Why do restaurants give kids "plastic" cheese?

[Jean in Newcastle]

Dd ordered a grilled cheese sandwich today.  She specifically ordered the adult one because it was made with good cheeses like guyere.  They brought her the kid's version with the plastic cheese - you know the kind that is in a plastic sleeve and looks and tastes like plastic itself.  Why?  Don't kids deserve the good stuff?  We asked (nicely) for what we had actually ordered - which by the way, came with delicious tomato soup.  The kid's grilled cheese came with fries. :glare:

[Arcadia]

Was the kids version much cheaper? My 9 year old eats a lot so he orders from the regular. My 8 year old orders from the kids menu which is cheaper but is usually mac n cheese or small portion of spaghetti. We do like the kids meals at some restaurants but those kids meals are a little pricy.

[Snow]

I totally agree that it seems ridiculous but maybe it's something to do with a tendency for kids to be picky. For example, both of my kids would only eat Kraft Mac and cheese, not the real homemade kind. They have certainly seemed to prefer less high quality foods; just give them plain jane foods and make sure they are the same every time.

[Jean in Newcastle]

We never even saw a kid's menu so I don't know what the kid's version cost.  Then they took that off the bill so I didn't see it there either.  

[Catwoman]

I have always avoided the kids' menu for that exact reason. It's not just the cheese, either -- in many restaurants, even the hamburgers are often made with cheap commercial patties, while the adult versions are handmade with high quality beef.

 

My ds has always been a good eater, so we always just ordered off the adult menu for him.

 

In this case, it sounds like the server assumed you wanted the children's version of the meal, instead of clarifying it with you.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Yes, she did assume.  We personally heard her apologize to three other tables for things she hadn't done right for them either so I think she was having a really bad day.  We were nice to her but dd found the plastic cheese quite unedible.  The real thing though was heaven!  

[Catwoman]

Yes, she did assume. We personally heard her apologize to three other tables for things she hadn't done right for them either so I think she was having a really bad day. We were nice to her but dd found the plastic cheese quite unedible. The real thing though was heaven!

I hate having to send things back, but I do expect to get what I ordered! I wonder if the server was new.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I hate having to send things back, but I do expect to get what I ordered! I wonder if the server was new.

I don't know.  It was our first time trying out this restaurant in the big city.  Dd and I had plenty of time but dd was starved by the time her real meal was served!  She did munch on some of the fries that came with the kid's meal and liked them though.  

[Liz CA]

My guess would be that some of the "non-plastic" cheeses like gruyere, gouda and brie have a distinct tase and many kids like the generic taste of what you call "plastic cheese." Good for your daughter that she likes a variety of cheeses.

[Catwoman]

I don't know. It was our first time trying out this restaurant in the big city. Dd and I had plenty of time but dd was starved by the time her real meal was served! She did munch on some of the fries that came with the kid's meal and liked them though.

It puts a damper on the evening when the whole family isn't able to eat their meals at the same time, even if everyone's food turns out to be very good in the end.

 

I'll bet you'll make sure you get a different server the next time you go there!

[Tammi K]

I thought we were they only ones who call it plastic cheese!

 

My kids would have wanted to send it back, too. 

 

Funny side note - I get severe migraines and I am trying to stick to an anti-migraine diet. Aged cheeses are a no-no. But, just about every source says that it is okay to eat American Cheese.  Some, however,  are more selective in that they say 'only high quality real American cheese from a deli counter.'  . By definition, American Cheese is processed cheese food.  Apparently, they did not get that message that anything called American cheese is NOT real cheese.

 

 

[Rosie_0801]

Heathens! (And not the respectable Pagan kind!)

[Catwoman]

I thought we were they only ones who call it plastic cheese!

 

My kids would have wanted to send it back, too.

 

Funny side note - I get severe migraines and I am trying to stick to an anti-migraine diet. Aged cheeses are a no-no. But, just about every source says that it is okay to eat American Cheese. Some, however, are more selective in that they say 'only high quality real American cheese from a deli counter.' . By definition, American Cheese is processed cheese food. Apparently, they did not get that message that anything called American cheese is NOT real cheese.

To be fair, it's sorta cheese-ish. ;)

 

I get migraines, too, and although I know cheeses are supposed to be a trigger, I swear they help me, so I don't put too much stock into the anti-migraine diets.

 

Have you been tested for food allergies? The results can be helpful when you're trying to figure out what foods to avoid. Of course, with my usual luck, there's no test for an allergy to MSG. :glare: But it doesn't really matter, because I already know that's a big trigger for me.

 

The one thing that has noticeably reduced my migraines is taking magnesium supplements. Someone on this forum recommended it, and I keep wishing I could remember who it was so I could thank her, because it's the only thing I have tried that has helped.

[Ivey]

One of my kids only eats plastic cheese. We usually call it fake cheese, but that doesn't seem to phase him. 

 

I'm surprised that they assumed a 12-year-old wanted a kids meal. The last time Ds11 tried to order off the kids menu, I thought they were going to ask him to show ID.  :glare:

[Lolly]

Because the majority of kids will only eat that kind of cheese, especially on a grilled cheese. It is also cheaper and kids' meals are usually a lot less expensive. Since your dd ordered a sandwich with a different cheese and the adult tomato side, she should have received it. Of course, that would also mean you should receive the adult price for the meal. We have had th opposite problem when mine were little. I would order a grilled cheese for my 3 yo and they would bring out a grilled cheese with 3 kinds of fancy cheeses on rye bread. My 3 yo wouldn't touch it. I never could understand why a restaurant would serve a sandwich with such grown up ingredients/flavors as a child's meal. Curious though, which dc were you ordering a child's meal for? Our restaurants usually will not serve the ages you have listed in your siggy children's meals, the cut off is usually 10.

[katilac]

I could understand that assumption if she were 3 or 6, but she's 12! 

 

My kids are tiny, under five feet tall even now, but most servers had quit assuming they were ordering as kids by 9 or 10.Lots of them would ask if we needed kid menus, but rarely just handed one over, and certainly didn't automatically make something a kid's version. 

 

Confession: I love plastic cheese. 

[alisoncooks]

My kids dislike plastic cheese -- and I grew up hating it.  I can't stand when I buy a grilled cheese or cheese biscuit and they use that sort of cheese on it.  

[Gentlemommy]

Or frozen 'chicken nuggets', hamburger patties, or vegetables, especially when they offer freshly made versions of these foods for adults??? We don't order from the kids menu any more. It's the same amount to buy one adult meal and split it usually, and the quality is better. It's annoying. The last time we went out to eat as a family, dh and I ordered a cheeseburger and chicken something. The kids also ordered cheeseburgers and chicken, from the kids menu. We specifically asked for steamed broccoli. When the food came out, our cheeseburger was nice and thick and juicy and fresh. We had lettuce, tomato, and onion, real cheese, and a toasted, homemade bun. Theirs was a rubbery, over microwaved frozen patty, with stale bread. I actually pulled theirs apart and called the waiter AND manager over. It was ridiculous, and actually both were embarrassed. The kids meal was half the price of the adult meal, why couldn't they make the burger a 'slider' size, and use the same ingredients, just half of them? Oh, and they also brought the kids fries. After we had specified broccoli. In the end, none of the kids ate their food, and we shared ours. I was set on refusing to pay for the kids meals, but the manager apologized profusely and comp'd our whole meal. We insisted that's not what we wanted, because we did end up eating two of the meals, but he felt bad about the terrible quality and was actually going to see if they could change the menu. I have a hard time believing no one else had complained about the kids meal...the restaurant is a chain, it's not like this was a brand new one...anyway.

[Cinder]

Plastic cheese! :laugh:  We just call it fake cheese. My dc will eat it on cheeseburgers when we're out but would prefer colby jack. Plastic cheese tastes really salty if you're not used to it. Grilled cheese at home is made with a slice of colby jack and a slice of havarti.

[marbel]

Every now and then I crave a grilled cheese sandwich with American "plastic" cheese on white sandwich bread.  Yum,  wish I had the stuff; I'd make one right now.

 

Usually I make grilled cheese with fontina, roasted red peppers, and garlic olive oil on a baguette. So you can see I'm not a savage.  :D   At least most of the time.

 

<shrug> In my experience, most kids prefer that kind of food.  I've had guests (kids) reject homemade mac and cheese because they expect and prefer the boxed kind. Restaurant managers must have figured that out.  During our kid menu days my kids were happy enough with the food but it was always either mac and cheese or chicken nuggets; since I never ordered either item from the adult menu I don't know if they were different or not.

 

ETA: I don't mean baguette.  I mean nice crusty French or Italian bread.  I guess I have used baguettes but they are kind of a hassle since I have to make more sandwiches.

[OneStepAtATime]

Dd ordered a grilled cheese sandwich today.  She specifically ordered the adult one because it was made with good cheeses like guyere.  They brought her the kid's version with the plastic cheese - you know the kind that is in a plastic sleeve and looks and tastes like plastic itself.  Why?  Don't kids deserve the good stuff?  We asked (nicely) for what we had actually ordered - which by the way, came with delicious tomato soup.  The kid's grilled cheese came with fries. :glare:

 

Well, my kids would only have eaten the plastic cheese, too.  In fact, DH would have only eaten plastic cheese.  That is all he eats at home, too.  Since that isn't what you ordered, they should have brought your DD the regular version and I am glad they were apologetic and willing to fix it and bring the correct one.  I know it was frustrating that your DD had to wait, though.  On one business trip I took with DS, he ended up getting his meal dead last at three different restaurants in a row, poor little guy.  Very frustrating.

 

 

But where do you get such an amazing grilled cheese sandwich?  I'd eat it!  Around here, there is no "ADULT" version of a grilled cheese sandwich in any restaurant I have been to.  And I don't like plastic cheese, either. :)

[Starr]

You get used to what you eat at home. I've got one child that doesn't like peanut butter or the american cheese. I had to smile a lot when friends were making *kids* lunch and ask for bread and jam. But they would eat boxed macaroni forever...haha

[vonfirmath]

Dd ordered a grilled cheese sandwich today.  She specifically ordered the adult one because it was made with good cheeses like guyere.  They brought her the kid's version with the plastic cheese - you know the kind that is in a plastic sleeve and looks and tastes like plastic itself.  Why?  Don't kids deserve the good stuff?  We asked (nicely) for what we had actually ordered - which by the way, came with delicious tomato soup.  The kid's grilled cheese came with fries. :glare:

 

I don't know why they gave you the kids' one if you ordered the adult

 

But I know my kids prefer the "Plastic cheese" to the good stuff. We have both kinds around the house. Occasionally they will eat the good stuff to be like "mom and dad" but they've also pushed away sandwiches made with cheddar cheese -- I think the flavor may be too strong.

 

I have found for myself I prefer mac and cheese made by Kraft than anything I've made on my own. So they do taste different.

 

[K&Rs Mom]

 By definition, American Cheese is processed cheese food.  

 

 

I've taught the dc that if it has to be labeled as "food" or "drink" (like those bottles of "juice drink") that means it really isn't.   ;)   We do eat the plastic cheese here (and lots of other kinds), we just recognize that it's not really food.

[marbel]

 

 

I've taught the dc that if it has to be labeled as "food" or "drink" (like those bottles of "juice drink") that means it really isn't.   ;)   We do eat the plastic cheese here (and lots of other kinds), we just recognize that it's not really food.

 

 

What do you mean "it's not really food?"   

 

I can't believe I'm defending American cheese but I don't get that comment.  Not being snarky, just don't get it.  You eat it; it's food, right? 

[K&Rs Mom]

What do you mean "it's not really food?"   

 

I can't believe I'm defending American cheese but I don't get that comment.  Not being snarky, just don't get it.  You eat it; it's food, right? 

 

It's just a way for my kids to remember that this is not the good stuff we want to fill our bodies with - just like others calling it "plastic" cheese.  Like I said, we do eat it, but try to make it a smaller part of our diet than other things that are closer to their natural state.

[Joker]

We've had the same issues with mac n cheese. One local place has Kraft for kids and another kind for adults. My dds hate Kraft (and most other boxed versions as well), yet they are often served the kids version when they order it. Both of mine are over the cutoff for kids meals in our area but it's never been an issue if they want to order off of it. At this place we have to repeat several times that they want the stuff off the regular/adult menu.

[El...]

My kids think that yellow wrapped stuff is exotic!  They also love Kraft mac and cheese.  I can't stand to pay money at the grocery store for the stuff, but I let them get it from the kids' meals sometimes.  They eat a lot of cheddar at home, and "American" cheese is sweeter, I think.  

[Rachel]

I had no idea other people called it plastic cheese. We usually order off the regular menu for our kids, the food is so much better.

 

We once ordered a kid burger, I have no idea what kind of meat they use but it was gross. I tried it after my 1 year old wouldn't touch it and swore we would never order off the kid menu again.

[Jean in Newcastle]

One of my kids only eats plastic cheese. We usually call it fake cheese, but that doesn't seem to phase him. 

 

I'm surprised that they assumed a 12-year-old wanted a kids meal. The last time Ds11 tried to order off the kids menu, I thought they were going to ask him to show ID.  :glare:

Dd was quite offended that the waitress assumed that she was a child!  Dd is quite petite though and might have to deal with that even at older ages.  

[Jean in Newcastle]

We've had the same issues with mac n cheese. One local place has Kraft for kids and another kind for adults. My dds hate Kraft (and most other boxed versions as well), yet they are often served the kids version when they order it. Both of mine are over the cutoff for kids meals in our area but it's never been an issue if they want to order off of it. At this place we have to repeat several times that they want the stuff off the regular/adult menu.

Dd always asks if the kid's mac and cheese is boxed.  Most of the time it is, so she says "no thank you" and asks if the cook can make her spaghetti noodles with butter and parmesan.  Still simple but no artificial ingredients.  

[Reefgazer]

They serve it because people are willing to buy it.

 

My DH loves that plastic cheese because it's cheap, so my kids loved it too.  Until one day I got fed up with looking at it in the refrigerator and insisted that we buy real cheese.  I used that real cheese in their meals and told them we had no other cheese and if they wanted cheese, that was it.  They haven't turned back; they hate plastic cheese now and won't eat it. 

[Cinder]

Dd was quite offended that the waitress assumed that she was a child!  Dd is quite petite though and might have to deal with that even at older ages.  

 

This reminds me of the woman I knew who had this issue of others assuming she was a child but it was with talking on the phone. She had a "young" voice and said it was actually good for when telemarketers called (before we all had caller ID) because they'd always ask if her mom or dad was there and she could honestly answer that they were not and that would end the call. :laugh:

[Jean in Newcastle]

They serve it because people are willing to buy it.

 

My DH loves that plastic cheese because it's cheap, so my kids loved it too.  Until one day I got fed up with looking at it in the refrigerator and insisted that we buy real cheese.  I used that real cheese in their meals and told them we had no other cheese and if they wanted cheese, that was it.  They haven't turned back; they hate plastic cheese now and won't eat it. 

Just using your post as a jumping off point:

 

I have multiple chronic problems.  My dh has diabetes caused by illness.  One of my children is showing some possible chronic problems that we are trying to head off.  Another (the child in question) has been breaking out in hives if she eats nightshades.  Eating whole foods is important to me as one piece of the health puzzle.  I eat junk but whole food junk!  So real cheese as defined by the USDA is all I've ever had in the house.  When my kids were younger a slice of mild cheddar was as adventurous as they'd get but both my kids started to branch out slowly once they were tweens.  

 

I suppose I don't really care what is on the children's menu if they've found that others like it but the quality of the foods bothers me from a health standpoint as well as a taste standpoint.  Which is why we ordered from the adult menu and I was perfectly prepared to pay adult price!  

[theYoungerMrsWarde]

My granny always called it "melted plastic." She also called white bread with butter "white glue."

[Storygirl]

My kids think that yellow wrapped stuff is exotic!  They also love Kraft mac and cheese.  I can't stand to pay money at the grocery store for the stuff, but I let them get it from the kids' meals sometimes.  They eat a lot of cheddar at home, and "American" cheese is sweeter, I think.  

 

Hey, we're the opposite.  I sometimes buy Kraft, because my kids like it. For about $1.00 I can feed a Kraft meal to all four of my kids at home. I can't stand to pay $5 for the exact same stuff to feed one child at a restaurant.  If a restaurant serves Kraft, we make the kids pick something else.

 

With that said, my kids will eat any kind of mac and cheese, homemade or processed, and they will eat any kind of cheese (I don't buy American or Velveeta, but they would eat it happily). They just like cheese in any form, I guess.

 

Jean, I get why you were annoyed. But to answer your title question, I think restaurants use American cheese because that is what most of their small patrons will eat (and probably also because it is a cheaper product).

[Susan in TN]

And then kids, even mine with their foo foo food making mother, often like the bland plastic stuff better. Bums me out! I make a very delicious homemade mac and cheese. One of my kids will eat it and likes it ok, but ask him if he'd rather have the boxed stuff or my stuff and he'd say the boxed stuff. The other kid won't eat it, but will eat the boxed stuff.

 

Apparently they have no taste buds!

Same here! They *love* MY macaroni and cheese, but the blue box kind is a special treat *eyeroll*.

[Dmmetler]

DD9 usually orders off the adult menu, but asks for the kids menu because she likes having the coloring pages and crayons :). She also orders for herself, which really seems to puzzle servers (she added some of her own money to a tip and wrote a thank you to a server recently for talking directly to her).

 

DD watches a lot of the food Network, and the most recent "Guy's Grocery Games" had a challenge where the contestants had to make macaroni and cheese, but couldn't use the cheese section (although cottage cheese apparently was OK). DD's first question is "Why didn't they just pick up butter and make Cheese-a-saurus (the family name for the blue box stuff, because of the dinosaur character)?

 

 

 

 

[skimomma]

The worst is the restaurants that serve easy-mac (the stuff that comes in a foam bowl that you heat in the microwave).   Seriously?  If I want cheap junk and it only takes 60 seconds of my time, why am I at a restaurant anyway?

[Katy]

We call it plastic cheese too.  I think it came from the La Leche League cookbook in the 80's.  It had a long discussion on how hydrogenated fats were essentially one molecule away from plastic, and how if you leave a plate out with real butter and a plate out with margarine, the butter will melt, attract insects, and disappear.  The margarine will melt a little at the corner and stay in place forever.

 

Since cheese "food" is essentially cheese flavored hydrogenated fat....  well, you get the gist.

[Belacqua]

 By definition, American Cheese is processed cheese food.  Apparently, they did not get that message that anything called American cheese is NOT real cheese.

 

It was many years ago, but does anybody remember a commercial for Canadian cheese featuring people inquiring, "Is it processed?" For some reason, that struck my husband and me as positively hilarious and we still find ourselves holding a piece of cheese and asking, "Is it processed?" complete with the Canadian long "o". 

 

But I'd eat it. Grilled cheese in just about any form? Bring it on. Plastic cheese, beautiful fontina and roasted red peppers (which I am going to make this afternoon, now that I'm inspired by this thread), whatever. If it's cheese (or cheeselike) and melted between pieces of buttery bread? I'm in.

[Annie G]

Dd was quite offended that the waitress assumed that she was a child!  Dd is quite petite though and might have to deal with that even at older ages.  

 

Our youngest dd is nearly 22 and routinely gets asked if she wants a kid menu.  Drives her nuts. 

 

Oldest dd has three children and last summer a waitress asked if they were her kids. Yes, they're hers.  And the waitress kind of yells, " HOW OLD ARE YOU???" Um, she was 30 at the time. The waitress guessed 18. 

 

However, *I* am 53 and nobody thinks I look particularly young. So I tell dds to enjoy it while it lasts. 

[Tammi K]

What really chaps my you know what....if I serve something really just junky and lazy (frozen dinners...etc.) I get, "Oh Mom this is so good, you are such a good cook."  I slave over a nice meal?  "I don't like this."

 

I really don't understand!

 

There's just no appreciation for your magic!

 

[Guest submarines]

On the bright side *I* ordered "latte no foam" today and got a latte with no foam. Yay for me!

[Desert Strawberry]

Our youngest dd is nearly 22 and routinely gets asked if she wants a kid menu.  Drives her nuts. 

 

Oldest dd has three children and last summer a waitress asked if they were her kids. Yes, they're hers.  And the waitress kind of yells, " HOW OLD ARE YOU???" Um, she was 30 at the time. The waitress guessed 18. 

 

However, *I* am 53 and nobody thinks I look particularly young. So I tell dds to enjoy it while it lasts. 

My first night at knitting group, I was the youngest one there by at least 2 decades, but after chatting for a while and revealing multiple colorful details of my past, one lady burst out with,"How old ARE you?!?" 

I was 34. They all had me pegged at 19-21. 

I ordered off the kids menu until I was in my midtwenties. I was never questioned.

 

We tend to only frequent places that serve a smaller portion of adult food to kids. I share my plate with them until they are big enough to need their own, then split an adult plate between two, or order a la carte. 

Kids deserve real food.

[Desert Strawberry]

But why do so many of them not like real food?

My non picky kid who loves salads most of all, still often prefers some of the fake stuff over the better stuff.  I don't know what to make of that.  I don't even serve that stuff frequently at all. 

Eh, those "foods" are chemically engineered to stimulate the pleasure centers of the brain, not unlike crack. 

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21999688

[SunnyDays]

I've quit buying the "processed cheese food" for the most part, and started buying multipacks of cheese slices in different flavors... swiss, cheddar, monterey jack, colby, whatever.  DS is learning to like them.

 

We have a deli here that makes a to-die-for cheese sandwich.... swiss, mozzarella, and pepper jack melted over garlic focaccia bread.  Seriously, it's heaven and I could possibly eat one every day. 

[Catwoman]

On the bright side *I* ordered "latte no foam" today and got a latte with no foam. Yay for me!

It's about time someone got your order right! :hurray:

[Annie Laurie]

Because they assume that all kids like processed stuff and don't know the difference. One of my kids was so disappointed when he ordered macaroni and cheese, not from the kids menu, and they brought him Kraft mac and cheese.

 

I guess my kids are weird because they love stuff like goat cheese, prosciutto, and dolmas and hate boxed mac and cheese, hot dogs, etc. It's kind of annoying when I'm tired and want to give them something quick and easy. :glare:

[December]

So a couple months ago we had a dinner with my husband's side of the family at a fancy restaurant.  All three of the kids there (ranging in age from 2-5) ordered the Kraft macaroni and cheese.  They brought it out covered in parsley. None of the kids would eat it due to that.  Not very smart on the restaurant's part, let's make food that kids are used to eating and then cover it in green leafy flakes!  Because everyone knows how much kids like green things, right?  (BTW, I tried to raise mine to be adventurous eaters and they were while they were toddlers but then I don't know what happened.)