The Soil Association have recently released their annual Out to Lunch league table of the best (and worst) healthy restaurants for kids. They sent their army of secret ‘diner’ parents out to test some of the most well-known restaurants on their food options for little ones. Here we take a look at Top 5 Healthy Restaurants for Kids.
The ratings are based on a range of factors such as offering water and excluding sugary drinks from the menu, providing freshly prepared food rather than ready meals and serving a portion of vegetables with every meal.
1. Jamie’s Italian
Scoring an awesome 4 out of 5 stars Jamie Oliver’s beloved brand has seen much restaurant growth and it tops the board.
With fresh ingredients, organic meat and sustainable fish Jamie’s offers children food that not only taste good but that will nourish them from the inside out. All kids’ meals are served with a ‘Shake Me Salad’ and with meals like ‘Organic Salmon in a Bag’ it’s no wonder that Jamie’s has been number 1 on this league table several times!
2. Harvester
Harvester scored 3 out of 5 stars. The unlimited salad bar provides a fun way for kids to get their 5 a day.
Although the fish isn’t sustainably sourced the flexibility of the menu allows you to choose what portion size you’d like and even offers food for babies. There are lower sugar and salt options which is useful for parents opting for the best choices but the range of sugary desserts could be improved on and more fruit should be offered.
3. Giraffe
With 2 and a half stars, Giraffe still has a way to go but it has improved a lot in the last few years. There are lots of healthy options for kids such as the ‘Grilled Chicken Breast and Salad’ and kids can also opt for ‘Sweet Potato Fries’ as a tasty alternative to salad.
Currently they (unfortunately) still offer ‘Coke’ and ‘Sprite’ on the kids’ drinks menu but at least chips aren’t offered and fruit is a dessert option. The staff are super friendly and provide activities for children to keep them occupied too!
4. Wetherspoons
This well known pub-restaurant also scores a 2 and a half out of 5. With close to a million children’s meals served every month it’s clear that cheap food is a reason why many parents bring their kids here.
A free fruit bag is given with every kid’s meal which is great and healthy choices are highlighted. As you would expect though at a pub-restaurant the meals aren’t particularly nutritious but they do clearly display the calorie content of each meal so you can make an informed choice.
5. Wagamama
This Japanese restaurant scored a two and a half on the league table and had mixed reviews.
Wagamama is great if you want something a little bit different and with meals like ‘Cod Cubes’ offered for kids, it makes food seem fun and vibrant with their array of vegetables too. They don’t use farm assured meat which is a shame but on the other hand fruit ice lollies are offered as a dessert which I’m sure would excite the children!
A few of these eateries might’ve surprised you but now you can go to any of these 5 restaurants in the knowledge that you can feed your children nutritious enough and balanced meals even when you dine out.
The Soil Association release a new Out to Lunch league table every year so you can check back later this year to see if any of these have fallen or risen on the healthy eating scales. In the meantime have fun treating yourself and your kids to some delicious healthy meals!
