Food • Page 1019

I'm gonna have to disagree with this pretty hard.

Like there's nothing wrong with kids eating chicken fingers if they want but, like, I grew up in Asia and when we first moved there I was a brat and would only eat American food. You should expose your kids to different cultures and cuisines. Kids think things are gross because they aren't educated on other cultures and cuisines. And I think that's largely due to the fact that we act like kids are idiots. Like just be real with your kid. Don't feed them something different than what you are eating because you think they should only eat mac'n'cheese and shit until they reach a certain age.

 

No one is disputing that kids menus generally suck. Chefs aren't denying that. I'm sure they don't want to serve that food. But it makes them money as most Americans have bad taste and so do their kids. To act like it's the fault of good restaurants which offer a small kids menu is a crock of shit.

Ugh. Bull? lol. "I did some research and it turns out my gut instinct was wrong, but no they're the ones who are wrong."

He should be trying to educate parents, not critiquing restaurants. Order food for the kids off the regular menu or ask for a smaller portion. The good food is already there. The kids menu is specifically designed for kids with bad taste (thanks to their parents) to order from so that the parents can enjoy the food they want to. If parents and kids stopped ordering these undesirable menu items, then restaurants would stop stocking those items and discontinue that portion of the menu. It's very fucking simple and this guy completely misses the point.

 

He literally says that in the article...

 

Yes, that was part of my point, perhaps I didn't clarify enough, but he completely contradicted himself within a few paragraphs. And then still concludes by critiquing chefs for selling what people want.

 

I don't know that it's a contradiction. I think both have a role to play, but I agree with you that the onus should be on the parents. Chefs and restaurant owners have to make a living at the end of the day.

 

I agree and I wish that chefs could have more impact, but I fear that's basically impossible. From restaurants I've cooked in, people tend to want what they want and if you don't offer it, people will eat elsewhere. That includes the same basic foods they serve to their kids at home. I think we need to have a bigger discussion about what we serve in America in general. I think you could also make the argument that kids lunches at schools also play a big part in their desire to only eat chicken nuggets, pizza, and similarly unhealthy items (but I haven't been a kid in almost 20 years so what the hell do I know)

 

This is a huge problem. Working in public schools some of these kids don't get solid meals at home so their only real meal is at lunch and with funding issues they are served unhealthy shit. It's really depressing.

 

I've also read that when healthier food is served, it more often than not is thrown out. Hard to break those habits. I'm not sure what the answer here is.

 

are these all just the same flavor with different band labels?

I didn't know what EVOO stood for until this last year, either.

 

is this because schools are forcing kids to take the healthy food when they know they won't eat it, though?

 

We had great food but it was expensive as fuck just like everything in that god forsaken school.

 

The issue is pretty nuanced. I'm gonna make some generalities here so I just wanna clarify that I'm not speaking for every experience.

I teach in primarily low socioeconomic neighborhoods. Food culture is different. It's about sustenance and affordability not necessarily nutrition. Most of these kids parents aren't thinking about ensuring that there kid has fresh fruit and vegetables and balanced portions, they are focused on making sure the kid has something to eat at all. Also, fresh fruits and vegetables are expensive. A box of pasta isn't. I know that you can figure this shit out but often my kids' families don't have time to bother with that. Oftentimes my kids parents aren't even home to make dinner because economic circumstances force them to work late or work two, three jobs. That means that many times my high school students are cooking for themselves and often their siblings as well. This means easy to prepare stuff, microwaved stuff. The kids don't learn healthy eating habits because there aren't models for it.

It's also businesses, like you don't find a lot of Panera's around my neck of the woods. Fast food is cheap. And on the occasions that these kids get to eat out McDonald's seems like a treat. Like if I couldn't afford to eat out and had to choose between like a salad or a cheeseburger I'm choosing the cheeseburger. So they don't learn sustainable eating habits and schools take such a hit with their food budget that they can't be concerned about changing eating culture in the schools and taking chances, they are just worried about the kids eating anything and if they know that kids will generally eat french fries then fuck it, better than nothing.

 

Was given a George Foreman grill recently and it's been kinda fun playing around with it.

Sandwiches and quesadillas are where it really shines, but cooking meat/veggies is pretty solid too.

I'm looking for some more creative ideas for what to put on it though if anyone has suggestions. I've heard you can put cookie dough on it and bake cookies. Gonna try that later tonight probably.

 

There should be a lot more money for those produce oasis trucks. I think that's what they're called but they're mobile and move to lots of low income areas all over. It's cheap bc they get money from the govt. but it's not enough. They need to put more money towards that than the bullshit they do but that's our govt.

I LOVE MINE. I kinda wish it were bigger but since I'm cooking for one it suits me. I legit use it for most things I cook.

 

we had over 6 boxes of salad bowls that were going to expire tomorrow so we put them in the break room for free.

I was stoked that I got some and now have lunch for tomorrow.

 

I've never heard of that before but I love that idea. People don't realize the role that food plays in development for children. Like in poverty stricken areas we are just creating cyclical health issues.

 

I was a low income latchkey kid so we ate a lot of tv dinners, microwavable corndogs, Kraft mac n cheese, etc. It is a hard habit to break. I eat fresh or frozen veggies now but there's still the odd nostalgic times I crave canned green beans lol.

Kids menus often have more vegetarian options tho. Like when i was at a certain restaurant I could get only unhealthy meatless options. While the kids one had a reasonable portion, healthier meatless options, and for way cheaper than the gross food I didn't want. Or like at the movies (I know this is a different scenario) i could get a kids pack that had some popcorn, fruit snacks, and a drink all in an actual reasonable size for the amount it cost to get like one adult soda. I assume kids meals have meatless options cause they think kids are too picky or meat is more expensive idk. I was at a restaurant recently where I had like 2 gross meatless options and I ended up eating my nephews mac n cheese which was actually delicious and tasted homemade lol. But they didn't offer an adult version and I was like wtf?

 

I got a pretty big one, which is nice, but I wish the grill plates were removable for cleaning like some other models. It's still pretty easy and seems like it will cook most things decently. Do you have any favorite go-to recipes?

 

Michael Scott's foot

 

ketchup sucks

 

As a parent with a child that doesn't eat anything but junk, I'm with Ian

 

like father like son

 

maybe you should feed your child some good food for a change? dammit colby, we do not need another butter chugger in this world! give him some damn carrots or some radishes.