How to Eat Out With a Toddler

If your family is now forced to eat at home, because your toddler is out of control at restaurants, you're not alone. Many parents give up the luxury of eating out at restaurants once their child demonstrates a dislike for the activity. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to improve the chances of having an enjoyable meal at a restaurant.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Review appropriate restaurant behavior with your toddler regularly through fun play activities. Allow your toddler to be the waiter or waitress. Make up a menu for your toddler to use while ordering food. Role play several interactions.
2. Select a kid-friendly restaurant that has a children's menu with toddler food, high chairs or booster seats, diaper changing facilities and crayons with coloring pages.
3. Check out the menu online before going to the restaurant. This enables you to select what you want to eat without being distracted by your child. It also shortens the amount of time lapsing before you get your food.
4. Arrive at the restaurant 30 minutes before your child's normal meal time. This prevents your child from becoming too hungry before the meal arrives.
5. Use a high chair when available. Squirmy toddlers are much safer in a high chair with straps than a booster seat.
6. Bring a drink in a spill-proof cup and toddler food, such as cereal or other finger food snacks. This keeps your toddler busy until the food arrives and is backup in case your toddler does not like what you ordered.
7. Break up the meal with frequent walks. Take your toddler to the restroom after ordering, walk around the restaurant looking at the pictures and decorations or take a short walk outside.

Tips & Warnings

• Toddlers sometimes behave better at familiar restaurants.
• Ask for a larger table if one is available. Toddlers love to grab for things on the table; therefore, it will be easier if you can keep things away from their busy hands.
• Maintain a bag of fun toys your toddler can play with at the table.
• Avoid upscale restaurants which offer multiple courses. You toddler will be ready to go after the soup and salad.
• Don't take your toddler to restaurants with long waits for seating or food. Make reservations whenever possible.
• Don't allow your child to scream and disturb other patrons in the restaurant. If things get bad, remove your child and get a doggy bag for your food.