Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Philadelphia, PA

Yesterday, my daughter stole a piece of cheese from another kid and ate it. It was one of those sticks of string cheese; I was so excited, I went to the store and bought more, and yes, she ate another one!

Maybe this seems like a normal thing for you, but my kid doesn't like any protein source that isn't battered and called "chicken nuggets." She seems to be willing to subsist entirely on crackers, with occasional sips of milk or juice. Getting her to try new foods, or to eat out with us at some restaurant that doesn't serve chicken nuggets, has been a nightmare. We've learned a few tips, however.

If we go out for Asian food (which with us tends to not be Chinese, but rather Thai, Vietnamese, or Japanese), she will happily eat friend tofu -- provided it comes with a sweet (not savory) dipping sauce. There is something about the fried tofu that must be very chicken-nugget like. She also happily eats rice; if she's given her own bowl she will contentedly devour the rice by herself. The only problem we find is that at Asian restaurants -- and only Asian restaurants -- she has a very hard time sitting still. We've solved this problem by ordering, and then either my husband or I takes her outside and lets her run around until the food comes. If that fails (or the weather is bad) I have downloaded (bad mommy warning) a bunch of games for her onto my iPhone, and if THAT fails, I'll go to YouTube with the iPhone and let her watch cartoons. Hey, what can I say, we like to eat out.

If we eat Mexican, we try to eat at the fast-casual type places where we get the food quickly. She will eat either rice and beans (on a good day) or a cheese quesadilla (on a bad day).

If we go to a family-style chain, of course there is plenty for her to do. They give her crayons, there are televisions blaring in every corner, and they offer a very kid-friendly menu. As an added bonus, no one glares at you for having a child making noise in a restaurant (I know that's not just a Philly thing, but MAN. It is so annoying). We prefer to eat at small local places, though, and not chains, whenever possible (tomorrow I'll post a list of my favorite family-friendly non-chain restaurants). 

How do you cope with restaurants and your kid's eating issues?