FOOD FOR KIDS: Holy Crocamole! Reimagining the kids’ restaurant menu

11-Oct-2019 - Last updated on 15-Oct-2019 at 16:01 GMT

If you want to find the least nutritious – and the least innovative – part of any fast casual menu, look no further than the kids menu. And if you think you’ll find anything resembling a vegetable (that isn’t a French Fry), forget it.

But can fast-casual for kids be healthy and fun?

One inspirational entrepreneur who thinks the answer is a definitive YES, is Shannon ‘Peacasso’ Seip, co-founder and Co-CEO of Bean Sprouts, a chain of fast-casual cafes and restaurants offering healthy, fun food for kids and their parents, who will be sharing her story and tips for creating ‘Imaginibbles’ at the FoodNavigator-USA FOOD FOR KIDS summit November 18-20.

Seip – who drives menu development, store design, and merchandise at Bean Sprouts - is co-author of the Bean Sprouts Kitchen cookbook and several humorous parenting books.

“Kids’ menus in restaurants and at family destinations are dominated by junk food or wholesome menus that just don’t appeal to kids. All of this can lead to unhappy meal times for children and their parents,” says Seip, who will be speaking on day 3 (Nov 20) of our summit.

In her presentation, Seip will explain “why the family restaurant market is ripe for disruption, and how to make it happen.” She will also:

Share insights gained on the journey from start-up to success
Discuss kid-focused food concepts and how to make ‘healthy’ appealing
Urge delegates to ‘pitch the impossible and let creativity be your guide’
Explain how her Imaginibbles menu breaks all the industry's food development rules
Urge us to ‘think like a child’ and create a branded eating experience that excites children and reassures adults
Explain how to create options and discuss the importance of catering for allergies and special diets

FOOD FOR KIDS: What are you feeding yours?

We’ve got an amazing lineup of speakers at this year’s FoodNavigator-USA FOOD FOR KIDS summit, from new brands such as Freeli Foods, Brainiac Kids, Yumble and Serenity Kids; to established players, from Chobani and Kraft Heinz to Ocean Spray and Mondelēz.

Building on feedback from last year's event, we've also included sessions on kids' palates, the science of epigenetics, and the challenges of product testing with kids.

Held at Chicago’s W Hotel November 18-20, FOOD FOR KIDS 2019 will include:

KIDS AND THE PLANT-BASED TREND: How are parents incorporating plant-based alternatives into their children’s diets? And what are the nutritional implications? With Michele DeKinder-Smith at Linkage Research.
CONSUMER PANEL: We will open with a panel of local parents, who delegates can quiz about everything from pester power to beverage choices for kids, favorite retailers and restaurants to what they look for on food labels.
TRAILBLAZERS: Three emerging brands that have developed innovative new products or business models in the kids’ food space will present their innovations live on stage in front of our expert panel featuring Lauren Jupiter at Accelfoods, Matthew Sade at Freeli Foods, and Barb Stuckey from Mattson.
YOU ARE WHAT YOUR MOTHER ATE: Explore the science of epigenetics with Dr Robert Murray from Ohio State University.
ARE WE MAKING PROGRESS ON CHILDHOOD OBESITY? The latest stats and insights from the CDC.
YUCK OR YUM: Product testing with kids with Keren Novack from Curion Insights and Emily Kimmins from Kraft Heinz.
CAN YOU TRAIN YOUR KIDS TO LOVE BROCCOLI? How are kids' flavor preferences developed? With Dr Catherine Forestell from William & Mary.
CASE STUDIES: From Gimmies (Chobani) to Freeli Foods, Mondelez SnackFutures, and Brainiac Kids, learn from companies building dedicated kids' food brands.
THE SIZE OF THE PRIZE Hear from SPINS and Euromonitor about the market opportunity for kids' foods and beverages.
FORMULATING FOR KIDS: From sweetness to texture to flavor, what do kids like? With Yummy Spoonfuls, Peekaboo Ice Cream and KidFresh.
KIDS BEVERAGES IN FOCUS: What are kids drinking? With Ocean Spray, Rethink Brands Euromonitor, and more.
THE FUTURE OF BABY FOOD: Is the future fresh? And should babies eat more meat? With Serenity Kids, Fresh Bellies, Lil Gourmets, and Raised Real.
CLEAN LABEL IN FOCUS: Beyond the ingredients list with the Clean Label Project.
FAST CASUAL FOR KIDS: Can fast-casual for kids be healthy and fun? Learn how Bean Sprouts Café found the sweet spot.