If I were an agitator

I would agitate for better options on kids menus. On the occasions when we take long road trips or go out to restaurants, I am gobsmacked by the options available for children.

Generally it is along the lines of "deep fried unidentified meat stuff with chips" - the only variety being the "meat stuff". Occasionally they throw in "hot dogs" or spaghetti (ah, but no-one makes spaghetti like your mother!)

As parents, we have forced down our throats the obese children debate and offering healthy options for our children.

As someone who has been on a committee for tuckshops and after school care facilities, we have to comply with healthy choices to even get accreditation for licensing.

Yet out there in the "real world" it seems that the easy, cheap deep-fried option is the only one available to give your children.

I have taught my child to eat vegetables - at some junctures it is a struggle but she is a healthy 7 year old who loves her fruit and nowadays almost willingly eats the healthy options in front of her.

She has developed a fairly healthy aversion to plastic cheese, batter and overly oily or fatty options - thanks in part to the genetics (my hand up there) but also because it was not offered to readily or too often.

Her desire for a lot of the offerings by the fast food giants is generally limited to the advertising of fancy extras but is unfussed by the food. There have been moments where that option has been exercised, but generally we bypass the opportunity for them to profit too freely from us.

There are moments (such as long distance drives) when ffgs or roadside servos are the only food options. Although the M option does now offer a lower fat choice, the packaged tomato taste and the overly sugared drink has been found wanting - my child wants taste and freshness.

One trip I had to stop at dinnertime at a servo, and the prices were up there with fine dining for adult fare - with half price offerings for the children's menu of the usual variety. Even when I begged for half the chips to be removed in return for some salad it was apparently impossible - I would have to pay the full adult fare for salad or vegetables to be included.

So if I were an agitator, this is one of the changes I would agitate for... What would your soapbox be?

(This post was partly inspired by Mom-101: My Daughter the Communist - a mother (or rather, daughter) who has trouble with the catering offered at playdates...)