place where they brought out a pan of cornbread and dishes of collard greens, cole slaw and pickled onions to go with the entrees. The kiddo didn't care for most of it, but she liked the first pickled onion she tried. We laughed at the notion of a baby eating pickled onions, the server was amused, people at the next table were laughing, and she liked the attention so much that she kept eating them. Eventually she had eaten the whole bowl of onions.

I tell you, that was a diaper-full for the ages the next day.

Of course, six months later she wouldn't eat a pickled onion to save her life.

― Rock Hardy (Rock Hardy), Monday, 19 September 2005 17:01 (twenty years ago)

It's true. my little brother ate all the jalapenos off of nachos until he was about 4, when suddenly they became hot.

― Paunchy Stratego (kenan), Monday, 19 September 2005 17:03 (twenty years ago)

Wow. He never noticed the next day that he was shitting fire?

― Rock Hardy (Rock Hardy), Monday, 19 September 2005 17:08 (twenty years ago)

Why don't some little kids like to eat? I swear to god, some of my little cousins have a royal fit when it's time to eat. They refuse to. There's one little girl in particular -- her mother told me she has never ever heard her utter the words "I'm hungry." wtf?

― Je4nn3 ƒur¥ (Je4nne Fury), Monday, 19 September 2005 17:22 (twenty years ago)

Body image issues.

― Jordan (Jordan), Monday, 19 September 2005 17:23 (twenty years ago)

My first guess is that the child fills up on soft drinks, but it's a knee-jerk reaction. 12 oz. of liquid is a fairly large volume of liquid for a child-size gullet.

― Rock Hardy (Rock Hardy), Monday, 19 September 2005 17:25 (twenty years ago)

Just don't give them Lunchables!! Deadly, deadly saturated fats levels.

― andy --, Monday, 19 September 2005 17:25 (twenty years ago)

I loved pickled onions when I was a toddler too. Then again, I still like them now.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Monday, 19 September 2005 17:25 (twenty years ago)

I shudder to think how sad my childhood would have been without macaroni and cheese.

― Paunchy Stratego (kenan), Monday, 19 September 2005 17:33 (twenty years ago)

I never ate macaroni and cheese til my twenties

― Old School (sexyDancer), Monday, 19 September 2005 17:36 (twenty years ago)

I loved pickled beets as a child. With macaroni & cheese.

― jocelyn (Jocelyn), Monday, 19 September 2005 17:38 (twenty years ago)

You gotta get the fake stuff, too. The orange powder. I didn't have homemade mac and cheese until my 20's.

― Paunchy Stratego (kenan), Monday, 19 September 2005 17:42 (twenty years ago)

Urgh, can't stomach the fake stuff. Only had homemade mac until college and was so grossed out by it even then. And I ate a lot of bad stuff in college, but no Kr@ft.

― Laurel (Laurel), Monday, 19 September 2005 17:47 (twenty years ago)

mmmm now Im hungry for mac & cheese - kenan's right, the kraft orange powder kind is the BEST - or even better, generic orange powdery kind!

― Homosexual II (Homosexual II), Monday, 19 September 2005 17:52 (twenty years ago)

all i ate as a kid was mac & cheese, pb & j, huge glasses of milk, cheetos, hamburgers, hot dogs, and grilled cheese

no wonder i turned into a fatty

― Homosexual II (Homosexual II), Monday, 19 September 2005 17:53 (twenty years ago)

Did anyone go through a change in taste buds at puberty? I used to love/hate certain foods and it all changed when I did. I loved pate or liver sausage until I was about 12, then one day I asked for it as a snack and could not stand it - I accused my mum of giving me something rotten by mistake. Never again after that would I (or now even) eat it. At the same time I took a fancy to beets (fresh steamed and pickled) when I before hated them!

― Wiggy (Wiggy), Monday, 19 September 2005 17:55 (twenty years ago)

I'm eating pickled beets right now! My fingertips are stained! Hooray!

― PINKIE ƒur¥ (Je4nne Fury), Monday, 19 September 2005 17:57 (twenty years ago)

I'll eat damn near anything now, but my tastes in spicy food/veggies/fish/etc. were pretty bland up until, like, halfway through college!

― Jordan (Jordan), Monday, 19 September 2005 17:58 (twenty years ago)

Growing up on Kraft mac and cheese ruined homemade for me. I can never get the finished product to have just the right consistency.

I still carry a tendency from childhood to avoid certain textures - I don't like creamy foods (most sauces, salad dressing), beans and that sort of stuff.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Monday, 19 September 2005 17:58 (twenty years ago)

I used to like one of my dad's favorite lunches — cheese, crackers and smoked oysters — when I was little. Now the thought of smoked oysters is kinda gross. (I bought a can of them recently to see if I'd like them, but haven't worked up my nerve yet.)

― Rock Hardy (Rock Hardy), Monday, 19 September 2005 18:00 (twenty years ago)

OTM -- Kraft mac and cheese is perfect every time. And as orange as a gotdamn cheetoh! It's brilliant!

― Paunchy Stratego (kenan), Monday, 19 September 2005 18:00 (twenty years ago)

It's my daughter's favorite comfort food, with or without sliced hot dogs in it.

― Rock Hardy (Rock Hardy), Monday, 19 September 2005 18:01 (twenty years ago)

Man, I gotta get to the grocery store today. And maybe while I'm there I'll pick up a coupla cans of Chef Boy-Ar-Dee ravioli. It's so good/horrifying.

― Paunchy Stratego (kenan), Monday, 19 September 2005 18:02 (twenty years ago)

Heh... SpaghettiOs were my downfall.

― Rock Hardy (Rock Hardy), Monday, 19 September 2005 18:05 (twenty years ago)

I loved spicy foods after age four. Jalapenos were very hot for me at that age but I still downed them no matter how much I cried, and then I became accustomed and eventually doused Tabasco on everything and gorged myself on bayou cuisine. My favourite meals were always spicy hot.

― Ian Riese-Moraine: Let this bastard out, and you'll get whiplash! (Eastern Mantr, Monday, 19 September 2005 18:11 (twenty years ago)

all i ate as a child was grapes, raisins and yoghurt.

― you better believe it (you better believe it), Monday, 19 September 2005 18:16 (twenty years ago)

the orange kraft cheese is actually not terribly bad for you. it's the half gallon of margarine (or butter) they want you to use that is.

i love the stuff.

I never had a problem eating adult food as a kid. I grew up in a kosher house though, and let me tell you, there is nothing i wanted more than a mcdonalds happy meal.

― AaronK (AaronK), Monday, 19 September 2005 18:20 (twenty years ago)

kraft mac and cheese always seemed a bit watery to me. velveeta shells and cheese is the way to go, every time.

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Monday, 19 September 2005 22:35 (twenty years ago)

what do oysters taste like, anyway? as far as i know i've never had one.

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Monday, 19 September 2005 22:37 (twenty years ago)

If I were Indian and had a toddler, I would feed her/him cauliflower and potatoes.

― youn, Monday, 19 September 2005 22:44 (twenty years ago)

If I were Indian and had a toddler, I would name it Chief Shitting Pants.

― PappaWheelie B.C., Monday, 19 September 2005 22:57 (twenty years ago)

Once when I was about 5 or 6 I had to go to a work function of my fathers with my family. My Dad's boss was italian, and the food was all nice and yummy. Apparently I repeatedly went back to the massive bowl of big black olives and completely gorged myself.

It is alleged I had diahorrea like a big black oil slick for days.

― Bombed Out and Depleted / Kate (papa november), Monday, 19 September 2005 22:58 (twenty years ago)

kraft mac and cheese always seemed a bit watery to me

add less milk

― oops (Oops), Monday, 19 September 2005 22:59 (twenty years ago)

But isn't baby food all mushy carrots and peas and bananas and applesauce anyway?

― youn, Monday, 19 September 2005 23:02 (twenty years ago)

Kidsbeer

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Tuesday, 20 September 2005 00:17 (twenty years ago)

OMG. "Even kids cannot stand life unless they have a drink," reads the product's advertising slogan.

― Rock Hardy (Rock Hardy), Tuesday, 20 September 2005 00:19 (twenty years ago)

My favorite food growing up was tacos. Some kind of bagged taco mix in ground beef, baked Old El Paso taco shells, Pace Picante sauce, sour cream, cheese, and fresh lettuce and tomatoes. Mmmm. Every once in awhile, I'll go buy the ingredients and have it for dinner. It's never as good as I remember it, but it's still a treat.

― recovering optimist (Royal Bed Bouncer), Tuesday, 20 September 2005 14:33 (twenty years ago)

Teeny, I researched a bit when expecting my first and found that most cultures feed infants starchy porridges and mashed bland fruits and veg, then gradually move toddlers to less-spicy adult foods (though not specially produced kid's versions, just the not-as-spicy selections from the regular food repetoire).

― Jaq (Jaq), Tuesday, 20 September 2005 14:42 (twenty years ago)

To answer the orig question: kid's menus of the type described are not at all uncommon in Norway.

― OleM (OleM), Tuesday, 20 September 2005 14:54 (twenty years ago)

As regards the state of UK kids food: Jamie Oilver to thread!

― Chewshabadoo (Chewshabadoo), Tuesday, 20 September 2005 15:04 (twenty years ago)

but what's on a norwegian kid's menu? I must know!

― teeny (teeny), Tuesday, 20 September 2005 15:05 (twenty years ago)

Here's the Epcot/Disney take on a Norwegian kid's menu: http://allearsnet.com/menu/menu_nork.htm

lefse and lingonberries

― Jaq (Jaq), Tuesday, 20 September 2005 15:37 (twenty years ago)

What, no lutefisk? NORWEGIAN SMOOTHIES?

Clearly I grew up in an isolated corner of Europe as my mom would never feed us anything but smaller portions of 'adult' food. Kiddie menus of my childhood were all hotdog/hamburger/fried chicken/spaghettiandmeatballs etc. but that was always mitigated by the soup/salad offering.

― suzy (suzy), Tuesday, 20 September 2005 16:42 (twenty years ago)

what do oysters taste like, anyway? as far as i know i've never had one.

They don't really have a taste to me, just a texture -- but usually they tend to go with something that makes them flavorful and easier to down.

― Ian Riese-Moraine: Let this bastard out, and you'll get whiplash! (Eastern Mantr, Tuesday, 20 September 2005 17:01 (twenty years ago)

Even as a child, I was repulsed by the choices of bologna & cheese, hotdogs, and Chef Boyardee that my friends often made. To me the texture of these foods was very off-putting, and the lack of flavor. I liked Chinese food a lot, and pizza, and fish sticks and we always had salad and veg. (Even though we didn't have much money.) To this day I'm still particular about texure and won't eat slimy deli meat, or hot dogs, or bad noodles.

― jocelyn (Jocelyn), Tuesday, 20 September 2005 17:06 (twenty years ago)

Our house was a Chef-boy-ar-Dee-free zone by edict of parent. Next door's kids were allowed to eat all that shit, not us. However my mom fell hard for Kraft macaroni and cheese meals which are much better with butter and whole milk than any other combo.

Our hotdogs were proper from the deli ones, but we didn't eat them always, just in summers. Due to an interest in Chinese stuff I was always after the food, especially if it was chicken or shrimp. We were encouraged to try to grow food in the garden, and my first 'birthday dinner' was at a posh Japanese restaurant when I was seven.

― suzy (suzy), Tuesday, 20 September 2005 17:51 (twenty years ago)

As a kid I hated french fries, chocolate and cake. I don't know why that was, only that it meant I was a strange kid. I also disliked pudding, milk and orange juice (from a carton). I rarely if ever ate candy/sugar up until they discovered I had low sugar level. So low that I vomited and became ill. Then I had to drink coke with added sugar! I was an even stranger kid. :-)

I'm intrigued by kid's food now as well. My husband tells me his dad would make fruit mash (?) for him when he was a kid. Thank god there are machines for that now. Not too expensive.

Still haven't tried mac 'n' cheese.

― nathalie, a bum like you (stevie nixed), Tuesday, 20 September 2005 18:05 (twenty years ago)

I think another big factor in the kids' menu is price, usually kids entrees are half the cost of the grown-up food.

I feed my baby from baby food jars, and I feel pretty comfortable with it.

― mcd (mcd), Tuesday, 20 September 2005 18:44 (twenty years ago)

three weeks pass...

http://www.cnn.com/2005/HEALTH/parenting/10/10/baby.food.myths.ap/index.html

― teeny (teeny), Tuesday, 11 October 2005 18:39 (twenty years ago)

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