How to Dine Out with a Toddler: The Dos and Don’t You Dares

It’s 8 PM. You’re dressed to the nines as you and your spouse breeze through the doors of the hottest new restaurant downtown. You’re seated in a quiet booth and peruse your menu by the light of a single candle. You casually discuss the wine list before settling on a 2012 Napa Cabernet. You gaze into each other’s eyes, eagerly anticipating the arrival of the chef’s signature dish…

and then you have a kid.

The days of looking forward to a romantic meal with your spouse have long passed. Now you’re a team and you’re up against a tiny menace who’s determined to ruin your evening. Taking a toddler to a restaurant is a small piece of hell that I do not wish upon you, but sometimes there’s no way around it. If you’re dining out with your toddler in tow, here are the dos and the don’t you dares.

• • DO arrive early. Obviously, because the restaurant will be less crowded. But also because you and your significant other will not be enjoying your meal any time in the near future.

  • DON’T YOU DARE wait for your server to ask for your child’s order. Just shout out what your child will be having as soon as you spot someone in a uniform. If you’ve ever been a server and happen to be familiar with the restaurant’s POS system, I suggest you just send your child’s order in from the host stand when you arrive. It’s all about minimizing the time between your arrival and when your child has food directly in front of them.

  • DO attempt to have your child use the potty before you leave the house. But if nature calls them once you’ve arrived, you gotta do what you gotta do. A supermom of three once told me to keep post-it notes in my purse to cover the automatic sensor on a restaurant toilet. Whoever invented this “convenience” did NOT have children. ​

  • DON’T YOU DARE order something that your child has never eaten. This is not the time to explore the menu. Order something proven. On the way to the restaurant, pull up the kids’ menu from your phone so that you are confident there’s something your kid will eat (and if they refuse all items, see “DO bring a non-perishable back-up meal”). My daughter gets the kids’ mac and cheese every time we go out to dinner. Every. Time. It’s proven. Never veer from proven while out in public with your toddler.

  • DO bring a non-perishable back up meal. I’m always packin’. It’s a Gerber chicken ravioli meal that I’m certain my child will consume. Just have something on hand in case your toddler refuses your selection. At least they’re eating and no one else has to hear about how dissatisfied they are with what was first presented to them.

  • DON’T YOU DARE just sit at the table until your child’s food arrives. Walk around and point stuff out. “Look at the fishies in this picture!” “Ooooh look at the beautiful…light fixtures.” And don’t forget to account for the time it will take for your child’s meal to cool because you are sure to be delivered a sweltering inferno of pasta for your innocent child to feast on.

    

  • DO perform a secret service-style sweep of the table before you even set your child down. Place all cutlery, salt and pepper shakers and other accoutrement out of reach. I lay out a disposable placemat so my kid has something to eat off of and so she is less likely to launch a ceramic plate. If this establishment boasts table cloths, this is not your jam. If you notice a tablecloth, just find your nearest exit.

  • DON’T YOU DARE arrive without ample entertainment and a pre-meal snack. If the restaurant is packed, it may not be possible to roam about with your kid. You’re gonna have to keep them entertained at the table. This one is dealer’s choice. iPad. Coloring book. Cheerios. A friend of mine brings play-doh for her son to entertain himself with pre-meal. Then she just puts it back in her purse when the meal arrives. No clean-up. Genius.

  • DO bring your child’s own sippy cup. It took two (epic) spills to teach me that what some restaurants serve up as a kid’s cup is bound to end up under your table as soon as it meets your child’s grasp. Just order a beverage, then pour it into your kid’s cup. That cup is proven. Again, never veer from proven. Your non-milk-spattered jeans will thank you.

  • DO order a cocktail (or three) because you frickin deserve it. Cheers.​​

    

  • DO enjoy apps and a drink with your spouse while your child dines and then order your entrees to-go. You will enjoy your food so much more at home in silence once your kid is asleep. I learned this one after about four nights of dining out with my toddler and having to ask for my entree to be packed up on each occasion. As soon as your toddler is done with their meal, they’re gonna be all over you and you’re going to have to ask for your entree to be packed up anyway. Why not just start there?

  • DON’T YOU DARE worry about your kid’s mess. I struggle with this one and catch myself pre-bussing the table as my silent act of contrition. I deliver my server a neat pile of plates and silverware complete with my winning smile. But its not your job to clean up. Just focus on getting that munchkin fed and keeping them happy. Your fellow diners will appreciate this much more than the cleanliness of your surrounding area.

  • DO leave a nice tip. Your server probably had to visit a little more often on account of your tiny terror, so reward them. You are not the only one who was stressed out over something that went down at your table this evening.

And after dodging forks, wiping up spills and apologizing profusely…is this all really even worth it? Which brings me to my #1 tip for dining out with a toddler…

​DON’T YOU DARE.

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Lentil Salad with Arugula and Feta

I could eat this salad every day! It has all the elements I love in a salad: something crunchy (pine nuts and red onions), something salty and tangy (sherry vinaigrette and feta cheese), something sweet (dried currants), and some tasty greens (peppery arugula).

It makes a great lunch all by itself when you’re in the mood for a salad. It also pairs well with anything coming off the grill or with simple roast chicken if you want to serve it for dinner.

Continue reading "Lentil Salad with Arugula and Feta" »

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What Is the Difference Between Key Limes and Conventional Limes?

We’ve all been there before: You’re in the grocery store with your shopping list, ticking off ingredients as they go into the cart when you realize that the next item you need isn’t there. They don’t carry it, or they’ve run out of stock. The other store is like, a twenty minute drive away. . . Surely this similarish-sounding ingredient will work? Especially, you figure, if the two look and smell more or less alike; perhaps they even belong to the same family. What difference will it really make?

Well, in the case of “regular” limes vs. Key limes, the truth is, not a ton. Of course there’s more separating the two than meets the eye, but the differences are fairly minute and, indeed, the two can often be used interchangeably in recipes without risk of total disaster. Though, naturally, it stands to reason that Key Lime Pie is not Key Lime Pie without the use of its namesake citrus. So, let’s break it down.

Key limes are smaller than the standard Persian limes and have thin, leathery skin. Choose fruit that is heavy for its size, firm, and shiny, and avoid any that have bruises or blemishes.

First things first: What we here in the States think of as “regular” or “conventional” limes, are actually technically called Persian (or Tahitian) limes. Funnily enough, they’re actually much less common worldwide than the Key lime, which is also known as the Mexican or West Indian lime. The latter’s Florida connection dates back to the turn of the last century, where they were commercially produced until a hurricane in the late 1920s pretty much wiped the crop out. Following that, production largely switched over to the more efficient and disease-resistant Persian variety. While many residents in the Key region still grow the eponymous trees on their property, most of the Key limes you find in stores here are sourced from Mexico.

Smaller though they may be, Key limes are actually known for having a bolder, slightly herbal-floral aroma and packing much more of an acidic punch than their Persian brethren. Aesthetically, they also tend to have a more yellow-ish tint to their green, the feel of the rind is a little more leathery, and inside, you’ll find significantly more seeds. Which brings up the subject of work: There’s no denying that Key limes require a lot more of it—especially when you consider yield (not a lot) versus the cost (sometimes up to two or three times more than a Persian lime).

Despite their differences, the fact of the matter is they each have their merits in the kitchen, as these ten recipes demonstrate.

Perfect Daiquiri

Chowhound

No, not that daiquiri. While the icy, sugary frozen version will always hold a place in our spring-break-beach-loving hearts, it just can’t compare to the perfection of a classic daiquiri. Made up of just three simple ingredients—white rum, simple syrup, and fresh lime juice—this hard shaken sweet-tart refresher is guaranteed to become your summer (ok, year-round) staple. Get our Perfect Daiquiri recipe.

Chili-Lime Roasted Chickpeas

Vitacost

Looking for a (genuinely tasty) healthy snack to keep around the house for when those cravings attack? These crunchy-tangy-spicy poppers deliver the satisfaction of a much more sinful munchie. Get the recipe.

Tom Kha Gai (Thai Coconut Chicken) Soup

Make like the song and put the lime in the coconut (milk) for this classic Thai soup. The citrus’ sharp, acidic profile cuts through the sweetness of the rich coconut milk and helps play up the sour-savory umami flavors of the fish stock and mushrooms. Get our Thai Coconut Chicken Soup recipe.

Grilled Chile Salmon with Lime Crema

Chowhound

Often when lime is called for in a recipe, it’s as a secondary seasoning or garnish. Less common are recipes like this one, where the juice and zest of the citrus are featured prominently in several elements of the dish. Get our Grilled Chile Salmon with Lime Crema recipe.

Blackberry Lime Cake

Carrie Sellman for The Cake Blog

Ambitious baker alert! Finally, a lime-centric dessert thinks outside the curd. This show-stopper of a dessert infuses lime zest into classic vanilla sponge cake, offering a subtle, refreshing tang to balance out the juicy sweetness of blackberry buttercream. Get the recipe.

Key Lime Pie

Chowhound

Key lime and pie are inextricably linked. In most people’s minds, the former hardly exists without the other. But, hey, if you’re going to get pigeonholed for something, it may as well be as one of the country’s most iconic and beloved desserts. Get our Key Lime Pie recipe.

Key Lime Pie Dip

Shaken Together

Of course, if you love the flavor of this classic dessert but want to shake up the format, this clever recipe breaks out of the pie mold by presenting the curd base as a sweet dip for cookies and graham crackers. Get the recipe.

Key Lime Sorbet

Real Food Girl

If you’re filled up on pie (props to you and your willpower), opt instead for a dessert that emphasizes the lightness and freshness of the citrus. This tart, cooling sorbet is the perfect post-backyard-barbecue palate cleanser. Just be forewarned that juicing that many little Key limes is going to take some elbow grease. Get the recipe.

Easy Key Lime Scallop Ceviche

Always Order Dessert

The intense, acid-driven profile of the Key lime is a nice foil to the natural oceany sweetness of scallops. Bright and aromatic with just the right kick of spice, this is a quick, easy summer starter. Get the recipe.

Key Lime Cooler

Perpetually Hungry

Search for Key lime cocktails and more often than not a Martini-version of the pie will pop up. But if getting drunk on dessert isn’t exactly your thing, this simple cooler offers a lighter, more poolside-friendly alternative. Get the recipe.

— Head photo illustration by Chowhound, using: How Sweet Eats/Pixabay.

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