Hacks for Dining Out with Twin Toddlers [33 Month Old Edition]

Eating out with one kid is challenging…so you know with two it’s going to be even harder.

We committed to eating out as a family (with the girls) 1x a month before they were born.

When they were babies, it was easy, they would sleep in their car seats if we timed it right. But as we’ve moved into toddlerhood it’s becoming more challenging.

We’ve had blocks of time where dining out at a restaurant is just not an option (18 months was definitely a no go…and again around 26-30 months), but as we inch closer to 3 years old, we seem to be doing better.

We’ve still had to leave mid-meal, gotten our food to go, and even aborted on the drive to the restaurant…

But last night was a grand success! Jayna and Kinsley even ordered directly from the waitress 🍕

Sharing a few of our tips to make it successful:

1. Plan ahead and talk about it - if the restaurant doesn’t take reservations, we aren’t attempting it. So plan ahead and pick a spot that’s kid friendly and you can reserve your seat….once booked, tell your children. We talked about it most of the week, so they had something to look forward to.

2. No nap, no restaurant - set yourselves up for success with happy children, if they don’t take a nap, make alternative plans (for us that means staying in)

3. Look at the menu - know what everyone is going to eat before you get there so you can order when the waiter comes to the table. The last thing you want is for them to go MIA with hangry kids. Sometimes Mom & Dad just get an app + drink and take our meal home…and let the girls eat.

4. Go EARLY - I’m talking early bird 5pm. We used to go closer to 5:30/5:45, but it’s less stressful earlier and the kitchen is typically faster

5. Contain Them - we also always use high chairs (preferred to a booster seat) because they can be contained and are less likely to be fidgeting and disturb other diners.

6. Bring Supplies - I typically bring books & crayons (no screen time at the table for us) as well as plastic plates, bibs, and milk cups

7. Get the check when your food comes - that way you always have an exit plan if things go south.