If you consider yourself the slightest bit of a gourmet, epicurean, gastronome, or gourmand (please don't use foodie- I hate foodie) and you're a parent, you know how under the best of circumstances and no matter how sophisticated you think your kids' palates are- it is often difficult to get them to make the food choices you'd like them to make. I'm not even talking about sea food or brussel sprouts- just something that's not fried for crissakes! During a vacation- it could be a nightmare.
We just returned from a short vacation to Williamsburg Va. It was a terrific time! I won't get into the tourist aspect of the trip- as fun and educational as it was. I want to talk about the food finding component of the trip- which could be any trip for that matter. Not to focus too negatively on it- but traveling with kids is problematic enough when it comes to feeding time. It starts with the snacks for the car (ahem!) mini-van ride down, which will almost always end with empty bags of pretzels, goldfish crackers, and Starburst wrappers all over the floor, as the neglected- yet well intentioned - bag of granola and several bruised pieces of fruit remain untouched in the cooler. Then comes lunch and/or dinner. The process is usually the same for each. Here's the scenario: " Hi! Welcome to Chez Cabana, how many in your party today....? Oh, I see you have some little people- I guess you'd like some kids' menus...." And before you have a chance to politely decline-WHAMO! Two sets of crayons, Wikki Stix (don't ask) and place mats emblazoned with word search puzzles are placed on your table and all of a sudden the kids have their hearts set on chicken tenders, fingers, strips or whatever the !@#$ part of the chicken they're offering and french fries. Now it's awfully easy to be a pushover on vacation- an extra soda here, an ice cream cone there... after all we're on vacation- lighten up- geez! The last thing you need is some "help" feeding YOUR kids.
This trip we took a stand - though it did take a couple of days. Our last evening out, we dined at the wonderful Blue Talon Bistro, where the perky well intentioned recent high school graduate hostess offered us the children's menu and we simply said "not tonight, thank you." It was that easy. Truth be told we glanced over the menu the night before while strolling through town and had a little idea of what we might get away with ordering for the kids. But to our surprise they decided on their own what they wanted- and it wasn't chicken!!! They agreed (a shock in itself!) to share an entree of traditional macaroni and cheese with a side of local farm fresh, sauteed vegetables and shaved Smithfield ham (a little too smoky for their liking) and a side of pomme frites. We knew there'd be no getting away from fries- and they were delicious! They had shared an adult entree- for not much more money than two kids menu choices- and they LOVED it! And with this new found independence they were curious to taste what Kathleen and I were eating- and they LOVED it!
Now- I don't think for a minute they'll never again eat a meal out of a wax paper lined basket- but I'll say this- the "kids' menu" is a thing of the past. There is no reason whatsoever to have some stranger (no matter how well intentioned) offer YOUR kid an opportunity to dis-engage themselves from a family meal in order to find the word smorgasbord in the word search puzzle. Hint: It's always in the lower right hand corner diagonally in reverse.
It takes time and patience- but do all you can to offer your kids real choices. We all fall victim to the notion that the kids menu offers more, when actually it offers so much less - less variety, less nutrition, less engagement, less humanity.
This concludes today's parenting rant.
This concludes today's parenting rant.
note: the BLUE TALON BISTRO is a very traditional bistro with a slant towards comfort food. The atmosphere is colorful and convivial. The homemade charcuterie is fantastic! The wine list is direct but thoughtful. It was definitely our best meal out in a while.
