Rethinking the Kids' Meal

Anthony Medina loves the spaghetti with meatballs at 3 Squares Restaurant.

It’s probably true that most kids, when dining out in a restaurant, will go with the burger, the chicken fingers and the plain macaroni and cheese. Stephanie Shimp, partner at 3 Squares, sees this frequently in her restaurant. However, it’s also true that the more a kid is exposed to new foods, the more inclined they are to try them and like them, so maybe after you’ve offered broccoli or seared fish or sweet potato for the tenth time (yes, it’s likely to take that many attempts, so don’t be disheartened after 2-3 rejections) you might actually find success. If you like dining out, and you’d like to prod your kids to be just a little bit more adventurous, we’ve found several encouraging options in a setting that’s still casual but not necessarily fast food, to stretch the boundaries of their taste buds.

Spaghetti with Meatballs

3 Squares

At 3 Squares, they take what partner Stephanie Shimp refers to as a “two-pronged approach” to kid food. They have the basic chicken finger style kids’ fare, but they also have an impressive variety of dishes for kids who have graduated to more sophisticated tastes, including a couple of dishes that meet the criteria for the National Restaurant Association’s “Kids Live Well” program on calorie count and healthy eating. The spaghetti with meatballs is one such dish, using a sauce made with San Marzano tomatoes, homemade meatballs, basil, and grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese ($7.45). The grilled chicken, an alternative to fried chicken fingers, also qualifies, served with a small green salad and carrot sticks with ranch dressing. Other dishes, though perhaps a bit less healthy, are still a refreshing change of pace, like fish and chips, or steak and pierogis ($5.45), with a mini portion of cheddar and potato pierogis topped with crispy onion strings. Kids’ meals include a drink like skim milk, soda or juice, carrots and ranch dressing, and a side of applesauce or grilled corn. Also a hit with junior diners are the breakfast dishes like waffles, French toast and pancakes, which are served all day. 12690 Arbor Lakes Pkwy.; 763.425.3330

Pesto Cavatappi

Noodles & Co.

There are over 14 vegetables on the menu at Noodles & Co., from cabbage and sprouts to red bell pepper and broccoli, so if you’re looking to expose your child to a new vegetable here and there, here’s the opportunity. It might start with simply adding a vegetable like broccoli to the macaroni and cheese or tossing some spinach in with the spaghetti and meatballs. In a dish like the Japanese pan noodles, if mushrooms are a no-go, you can have them replaced with carrots. The pesto cavatappi, with its curlicue noodles, pesto, mushrooms and tomatoes, has also gone over well with the younger clientele because of the fun-shaped noodle, says communications manager Mandy Melby. The casual noodle company is always open to making substitutions or customizing the dish in any way little Johnny sees fit, in fact, if you try something new and he has an all-out meltdown, they’ll even make him something else, no questions asked. Vegetables can also be ordered on the side, for those kids that like to keep things separate on the plate, and proteins like chicken or shrimp can be added to any noodle dish. All noodle dishes come in a small or regular size, with the small size starting at $4.25. 7840 Main St.; 763.416.1404

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