Originally posted on http://totsfamily.com/enjoy-eating-out-with-kids/
Before we have kids, most of us love eating out and never thought about how we would enjoy eating out with kid.
If you love food, you’ll have enjoyed visiting different restaurants and eateries, sampling different meals and ingredients, and experimenting with food.
Your holidays and trips probably focused heavily on trying local cuisine, and most of your social events might have featured a meal.
Even if you aren’t a foodie and have quite basic tastes, you might still have enjoyed going out for a meal with friends or your partner.
Socializing, having fun and avoiding having to cook and clean for yourself.
It’s relaxing, enjoyable, fun and one of the best ways to enjoy time with the people that we love.
But, for many of us when we had children, eating out stopped.
Or at least became more of a rarity.
Something that we looked forward to being able to do when we had a babysitter.
Because eating out with young children is stressful.
Taking them to a nice restaurant is something to avoid.
They’ll be loud, they’ll make a mess and distract other people, and they won’t eat the food that’s cost you a fortune.
It’s just not worth it.
But it can be.
Eating out with your children can be incredible.
It’s still fun, it’s a way to introduce them to new foods and different social situations, it’s a great way to spend time together as a family, and it doesn’t have to be stressful.
Let’s take a look at some tips to ensure you are enjoying eating out with kids.
Choose the Right Restaurant
If you want to try fine dining with your kids, of course, you can.
But it might be something that you want to build up to or wait until they are a little older to do.
While they are young, try to stick to family-friendly restaurants and relaxed cafes.
Look for places with kids menus, that are quite laid back.
Perhaps where music is playing, and no one will notice a little noise.
You’ll be more comfortable in these places as you won’t worry as much about making a scene and your kids will be able to relax.
Fortunately, it’s much easier to find the right place now that you can do some research online before heading out to eat.
Look at Restaurant Menus online to help you to find the perfect place for your family dinner.
Pack Supplies
Many family-friendly restaurants will have child-sized cutlery, plates, and safe beakers.
But not all of them, and most no longer stock straws.
If your child has specific needs or prefers to use their own things, there is nothing wrong with taking them with you.
It can help them to feel settled and keep them safe.
Just remember to take a bag or something else to wrap them in when they are dirty, and you need to take them home.
Think About Entertainment
Sitting, waiting for a meal, enjoying a drink, and chatting with your companion might be fun for you but try to understand that it might not be for your kids.
You might want to pack some coloring crayons and books, or even tablets and toys to keep them busy if you’d rather not, remember that they’ll need plenty of attention to keep them happy.