Thanks for the great suggestions! Eating out is hit and miss with our 18 month old but we find we have the most success when we try to get to the restaurant during a non-peak time. Having lunch at 11:45 instead of 12:30 means no waiting for a table or food and a lot less other patrons that he wants to go and meet 😉
Elizabeth PantleyAugust 21, 2013
A really great idea! It’s also smart since servers won’t be super-busy and rushed so they may be more patient with your little chatterbox!
NicokeAugust 21, 2013
We have a fussy eater, so while we will battle a little over foods at home, if we go out we’ll order her nuggets and chips because we know she’ll eat it without a big fight/scene, and we don’t often go out so one “bad” meal now and then isn’t going to ruin her health in the long run
We’re also lucky in that when family is organizing lunch or dinner out for any occasion they will ask us what suits for sleep/bed times so we don’t have to keep either of the kids awake and get there with then grumpy and overtired, instead we can leave when they’re getting tired and transfer them into their beds when we get home
Elizabeth PantleyAugust 21, 2013
How wonderful that your family puts your children into the planning! Of course, one ‘bad’ meal once in a while isn’t going to hurt your kids 🙂
As our firstborn (turning 3 next week) gets older, we’re actually finding it harder to eat out, and now we just had our second. Thanks for the suggestion to have longer sit-down meals at home. I think that one will help us most!
Elizabeth PantleyAugust 22, 2013
You are most welcome! Don’t forget to check in here to let us know how it is going for you! And congratulations on the newest addition to your family.
KatieAugust 22, 2013
These are great suggestions for eating out! We have found that “restaurant skills” are important skills to acquire. I have a bag I keep in my car for such outings. It is full of crayons, stickers, disposable place mats, and bibs…everything you need to make eating out with little ones a success.
Elizabeth PantleyAugust 22, 2013
What a wonderful idea – to have an activity bag for eating out! If you keep it in the car and refill as needed it will be a lifesaver many times over.
VidhyaAugust 22, 2013
I often ask my son what he would like to eat when outside and ask him to order his own menu so that he gets excited. Once in a while getting them to do their things on their own gives them a more satisfied feeling.
Elizabeth PantleyAugust 22, 2013
Well done! Having your child order their own meal is great for helping instill independence and makes eating out something to look forward to.
LeeAnnSeptember 10, 2014
These are excellent and very practical tips! Thank you! We haven’t attempted to eat out much with our little guy, but this post helps give me courage to try! 🙂
Thanks for the great suggestions! Eating out is hit and miss with our 18 month old but we find we have the most success when we try to get to the restaurant during a non-peak time. Having lunch at 11:45 instead of 12:30 means no waiting for a table or food and a lot less other patrons that he wants to go and meet 😉
A really great idea! It’s also smart since servers won’t be super-busy and rushed so they may be more patient with your little chatterbox!
We have a fussy eater, so while we will battle a little over foods at home, if we go out we’ll order her nuggets and chips because we know she’ll eat it without a big fight/scene, and we don’t often go out so one “bad” meal now and then isn’t going to ruin her health in the long run
We’re also lucky in that when family is organizing lunch or dinner out for any occasion they will ask us what suits for sleep/bed times so we don’t have to keep either of the kids awake and get there with then grumpy and overtired, instead we can leave when they’re getting tired and transfer them into their beds when we get home
How wonderful that your family puts your children into the planning! Of course, one ‘bad’ meal once in a while isn’t going to hurt your kids 🙂
As our firstborn (turning 3 next week) gets older, we’re actually finding it harder to eat out, and now we just had our second. Thanks for the suggestion to have longer sit-down meals at home. I think that one will help us most!
You are most welcome! Don’t forget to check in here to let us know how it is going for you! And congratulations on the newest addition to your family.
These are great suggestions for eating out! We have found that “restaurant skills” are important skills to acquire. I have a bag I keep in my car for such outings. It is full of crayons, stickers, disposable place mats, and bibs…everything you need to make eating out with little ones a success.
What a wonderful idea – to have an activity bag for eating out! If you keep it in the car and refill as needed it will be a lifesaver many times over.
I often ask my son what he would like to eat when outside and ask him to order his own menu so that he gets excited. Once in a while getting them to do their things on their own gives them a more satisfied feeling.
Well done! Having your child order their own meal is great for helping instill independence and makes eating out something to look forward to.
These are excellent and very practical tips! Thank you! We haven’t attempted to eat out much with our little guy, but this post helps give me courage to try! 🙂
Have fun with it LeeAnn! 🙂