Forum: Promote eateries that offer a good children’s menu

Healthy living should start from a young age, and restaurants have an important role to play when families dine out.

Recently, my four-year-old had a kids’ meal at Dian Xiao Er. The experience stood out as the restaurant offered three kids’ meal options, all of which were healthy. The meal we had featured a mix of brown and white rice, scrambled egg with prawns, vegetables such as tomatoes and broccoli, and soya milk as the beverage, with a low-sugar soya beancurd dessert.

This was refreshing, as many restaurants in Singapore – including popular family-friendly establishments – do not offer proper kids’ meals. Too often, children’s menus default to sausages, ham, fries and other highly processed food. These options may be convenient, but they do little to support good eating habits.

When we were leaving, I noticed a sign stating that Dian Xiao Er is the first Chinese restaurant here with a Health Promotion Board-certified kids’ menu. However, when I searched online later, I could not find a clear, publicly available list of accredited restaurants.

More restaurants should make healthy children’s meals the norm rather than the exception. At the same time, the Health Promotion Board should publish and actively promote a list of accredited providers so parents can make informed dining choices.

If we are serious about encouraging healthy living, better options for children when dining out must be part of the equation.

Lee Ming Shu