Restaurants Offer Better Menu For Kids

October 11, 2011


Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article. 

1. menu (n.) – a list of available options (usually of dishes or meals in a restaurant)  
Example: The food pictures in the menu look very delicious.

2. restaurateur (n.) – the owner or manager of a restaurant
Example: He could be a restaurateur because he knows a lot of recipes.

3. portion (n.) – an amount of food served to one person   
Example: Eating in smaller portions can reduce the possibility of being overweight.

4. diner (n.) – people who eat in restaurants   
Example: Diners filled the newly opened restaurant.

5. green (adj.) – something that is good for the environment
Example: My nephews ‘green commitment’ is to throw his trash properly.


Article
Read the text below.


Most restaurants in hotels and resorts offer the usual menu for kids, which includes  boring and unhealthy food such as hotdogs, mac and cheese, and fries.

Restaurateur Jonas Werner, owner of Azure Café in Maine, USA has realized the value of allowing children to explore more foods after finding out that even his own kids were bored of what he offered in his restaurant. Hence, he thought of serving half portions of the regular dishes in the menu such as calamari, filet mignon and salmon. To lessen the cost for parents, he also offers them at half the price.
 
Theme parks, which are known to sell mainly unhealthy food, are now offering healthier options for kids. The executive chef of Legoland Florida in Orlando stated that the park now includes salads and fruits in its menu for kids. To make sure they serve the freshest fruits and vegetables, they also created a ‘farm-to-table’ program that supports local farmers.

On the other hand, some hotels and restaurants not only serve healthy food but also teach children to love the environment. In one hotel in California, young diners are asked to write their ‘green commitments’ on the menu. Then, they are given tomato seeds which they can plant at home.

Travelling is all about new experiences and this is the best time to let children try out something new. Kids should be allowed to love new foods even if they have not tasted them before, Werner adds.

In terms of business, Werner knows that what he's doing is good for business. Happy kids mean happy parents, and he hopes theirsatisfaction will keep them coming back for more.



Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

·         What can restaurants do to make their menu more suitable for kids?
·         What kinds of foods do you think can be appealing to kids?

Discussion B

·         Is child obesity a problem in your country? Why do you think so?
·         How can children be encouraged to eat healthy foods?

October 11, 2011