An Extraordinary Kid’s Menu

This past weekend, Liz, Tim, and 9-year-old Simon traveled to Kennebunkport, Maine for a quick getaway. On Saturday, after a morning of bike riding (yes, they rode by George & Barbara Bush’s gargantuan seaside estate) and an afternoon of window shopping, they ate a truly memorable meal at Bandaloop, a restaurant featuring organic and local foods – everything from free-range chickens to field greens. One of the coolest things about Bandaloop was their kid’s menu (which Simon, an adventurous eater, promised to order from after his previous night’s uber-expensive meal of lobster).

Unlike most kid menus devoid of vegetables and loaded with chicken nuggets, hot dogs, and mac & cheese, Bandaloop’s menu was outstanding. Chef W. Scott Lee (who, by the way, has two kids of his own), created a kid’s menu brimming with great nutrition: Homemade-to-order Macaroni and Cheese, a Snack Plate of assorted cheeses, vegetables, fruits, and dip (add tofu or chicken for an extra dollar), Grilled Chicken Plate with broccoli and mashed potatoes, and the Fish of the Day (haddock or salmon) with veggies and rice. Kudos to Chef Lee for essentially serving smaller portions of adult foods (AKA real foods) to kids!

Let us know if you have seen any innovative kid’s menus in your travels.