[Disclaimer: This is a rant about our food system and the lack of information parents and educator's have about what America is feeding our children.]
I find it strange that many restaurants do not offer vegetarian options for kiddos. But what's more frustrating is that some do not even have a vegetable listed on the kids menu for a side dish. And no, I do not consider french fries a vegetable. Some of our local restaurants have not only been a disappointment to our family regarding healthy menu choices, but have made us want to open up our own restaurant just to be able to eat out. Each time I look at a menu with dairy as part of every single appetizer and meat as the main ingredient in every single entree, I can't help but think of the next generation of children and how much of this they are consuming on a daily basis. Parents that think they are doing right by their children and feeding them a mass of essentially "junk" to nourish their bodies, is sad. I wish that everyone would watch Forks Over Knives or Food Matters or Hungry For Change or any number of other documentaries out there that open our eyes to how bad our food system has become.
I find it strange that many restaurants do not offer vegetarian options for kiddos. But what's more frustrating is that some do not even have a vegetable listed on the kids menu for a side dish. And no, I do not consider french fries a vegetable. Some of our local restaurants have not only been a disappointment to our family regarding healthy menu choices, but have made us want to open up our own restaurant just to be able to eat out. Each time I look at a menu with dairy as part of every single appetizer and meat as the main ingredient in every single entree, I can't help but think of the next generation of children and how much of this they are consuming on a daily basis. Parents that think they are doing right by their children and feeding them a mass of essentially "junk" to nourish their bodies, is sad. I wish that everyone would watch Forks Over Knives or Food Matters or Hungry For Change or any number of other documentaries out there that open our eyes to how bad our food system has become.
Even if those non-vegan families that have the notion that meat and dairy should be eaten 4-5 times per day, would lower that number to 2-4 or even 1-2 and increase their families' veggie and fruit portions, it would do a world of good.
Everywhere we go these days, I see more and more people that can hardly get out of their car, as they are snacking on a McDonald's cheeseburger. Or kids walking around with a sippy cup full of mountain dew. Or mom's with shopping carts full of frozen dinners, boxed cereal, boxed snacks and cartons of milk, with no "real food" from the produce aisle, to speak of.
It makes me so sad, to know that we are essentially killing off the next generation of our species one meal at a time. What is even more frustrating is knowing that it does not have to happen. The information is out there to change this. Even my kids have started asking why people eat what they do, and all I can say to them is that some families just don't know any better. But the restaurants that offer food to our families should take the initiative to become informed about what's on their menu, or more importantly what is not.
I feel the same way!! My daughter is only 2 but I have been raising her as a vegetarian. I have been disgusted by the options that are available for kids (and most adults) in almost every single restaurant you go to! I wish there was a good restaurant in the valley that served food that was actually good for you and not the normal fries with fried food fare.
ReplyDeleteSo agree! THe best place we ever went was in New Zealand (pizza bar) that had a "healthy snack platter" for kids. Full of fruits and vegetables and crackers! SO nice. Healthy, balanced, no rubbish in sight. Perhaps we need to request more of restaurants?
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