Healthy children's dishes: Consumer advice centers raise the alarm!

Healthy children's dishes: Consumer advice centers raise the alarm!

More and more parents are wondering how healthy the children's dishes offered in restaurants are really. A current examination of the consumer advice centers illuminates the frequent one -sidedness and unbalancing of the children's menus. Of the 456 analyzed dishes that come from 100 restaurants in Germany, there is a worrying picture: Two thirds of the children's menu offer schnitzel, often only accompanied by fries. This leads to the conclusion that the diversity in children's nutrition leaves a lot to be desired, while healthy alternatives are rare. " op-online " reports that almost 40 percent of the dishes offered are vegetarian, but often only consist of fried side dishes.

Another conspicuous result of the examination is the high popularity of pasta: around 50 percent of the restaurant sources also offer these food for children. Vegetables and whole grains, on the other hand, are rarely part of the menus. In fact, the three -quarters majority of the children's dishes are rated as neutral or unbalanced. Only about a quarter of the dishes receive a positive assessment and includes options such as vegetables or whole grains, which supports the demand for more healthy alternatives. Armin Valet from the Hamburg Consumer Center emphasizes that the range of vegetable options for children urgently needs to be improved.

The dominance of fried

The market check comes across the critical realization that fried classics dominate the menus. There are often breaded schnitzel with fries and mushroom-cream sauce, which, according to the study, received the worst rating. The special service, which nine out of 100 restaurants offer - the "robber plate", an empty plate for children to eat from their parents' plates - is also perceived as a positive solution. The concept enables parents to keep control of their children's diet and increase the likelihood that children will discover new tastes.

While the gastronomy often gives the impression that children are a "necessary evil", it is important to see that visits to restaurant offer a great opportunity to expand the children's taste horizon. Tips from the consumer advice center, which are provided on your website, regulate the choice of the restaurant or the decision of the court by the child himself. This increases the anticipation and promoted self -efficacy. A child -friendly restaurant should also offer a quiet atmosphere, suitable equipment and the opportunity to try out new foods.

tips for visiting the restaurant with children

On the website of Consumer center , practical advice is provided for a stress-free restaurant visit with children. Parents are advised to avoid large portions for children and instead choose nutrient -rich main dishes. It is also recommended to question details about the courts in order to avoid misunderstandings. The choice of drinks should also be considered, whereby child -friendly options such as diluted fruit juices or tap water should be preferred.

Overall, the investigation shows that it is time to take the needs of little guests seriously in the catering trade. After all, a rethinking towards more diversity and healthy alternatives could not only benefit the parents, but also to the children if they can gain new experiences and expand their taste when visiting the restaurant.

For more information and specific tips, parents can visit the website of the consumer advice centers that offer practical advice on how to make the restaurant visit for children more pleasant and healthier.