Real Life Solutions: Eating Out with Kids
We are proud to have Dr. Linda Mintle in ParentLife each month answering questions submitted from readers. To submit a question for Dr. Mintle, e-mail it to parentlife@lifeway.com and include "? for Dr. Mintle" on the subject line. This month we have an extra Q&A from Dr. Mintle we wanted to share.
Q: Some days we are so busy, we need to eat out. We want to teach our children healthy eating habits, but it seems like the kids’ menus are not helping. We know many restaurants are adding healthy selections, but there are still a lot of fried foods with little nutrition. How can we encourage healthy eating in restaurants?
A: More restaurants are offering better choices for children because of the obesity epidemic. But for those menus that still challenge your sensibilities, try these suggestions from my book Raising Healthy Kids in an Unhealthy World.
- Ask the waiter to bring water right away and skip the sugar drinks.
- Tell the waiter to skip the crackers and bread — too many calories before the meal even begins. Occupy children with games instead.
- Order a salad or vegetable instead of fries—ask for substitutions if necessary.
- Check out appetizers or split meals from the adult menu if the child options are unhealthy.
- Encourage your child to stop eating when full and wrap up the rest for a snack later.
- On sandwiches, try mustard, vegetables, or salsa instead of mayo.
- Go to the salad bar and choose low-fat dressings, fruit, and vegetables.
- Order fresh fruit for dessert.
And always remember that you model healthy eating by your choices!
How do you make good choices when eating out?
