Eating in a restaurant or cafe

[Smileygirl]

I was just wondering at what age you started taking or plan to take your baby to a cafe or restaurant and to order food off the menu for them? (rather than taking something with you)
I know cafes and restaurants tend to be quite generous with seasoning food so was concerned particularly about the salt content.
Has anyone ordered a meal but asked them not to add salt to the cooking?
I know it's a one off and would probably be okay but I am just conscious that even a ham sandwich exceeds the recommended salt content for a baby under 1 year…
At the moment, I just take something with us, but just wondered when most people stop doing this!

 

[Jojo84]

We order for Luke at our local pub (he's 8 months) but that have a special nemu with pots if mags and carrot sticks and fruit sticks.

 

[Mrbump83]

I've been taking my DD since she was 6 months ( baby led weaning) usually just order her veg and plain chicken, she's milk and soya intolerant so I have to ask about those as well as salt but she's eaten out in loads of places. Maybe twice a week since 6 months and you'll find everywhere are more than happy to accommodate any requests etc x

 

[Mrbump83]

Pizza Hut were the best!! Went for a work meal with all the girls and kids, they had nothing on the menu to suit my DD so the chef made her a special chicken meal and they didn't charge us as an apology for not having suitable food on offer!
I rang their head office and said they should all be made into managers lol x x x

 

[Mummybexee]

I'm abit fussy - still take oscars food with me haha

Apart from when we go for a Carvery - he is half BLW so he has veg and turkey etc

 

[Smileygirl]

I'm abit fussy - still take oscars food with me haha

Apart from when we go for a Carvery - he is half BLW so he has veg and turkey etc

See, I would like to just go and get veg and meat from the carvery but it concerns me how much salt they add to the veg during cooking…

That's great to know how accommodating some places are though

 

[Mummybexee]

Well - alittle bit of salt occasionally won't harm him - they do need salt in their diet

We rarely eat out anyway with him - I end up eating a cold dinner and food gets thrown everywhere - not worth the hasstle haha

 

[Pumpkin9]

We've taken Thomas since he was about 6/8 weeks old. Obv he doesn't eat the food but we've been out 6 times with him in 8 months to all sorts of restaurants and he's been great as have the restaurants. Probably stop taking food when he's around 2

 

[CARNAT22]

James still wouldn't eat a full meal (even kiddie size) now but we've been taking him out to eat ever since I can remember.

He either eats a bit of what I am having, or I order a small something for him (like a starter) or if I am somewhere he won't like anything / it isn't food time then I ask for bread. Bread always works

Nowhere has ever objected to me having my own food or drink for the baby though. I always carry something "foody" and have done since we started weaning.

X

 

[Ella1979]

I've been taking Eleanor out to restaurants since she was around 8 months old. Daniel's first trip was when he was 4 months (but he basically slept in his pram and only needed a milk feed). I started back in April when Eleanor was just over 2 years old, mainly because she's quite particular about what she eats. It was a complete disaster - all I tried to do was to get her to eat pasta in Zizzi. I went back to taking my own stuff until a couple of months ago, when I tried ordering a pizza (in the same place) with peppers and mushrooms. It was brilliant. The first time she just picked the topping off, but today she ate part of the pizza. I always take food with me anyway, just in case.

Daniel is almost a year old and I will continue bringing stuff for him until he's ready for more lumpy food (we're not doing BLW, so we're currently on small lumps, although he eats rusks etc.). I would imagine I'll leave it until he's 2.

To be honest, I imagine either going for a carvery or choosing off a kids menu would be fine (especially if it's something you do only occasionally). I've definitely been happier leaving it as long as possible as it's not much of a hassle to take food for them.

 

[JD.Deedee]

Some places offer baby food, some have jars some have mini meals. It's always worth a look trying to find out by looking at the (kids) menu before going somewhere x

 

[MrsT2011]

We took B from 6 months (blw) but he would just have food of our plate. Probably around 18 months he started having kiddies meals x

 

[iWitch]

Once my LO will eat a child size portion properly. We've only just started with not mushing/blending food & his portion sizes are decent but still not one of a full size meal. Until that point I will take my own or jars with me & he can have bits & pieces of mine.

As already said, the odd bit of salt won't hurt as long as it's not a regular thing

 

[Mrs M]

Before 1, maybe around 10 months we started ordering a meal. Before that I would just offer him a few bits off our plate so he'd suck on some cucumber or carrot or something!

 

[J_Anne]

We've been taking our daughter for as long as I remember, I think it's important for her to learn how to behave in different situations. Depending where we go, I will take bits for her (she's nearly 20 months and was BLW) but mainly only as a back up. I want her to try and enjoy as many foods as possible. My LO eats so little, she'd have to be eating pure salt to reach her limit!

I used to be really paranoid about salt but I've relaxed a lot more now, probably since she turned 1, one meal every so often which has salt added is not going to kill them. So long as their main diet is varied and healthy, I don't see a problem.

 

[Jajis]

I breastfed my son at my table in the middle of a crowded Ask restaurant when he was about six months old

I carried on taking our own food with us until he was probably about 18 months, just because I knew exactly what was in it etc. and because often by the time we got to the restaurant he'd be hungry, so didn't want him to have to wait while we ordered and food was cooked etc.

After that I started ordering food if the places had a kids menu, mostly just the pasta and tomato sauce meals as I knew he would eat it. These days he varies between pasta and sauce or sausages and mash. It happens so infrequently that I don't worry about it all that much.

It's always been fine except once at Bella Italia - ordered pasta with tomato sauce (said it was tomatoes, basil and mozzarella) from the kids menu. Was all fine until a couple of mouthfuls in when he started to cry and point to his mouth and say 'hot, hot' so gave him a drink. Tasted a bit of it myself and it very clearly had bloody chilli in it They refused to believe me and wouldn't taste it themselves, but did eventually agree not to charge us for it. Definitely won't be going there again!

 

[Becky1]

I've taken my lo to restaurants since he was a month old - he usually either slept or was clamped to my boob! Once he was weaning I took food and it's only since he turned 1 I've ordered him food or if there's limited menu he shares mine. x