EatInEatOut Fall 2014 | Page 29

Guest Columnist 7 Tips for Eating Out With Your Kids BY JESSIE HARROLD After you have a kid, dining out will never be the same. Sure, naive new parents who manage to swing an entire dinner at a hot new restaurant while gazing lovingly at their conked-out infant in her carseat may delude themselves for a short time, but ultimately, the little critters will take over your peaceful night out in a flurry of airborne sweet potato fries. For a while, around the time when sharing a meal with my wee one required a shower curtain spread out on the floor under her highchair to make for easier clean-up, I wondered if I would have to sacrifice my love of checking out the trendiest new restaurants in the city. Would I forevermore need to double the cost of a night of incredible food to pad the pockets of my babysitter so that I wouldn’t embarrass myself or ruin others’ evenings with a wily toddler in tow? As it turns out, not completely. Though there are certainly times when I’m better off leaving the kid at home, more often than not, eating out is a family affair for my brood. We’ve found a few solid tips and tricks to make the whole adventure enjoyable for all of us. WWW.EATINEATOUT.CA 29