Time for food services to lift game on kids’ menus

Time for food services to lift game on kids’ menus

The Heart Foundation is calling on New Zealand cafés and restaurants to improve their children’s menus, with recent research highlighting the poor quality of foods being offered.

Dave Monro, Heart Foundation Food and Nutrition Manager, says although most adult (main) menus feature a number of healthy options, children’s menus are all too often coming up short.

“What we’re seeing is a lot of fried foods, high-sugar beverages and very few vegetables being offered to children when they’re dining out with their parents,” he says.

“It’s true that parents and kids often want a treat when they’re eating out as a family, but that doesn’t mean unhealthy items should be dominating children’s menus.”

In September this year, the Heart Foundation assessed the menus of 79 cafés and restaurants (not fast food restaurants) across New Zealand.

The key findings were 49% of children’s menu items came with deep-fried chips, and 32% offered a deep-fried meal as the main item. Only 38% of meal items were listed as coming with vegetables, and 43% of menus offered children’s drinks, with most being mocktails, spiders, soft drinks and juices.

Monro says the findings are highly concerning given about one-third of New Zealand children are overweight or obese.

“Good nutrition, particularly in the early years of life, is fundamental to health. Children who are overweight or obese face a greater risk of developing heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure as they grow older.”

The government recently announced its childhood obesity plan and highlighted the food industry’s important role in helping to tackle the problem.

“All sectors of the food and beverage industry need to play their part,” Monro says.

One business that has already responded to the call is Scenic Hotel Group, which is developing a new children’s menu to be used in its 18 hotels across New Zealand and the Pacific.

“As a group, we are committed to being a leader in responsible tourism,” says Virna Smith, Group Marketing Manager. “Children are our future. Children develop a natural preference for the foods they enjoy so the challenge is to ensure the choices they make at a young age will shape their food preferences into adulthood.”

Monro says a simple way for food services to improve their kids’ menu is to offer smaller portions of healthy adult dishes to children. The Heart Foundation would also like to see more vegetables available in main meals for children, and salad or colourful vegetables on the side of others.

Water and milk remain the healthiest drink options.

Monro says improving children’s menus will also help Kiwi kids develop a taste preference for healthy food.

“By turning the traditional kids menu on its head and offering more healthy choices and less of the deep fried options, chefs and restaurateurs will be investing in their future customers.”

There is evidence that restaurant operators who have focused on developing healthy kids’ meals are reaping the rewards in terms of new business. This is in line with a clear trend identified in the Restaurant Association of New Zealand’s Hospitality Report 2014, that consumers are increasingly seeking healthy food options when dining out. The latest American Express Dining Survey also shows strong public support for eateries to provide more nutritional food to children.

Monro adds that when parents and caregivers see a lack of healthy options for children on the menu, they should be challenging food services to step up their game.

To help chefs improve children’s menus, the Heart Foundation will be providing tools such as recipes, tips and menu guidelines.

ENDS

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