An Open Letter to South African Restaurants. From our kids.
There’s a big problem going on in South Africa (and in many other countries, I’m sure). Children are not being offered enough healthy meal options. What happens in your home and how you educate your children on health and nutrition is your business and your responsibility. Sure we have lazy ‘help yourself’ nights where our boys have cereal for dinner, and the odd treat is fine. We’re not perfect, but hey – we’re balanced.
Now we’ve been to a lot of restaurants, especially in Cape Town and Johannesburg. Really, we’ve maybe been to over a hundred different restaurants in the past few years and a few dozen hotels and B n B’s. Out of all these restaurants we’ve noticed maybe ten percent that offer nutritious and healthy meal options for kids. I don’t understand it and over the past year it’s really, really getting to me. When I open a kids menu and all it has is Mac n Cheese, Toasted Cheese, Chicken Nuggets, Viennas & Tomato Sauce or Fish Fingers… I get annoyed. Don’t get me started on deep fried smiley face chips – what is even IN there? The immediate impression that I get of these restaurants is:
They don’t care about kids / my kids
They’re lazy
They have no imagination
They’re cheap – these are all cheap foods
That the chef spends all their time and creativity on the adult menu, but when they get to the kids it’s like “Oh they’re just kids. Give them deep friend chicken nuggets, nobody cares!”
But I care. Spur I’m so sorry to use you as an example here, but you’re my boys’ FAVOURITE restaurant. When the waitress arrives with the colourful, happy kids menu and crayons – my kids associate that with FUN. The play area, the face painters, the jumping castle – the whole experience for them in FUN. Is this really fun though? Is it good for them? The Nutritional Information on this is heartbreaking.
Really, I am not here to label or pick on you specifically. I LOVE Spur and have fallen asleep on your comfortable benches since I was a little girl. You get it SO right on everything else, but you need to look at this. Not only you, but almost every restaurant and food chain in South Africa needs to look at this. I won’t even start on McDonalds – but even they offer that you can switch your kid’s chips for a yoghurt and a fizzy juice for a fruit juice – a treat with a little less guilt. Here’s more:
So I am urging South African restaurants, hotels, coffee shops – anyone that offers a Kids Menu: PLEASE put more love and consideration in to what you’re offering our children to eat. Those smiley faces and fun tomato dippy sauces are sending all the wrong messages. It’s wrong. While more and more children enjoy vegetarian food – please offer something other than Macaroni and Cheese or Cheese Pizza. Some meal suggestions include – Butternut Lasagne, Veggie Bake, Chicken Mayo Wraps stuffed with Salad, Cottage Pie, Tomato Soup with Wholewheat Bread, Butternut, Avo and Feta Pizzas on Wholewheat base, Grilled Chicken Burgers with Sweet Potato Wedges, Wraps with Cous Cous, Cinnamon and Butternut – put some raisins in! Really – kids will eat these. Kids will ENJOY these. Michael Griffiths says on Twitter: “Butternut and Spinach are not the only vegetable options available to you!” I couldn’t agree more. There are a lot of restaurants that get it right, but there are too many that are still failing here.
As parents all over South Africa, we demand that our children have good, nutritious meal options at restaurants. We want our kids to be considered, we want you to care about their menu as much as you do ours. Most parents suggest smaller portion options on the adult menu. THis is a great idea too! You’re teaching our kids that fun, jumping castles, face painters and balloons are associated with this kind of food and it’s not. It’s not okay.
If any SA restaurants are offering innovative, creative, healthy and delicious meals on your Kids Menu then I want to hear from you. If you’re looking to change your current menu – I’m happy to promote, no – applaud you for it right here. Parents – how do you feel?
May 18, 2014 @ 10:17:08
I am pretty passionate about this topic. Sheesh, I want to smack the parents upside the head when I see their toddler with a big ol’ glass of Sprite or Coke. This is nothing short of extreme neglect and though somewhat emotive, I would call it abuse. Some reading: http://www.jamieoliver.com/us/foundation/jamies-food-revolution/home So ja, good post.
May 18, 2014 @ 13:59:04
The boys won’t even drink coke etc – they say it burns! Then again, as parents we drink fruit juice – so they don’t see us doing it!
May 18, 2014 @ 10:42:32
Yes! FINALLY someone said it! As a pre-school teacher I see the direct effects of this! I don’t know how many times my students have said they went to Spur or another food chain restaurant the day before, and had a meal like you mentioned. I see the tired faces and the low-energy levels that are a direct result of their previous meals. I could not agree more with you and if there is any way I can support your campaign or anything, please shout.
Really, it is such a small and easy change that restaurants can make that really make a huge difference in the well-being of the children!
Chelsea x
May 18, 2014 @ 13:57:55
Thanks so much Chelsea, I’ll definitely let you know!
May 19, 2014 @ 16:54:00
Very passionate about this topic myself, not just for children, but also for adults.
Our whole society is being sucked in by money-making, profit hungry, mass-produced food companies that at the end of the day don’t care.
Have done research on youth for years, and become increasingly passionate about this topic.
Let me know if you are keen to chat.
May 18, 2014 @ 12:07:50
Amen Amen Amen! I’m half way through a blog post about kids lunch box foods, and this ties in so well with that! Enough crap! Just like I tell my clients – if you eat like crap you’ll feel like crap, the same applies to our kids.
Zoe is ADHD and super sensitive to sugar. She never gets coke, and fizzie’s like fanta or sprite are for special occasions like parties or Christmas. She, at almost 10, is learning about what foods make her body feel good, and what makes her feel “funny”.
I’ll send you the link to that blog post when it’s up – I’ve found some great lunch box ideas and healthier alternatives of the treats our kids all love.
Thanks for speaking up, I’m convinced you will get loads of parents applauding you for speaking their minds too.
May 18, 2014 @ 13:57:28
Can’t wait to read your post. The support has been HUGE on Twitter. We all feel the same on this, for sure!
May 18, 2014 @ 12:09:49
I totally agree with you. Let us know where we can support you.
May 18, 2014 @ 13:56:56
Hopefully restaurants start paying attention!
May 18, 2014 @ 13:07:20
I totally agree. We are not dining out for this exact reason. The last time we did go out it was to spur. About six months ago. I cannot begin to explain how gross the spaghetti meatballs were. (And for a moment I thought it was the healthiest option on the menu) I could not stand the smell not even mentioning the lack of nutritional value. I have not yet come accross a reastaurant serving healty meals for children.
But then again. Nowadays even the ordinary menu is packed with disgusting ingredients. Best to cook yourself. Atleast then you know what you are eating.
May 18, 2014 @ 13:56:34
We love dining out and experimenting with food. Some of these restaurants offer GOURMET food for adults, but fish fingers for kids. How does this work?
May 18, 2014 @ 14:42:51
We go to restaurants all the time with our toddler and never have this issue. Spur is not known for healthy food and neither are any of the other franchises in South Africa! If you want to teach your kids about healthy food, take them to proper restaurants with proper food. I have never seen one healthy item on Spurs menu that i classify healthy on the adults menu.
May 18, 2014 @ 16:12:06
The only franchise that really gets it right is Ocean Basket. Really – their kids menu is incredible!
May 18, 2014 @ 15:15:19
I totally agree with you. My daughter is allergic to Gluten….. Try and find something on the kiddies menu that doesn’t contain Gluten…. Impossible.
May 18, 2014 @ 16:11:33
Oh my gosh that IS a task. More and more kids have this allergy, my brother had it too!
May 18, 2014 @ 15:28:19
Yes, yes, yes! I couldn’t agree more with you. I’m so passionate about this that amongst a HOST of things, I make my own tomato sauce for my son on hotdog day for his hotdog (I also pack a vegetarian hotdog for him on whole wheat breadroll and don’t approve of the high salt regualr hotdog in white breadroll that they get at school). I get so incredibly irritated when I see what places that are centred around children have to offer on their menus! What is that about?! I don’t ever intend to take him to Spur, McDonalds, etc. Ever. Unless they repent and do right by our kids.
May 18, 2014 @ 16:10:55
What? How do you make tomato sauce? I need to look in to this. Our son Noah is vegetarian, so I use Frys. Is there a better option?
May 18, 2014 @ 15:45:36
Since becoming a mom I have been educating myself about food etc and I want my little girl to learn from tiny.as we didn’t get much “food education” when I was a child. Where do people think all our cancers and illnesses are suddenly sprouting up like veld fires. I’m convinced its from poor nutritios or lack thereof choices. We try eat organic. We try NO GMO food. We are trying…love what u r doing!!!!!!!!!!
May 18, 2014 @ 16:10:14
It really is so scary when you start reading the food labels. I wish I knew more about GMO food – I need to do some research!
May 18, 2014 @ 20:28:09
As a scientist, I just want to say some things about GMO foods, because there is a lot of fear and misunderstanding about this subject which is actually more harmful than not. Knowledge is power, right? Fear is not a very useful emotion.
I do not work with GMOs myself nor do I work for any company that makes them, I am in no way biased towards them. I just studied them at uni and understanding them means I have no fear of them.
GMO foods contain a tiny piece of extra DNA compared to normal. Your digestive system breaks down all DNA into its small A, T, G and C parts in your stomach and intestines. So “genes” never reach your system. They are broken down into the 4 building blocks your body uses to make it’s own DNA. So when you eat a GMO tomato your body will break down all the DNA in the tomato and no gene, inserted or otherwise, will affect you.
Also the inserted gene in the tomato will produce a gene product – gen products are always a protein, usually one enzyme. Your body will digest this protein as it digests all proteins – break them down into amino acids before they reach your circulation system. So again the product should in no way affect you.
It is absolutely fine for us, the minority, living in first world conditions, we who can actually choose what we eat, to boycott GMO foods because these problems will never affect us. We can choose organic, non-GMO whatever we want to eat. But in the majority of the world people cannot really choose what to eat, and so it would be very rash to write them off and boycott GMOs altogether.
I guess my final message is I do not necessarily blindly support all GMO crops that are made, and it is by no means a cut and dried subject, but in some cases it is really necessary as we cannot proved enough food for the world any more. I always support questioning as to whether each individual gene insertion is actually beneficial and in some cases it is not. However, the thing we should fear least is the risk to ourselves, as that is usually minimal.
Sorry for the long rant, but there is a lot of misinformation and panic out there, and there is no need!
May 18, 2014 @ 20:33:48
Hi Carly,
I’ve shortened your comment a bit, because I’d like to contact you and do a separate post on this. Very interesting!!! Will be in touch, thanks so much for sharing your knowledge!
May 20, 2014 @ 19:00:03
THANK YOU for that!
I know it’s off topic but sensible comments about GMOs are so rare, I have to just applaud them.
I am a scientist too and I have worked on many GMOs, including grapevine. It’s not evil. It’s not unhealthy. It isn’t harmful. Quite the opposite actually. It’s just science. (Natasha, you can contact me any time if you’d like to know more on the topic)
Back to this post topic, great post Natasha. Let’s see if restaurants (especially franchises) take any notice.
May 18, 2014 @ 16:19:37
Fame at last, getting a mention in a Raising Men post.
I have a 4 year old boy and a 2 year old daughter and finding a place for them to eat good quality or even healthy food is always a challenge. We tend to just go to the places with the best jungle gyms or play areas and the kids either don’t eat or share something from our plate. I wish that they would just put down a fruit bowl instead of a bread basket when we sit down – minimal effort for them, but would make a world of difference to my kids, who devour mountains of fruit a day.
I don’t know why restaurants don’t try harder. Do they not realise that by catering properly for kids they would probably see us 2-3 times a week, not only for an occasional “date night”?
It is also not difficult to make eating healthy fun. My kids like imagining they are dinosaurs eating “baby trees” (broccoli), and take great pleasure eating “granny grapes” (raisins). Of course they aren’t normal kids, my son’s breakfast of choice is All Bran and my daughter could not possibly face the day without her muesli and yogurt.
I think you need to start a kid-food revolution. If Jamie can do it for schools, I am sure you can do it for pre-schoolers. Looks like you have a lot of support and I am willing to fly the flag in Joburg is needed.
May 18, 2014 @ 16:37:26
My boys are the same! Noah is 5 and Benjamin is 3 and they love Bran Flakes and Weet-Bix. They eat yoghurt, fruit and wholewheat sandwiches all day and also don’t shy away from veggies. Mostly I think it’s because they see US do it too. My son never used to drink water, but now that I’ve started drinking more of it, he does too.
I always say no to the bread – it would be so great if it was a big bowl of fruit, such a great idea. I really hope that restaurants will read this and start looking at their menu from a parent’s perspective!
May 18, 2014 @ 16:30:03
Well said Tash – it’s even worse in small towns and communities where finding a good restaurant is virtually impossible as is – a place like Spur for example would do good to offer some more nutritious alternatives.
May 18, 2014 @ 16:38:20
Hey Andrea – I really hope that some changes will happen eventually. I’d love to see some wholesome kids food on the menu. The options are there for adults – why were the kids left out?
May 18, 2014 @ 17:10:31
I can relate to this with my little one who is 6. We at Spur almost every weekend and we jus know what she is going to eat. Such boring unhealthy food. And we jus go there because she loves Spur and the play area.
May 18, 2014 @ 18:36:19
The play areas, child minders, wall climbing and face painting really does entertain them! It is a shame.
May 18, 2014 @ 17:37:39
Sorry Spur and Wimpy can not be classified as restaurants take them to a decent place and they will get decent food. Examples in JHB Melissa’s, So Yum, Vovo Telo, Craft parkhurst to name a few.
May 18, 2014 @ 18:35:18
I loved Spur growing up and the kids love it too. They really get everything ELSE right. A family restaurant should have healthy food for the whole family. Vovo Telo and Melissa’s are great examples of getting it right – definitely!
May 19, 2014 @ 00:41:17
Awesome Tash!! Couldn’t agree more, even going one step further…as a Diabetic the sugar content in what we think is healthy food is surprising let alone the content in unhealthy food. Hence the rise in Type 2 Diabetics because of lifestyle choices, aka the easy options when it comes to cooking. Let me know if you get any restaurant response, would be interesting.
May 19, 2014 @ 06:24:38
Love this. My son isn’t a goid eater so finding foods that he’ll eat is a constant battle especially in restaurants.
May 19, 2014 @ 07:00:05
Good Day Natasha
Thank you very much for the positive comments about Spur. We have in the past introduced healthy eating alternatives for kids such as hot vegetables, fresh vegetables and healthy bespoke juices. We further experimented with one or two food items, but parents have not taken the opportunity to encourage their kids for a healthy eating alternative.
I found your article very interesting and I can assure you that the topic will be discussed again around the time that our new menu is introduced in the year in order to try and facilitate healthy eating options for our younger generation.
May 19, 2014 @ 07:18:34
Hi Pierre,
Thanks so much for contributing and responding to this post.
Parents have become more educated about food, nutrition and the health benefits of a balanced meal for our children. When revising your menu, I would suggest that you incorporate what we do at home – “If it’s not there, you can’t eat it!” Associating FUN and FAMILY with a plate of deep fried viennas is sending all the wrong messages to our kids.
Thanks again for reading the post and responding. Please keep in touch on the menu changes, I’d love to promote it!
May 19, 2014 @ 07:17:27
Oh crikey, I could not agree with you more!
May 19, 2014 @ 07:18:25
I agree that all parents should be concerned as to what their children eat, however the parents make the choice of where to dine.
Coming from a small town, I am always proud to say that there is no franchise available. Kiddies play areas are not plastic, they are good old jungle gyms and swings. Children will entertain themselves whether they have access to the plastic cubicles or not.
Restaurants here offer the toasted sarmies and chips, as well as pork sausages sided with tomato and cucumber etc, homemade fish cakes and beef patties, on the children’s menu, options for differing requirements.
Coming from the restaurant industry I know that it is easy to focus on the little ones, but if you want us to try a little harder, parents should too in their decision of where to eat out.
May 19, 2014 @ 07:29:05
Hi Megan,
We dine all over the show, but the boys always request Spur as they love the ambiance, activities and friendliness of the staff. I think there are a few franchises getting it very right (Ocean Basket is one) At the end of the day, Spur IS a family restaurant and cater for children in every way except the food. I’d love to see a change happen here, if only for the benefit of SA kids in general.
May 19, 2014 @ 07:44:15
Great post and very well said. To me it goes even further with Spur – their adult food is terrible. Everything has basting on. Their veggies are laden with sugar and fat. So yes, we also go there because the kids love it but I would eat maybe a burger at most. Preferably breakfast which is the fry up everyone makes.
We used to order the mixed veggies for the kids at Spur but that disappeared from the menu
What we have found is that smaller non chain places have better options for kids. One of the places close to us make homemade fish cakes and meatballs with a kid friendly tomato salsa and sticks of cucumber and carrots with baby tomatoes
May 19, 2014 @ 07:47:16
I don’t mind their adult food – They have “Slimmers” and “Healthy Heart” options for the adults. I usually have the Grilled Chicken Breast with vegetables or a side salad, and their vegetarian wraps are delicious!
May 19, 2014 @ 07:48:58
well done ! what can be done! I’m inn!
May 19, 2014 @ 07:51:46
Good morning
This is a topic close to my heart as I have two kids under 13. We don’t often go to restaurants as it’s not very healthy, and I must admit, when we do I prefer one without the games as I’d prefer to have my kids at the table with me – the life of a working mother!
However, I think getting a kiddies menu right would have to be a joint effort between parents and the restaurants. If the unhealthy options are there, how would children be willing to choose the healthier ones that do not seem as exciting as the ones they’re not getting at home?
My children love veggies with cottage cheese dips, cucumbers, tomatoes, fruit, home baked pizza, home baked bread, vegetable soups and fruit parfaits, but given the choice between that and chips, the chips will win with a landslide.
The one option is to not have unhealthy options available – then what about all the parents who believe in giving those meals to their kids and the restaurants’ bottom line – or to go into a collaborative educational campaign between parents and restaurants.
What about a type of competition where children can write down what their favourite foods are. See whether there is any common healthy thread.
If not, start an educational campaign where children are invited to restaurant parties where only healthy foods are on the menu. These are sold at cost only and see what kids make of it.
I’ll have to get back to work, but can think of many other ideas of what could be done.
So excited as we need to do something.
Aletta
May 19, 2014 @ 08:01:33
Wow, great suggestions Aletta! Really love some of those ideas and of course you are right that parents and kids need to work together too! I’m sure that Spur and many other restaurants will be monitoring the feedback and taking all of this in to consideration. Thanks so much for getting involved!
May 19, 2014 @ 10:16:47
I’ve been on a huge learning curve about food choices and lifestyle. It’s a slow process but we’ve started making our own tomato sauce, mayo and even breads, etc. We’re moving over to a totally non-processed lifestyle and this means no more eating out for us. You know what, I think it’s awesome! The key factor with the kids menu is to attract the parents, it has zero to do with making the kids happy. The parents pay after all, so slap some junk on the menu and give some cool entertainment and you got yourselves loyal fans. It’s sad really, but its reality…kudos to you for highlighting this problem!
May 19, 2014 @ 11:36:34
Sugar is one of the biggest problems facing the human race today. So even substituting coke for fruit juice (which isn’t freshly squeezed and is packed with artifical sweetener) is a terrible idea.
I think it needs a more radical outlook than what has been suggested above.
Have a look at the fed up movie trailer on YouTube.
May 22, 2014 @ 18:24:23
Jarryd, I just watched that trailer you recommended and my whole body got the chills! Is that movie set to be released on the South African circuit at any stage?
May 19, 2014 @ 13:12:21
Shoo a lot of comments. My favourite kiddies menu is from LUST bakery and Deli. On the surface it looks like a usual kids menu but everything is made from scratch and with the same care and attention as the adult food.
Give me a shout and I can send you the menu
May 19, 2014 @ 13:34:08
As the parent, going out for a meal happens on my terms. Just the same as the food in our home is my choice. I’m paying, and driving, so the decision as to where we go is ultimately mine. And I don’t generally choose Spur. Or McDonalds. Or any of the other franchises that offer a limited menu of unhealthy choices. My daughter’s first choice, every time, is Primi. Yes, they have macaroni cheese on the menu- they make pasta and pizza so it’s a natural choice. But there are also wholesome healthier choices like like chicken and veggies, bolognaise, basil pesto pasta. Not that she is limited to the children’s menu. Often she will opt for a salad from the adult menu and I will either ask for a smaller portion or share with her.
There are lots of places offering good quality choices for your children. You just have to venture off the franchise field and discover them. The best way to ‘vote’ for better choices for children is by choosing to put your hard earned rands into establishments that care enough cater properly for your children.
May 19, 2014 @ 18:03:31
I was training to be a waitress at one of the Spur branches and in order to do so, you need to spend 3 days in the kitchen. I was so shocked when I saw them putting the Vienna’s in the deep fat frier…to get them to curl and be fun for the kids. basically everything is deep fat fried at sput except the grilled meat. Scary and very bad. Best option is to make yummy and fun goodies for your kids at home. The instant you initiate a fast food place, the addiction starts. This is partly why I blame the parents too. Restaurants like spur won’t change their menu drastically for the kids because it is more work and not practical for production if not a lot will be eaten. Kids go to Spur for a certain food that they like… junk food!
May 19, 2014 @ 18:11:51
My boys are all grown-up now, but I totally understand. We didn’t eat out very often, so the bad food choices were just an occasional annoyance. When my youngest discovered lasagna, the problem was solved
I have a website aimed at parents with young kids, and I’d be happy to give some free adspace to restaurants that actively promote healthy kids meals. Spread the word
May 20, 2014 @ 05:44:09
At last!!!! Thank you for this article and bringing this into the light. I so agree that kids need to. 1. Be taught about healthy options. 2. Have the healthy options available when they go out and shown that it can still be tasty and fun. 3. Educated about the high sugar content and bad behaviour and feeling bad …. the list is endless.. and next? We need to tackle the school tuckshops!! High sugar, sodas, refined foods (white bread & pies) and very little, if any fresh fruit available. What about making fresh juices? Fruit sosaties? Avo, salad sandwiches? Brown rice salad options? We are a SAD society, filled with diabesity, brain fog, unhealthy, aggressive, lethargic young people who slouch and are totally inactive. What will it take for schools, restaurants and public in general, to take control of our health?
May 20, 2014 @ 07:34:01
Meh.. so don’t go there
If it’s a once in a flood visit not that big a problem..
May 20, 2014 @ 08:45:23
As a soon to be dad and a recent convert to the natural way (Mary-Ann Shearer) I could not agree with you more. There is not much more I can add to this topic, other than suggest: Decadent restaurant in Potchefstroom (http://decadent-potchefstroom.wozaonline.co.za/). First of all they have one of the most fun menu’s for adults, with interesting and delicious food on offer, furthermore the owner is a parent himself so their kids menu is pretty decent, with healthier options available.
May 20, 2014 @ 09:32:27
What an awesome and brave post. U have hit the nail on the head. Sadly I fwel mist restaurants focus on adult food and the kiddie menu is an after thought. Surely they should realise that kids often determine where lunch/dinner is had and therefore should target them. What about good old fashioned meals like cottage pie, sausage&mash, meatballs&spaghetti, homemade burgers and more recently as u mentioned butternut lasagna? It kills me so see what is on offer. And also the amt of carbs that each meal comes laden with. Alot of which is deep fried.
Children eat what u teach them to eat. Our girls happily eat brussel sprouts, pesto, beans, caulimash. Basically whatever we give them – but it tastes good. It doesn’t all taste of oil and greasy cheese and basting sauce.
I look forward to seeing the outcome of this.
May 20, 2014 @ 10:57:13
LOVE that someone is saying this! We don’t do much in the way of eating out, not a whole lot of kid-friendly restaurants here, particularly for dinner. But ja, finding something my kids will actually want to eat off menus full of processed carbs and ‘meat’ products on those rare occasions we do get out – not easy. There are some places getting it right though – I take my kids down to an indoor play centre (Play Days in Pietermaritzburg) about every six weeks, and while they do have a lot of the usual hot-dogs and nuggets junk, they also offer an amazing snack-box deal for kids – your choice of four munchies from a huge list including different fruits and veges, yoghurts, cheeses, crackers, sandwiches, muffins etc. So easy to put together a healthy, yummy, lunch. And surely not a difficult menu item to add (take note, big chain restaurants!) The owner is a mom herself, and has obviously used her mom-brain when devising their menu.
May 20, 2014 @ 17:58:43
Hi Natasha,
Thank you for raising this issue, I’m sure it’s been on all parents minds at some point.
We have a little person in the house that is on medication to manage his attention deficit. Once diagnosed the whole family moved to a diet of mostly whole foods and junk was banned. However the reigns are less tight on those who aren’t medicated. I’m hoping that our kids and the future generations of South Africa will move towards not consuming anything that is mass produced because that’s where the junk gets added and that this post will highlight and institute a revolution in the Food Industry in South Africa.
My daughter was raised on Vienna’s because it was all she would eat and it’s what she ate at Spur… Yes, ignorant mother (that’s me)Thank goodness she’s a pretty healthy girl now, aside from her Asthma which I’m convinced is a sugar issue. Pink slime (Vienna’s and Polony) freaks me out and it’s in most creche and aftercare menu’s. I wish the government would ban it.
May 20, 2014 @ 18:07:06
I just read an article about changing the way you show your children you love them. Why would you give them sweets and ice cream if it is going to harm them? The occasional unhealthy choice won’t cause too much damage. Teach them to read the labels and identify ingredients which shouldn’t be in the food they eat. Cook with them and when you treat them make it non food related. Teach them to eat to live and not to live to eat
May 21, 2014 @ 03:04:46
In 2011, I was chosen as a Jamie Oliver food revolution ambassador. I heard you on 702 and sent in an sms regarding how sad it is to see this!! It’s really sad!! A minute later I Gary a call back asking to be on air to talk about Food Revolution. Food education is so important! Its hard to believe that restaurants have not got further kids choices!! You can visit my blog for the recipe I mentioned on 702. rebeccabourhill.wordpress.com
The Food Diaries – You Wouldn’t Let Your Child Smoke A Cigarette Occasionally? | The Blessed Barrenness
May 21, 2014 @ 08:27:12
[…] I read Natasha’s blog post – An Open Letter To South African Restaurants From Kids and I whole heartedly agreed with Natasha. I saw some tweets which were obviously in response to […]
May 21, 2014 @ 15:31:56
We love Spur and recently I have been ordering the hot veg for Nicky the butternut and spinach. But he is still so little (nearly 2), I guess I haven’t properly looked at kids menus yet. At the Wimpy there is egg and toast for breakfast so that’s ok I guess and I love the free toy – Mr Men – we get the book and read it together – educational!