Whether you're creating your weekly family menu or designing a menu for a restaurant, you need to consider what kids are going to eat. Healthy foods for a kids' menu include many of the same foods adults should eat, but prepared in fun ways. In addition, kids' menus can feature a fun name for the menu item to engage the kids.
Types
Healthy foods that appear on kids' menus should include healthy, whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables as well as lean protein options. While many kids' menus include deep-fried items, these items often contain too much fat and salt to be healthy for kids. In addition, avoid items that contain large amounts of fat, such as macaroni and cheese or menu options that have little nutritional balance, such as white pasta with butter.
Considerations
When evaluating healthy foods to include on kids' menus, don't neglect drinks. Soda pop, juice drinks and sports drinks contain too much sugar and salt to help children grow. Soda pop has been linked to bone loss, according to Kyla Boyse, R.N., of the University of Michigan Health System, and should not be served to growing children as it replaces a calcium-rich option in many cases and may interfere with calcium absorption. Instead, offer low-fat milk or 100 percent juice drinks to ensure that kids are getting the most nutritious option.
Misconceptions
Designing a kids' menu doesn't mean listing options that keep kids quiet. A growing number of parents evaluate dinner offerings for their kids and base their buying choice on the restaurant that offers the healthiest option. A July 2008 survey published by "Parents" magazine evaluated more than 50 of the top U.S. restaurant chains to help guide parents when eating out. The survey found that fried foods are still available in abundance, but over 40 percent of all restaurants surveyed offer a salad or fruit to help kids garner the most nutrition from their meal.
Effects
By offering healthy foods to kids, you not only please kids, you please parents. You can select intriguing names and offer kids some new choices as well, helping create a loyal customer or simply introducing a new food to a child. For example, the top restaurant noted by the "Parents" magazine survey found that a wood-grilled fish choice was the top pick by most kids, beating even the more traditional kids' choices on the menu.
Prevention/Solution
Ask for details about options that appear healthy on the kids' menu. Smoothies, for example, may seem healthy if they're made the way you make them at home with yogurt and fresh fruit. However, at a restaurant, they may include sweetened syrups, whipped cream and artificial flavors or ingredients that you'd rather your child avoid. If you can't find healthy options, ask for no salt on your kids' fries, dressing on the side or grilled rather than fried fish or chicken.
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