‘Heart’ Pizza
Pizza for me has evolved from a cheap late night student snack which left a greasy taste in the mouth – and on the box! – to a great way to take the family out for a meal. Italian restaurants in my experience are by far the most forgiving when it comes to small children. The atmosphere tends to be relaxed and informal which means a little bit of noise and getting up and down from the table goes by unremarked.
If you are looking to eat out with a wide age range of family or friends then perhaps give your local Italian a chance. From the popular pizza chain restaurants through to unique one-offs there is bound to be something out there for you. Give the Fairy Liquid a night off, pack everyone into the car and head off out to eat. The best time to eat out with small children is when they are hungry – sounds obvious I know, but aiming to eat at their normal meal time will disturb routine the least and should make for a more enjoyable experience all round. Don’t forget to bring some entertainment too – maybe crayons and a colouring book or some stickers – for if things get a bit fractious.
You will not necessarily get quick meals when you eat out, but restaurants tend to be quite good at keeping little ones engaged by bringing tit bits such as bread to eat at the table while you await the main courses. Some pizza places will even let the kids roll their own dough and add the toppings which always goes down a treat. Get them to try new tastes if you can too: olives or anchovies perhaps and see what they think of the different ingredients. Eating out with the family is a real pleasure so make it easy on everyone and go Italian next time!