Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts is launching a new culinary concept for kids across its hotels, starting with a Dubai property this month.
FoodieKiDS, The new children?s menu is informed by global research, in which more than 5,500 parents of children under 12, from the UK, US, Russia, Germany, Saudi Arabia and UAE were interviewed about their children?s eating habits. According to the study, 77% of parents think that hotels around the world need to provide more healthy options on kids? menus. Meanwhile, 79% of parents said that an attractive, varied and healthy food menu for children would enhance their experience and give them peace of mind that even on holiday, they are making the right choices for their children?s well-being. Parents also said that their children were most likely to eat junk food with low nutritional value while on holiday.
More than a third of surveyed parents, 36% say there are a lack of healthy food options available on children's menus, and 35% say there is a lack of variety and very limited food choices for children in restaurants. Almost one in four - 23% say the healthy options never look very appetising and 26% say they are not very imaginative.
Jumeirah Group?s Chief Culinary Officer Michael Ellis said, ?A group of young diners tasted our healthier options, had fun with our theatre on a plate and told us what they wanted from their menu. We have been trialing and researching lots of different options and we?ve put our food to the test and scrutiny of our biggest critics: children, and we found that when prepared and presented in a way to appeal to kids, our dishes with more fruits and vegetables, wholemeal options and less salt were a huge hit.?
The FoodieKiDS menu will be piloted at the group?s flagship family resort, Dubai's Jumeirah Beach Hotel, before being rolled out across its wider portfolio. In the lead-up to the launch, Jumeirah Beach Hotel is offering complimentary meals to kids under 16 when staying with their parents at the hotel from October 5 until October 31, 2020 on the Ultimate Staycation package.
