Culinary crusaders

Spencer O'Brien poses as a superhero.

Photo: Nicole Radja

Dining out with kids can be as daunting as trying to keep the Joker in jail. Villainous foods lurk around every corner. You try to say no, but those chicken fingers, burgers and pizzas act like culinary kryptonite. Someone needs to be the hero and break the cycle. Thankfully, the only superpowers you need can be found right here. We scoured the city in search of foodie-friendly versions of meals kids already love. We also unearthed out-of-this-world children’s menus  and found restaurants that are zapping fears about food allergies. You still may not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, but you can eat out—and eat well—with your kids.

Try this instead!

The best way to get your kid to eat new foods: Opt for tasty (and maybe a little sneaky) alternatives to the bland staples they always eat.

Good food...faster

Next time your family’s in a hurry, be a real hero and skip the drive-through in favor of these super-fast, super-awesome alternatives.

Spaghetti Taco Smackdown

Two Chicago chefs go mano a mano to see who can come up with the tastiest version of the iCarly cult fave.

Chicago restaurants that accommodate kids with allergies

Five restaurants doing cool things with kids' menus

Forget chicken fingers, burgers and noodles with butter. These restaurants encourage kids to order outside their comfort zones.

Playing with your food

Chicago-area restaurants offer entertainment to placate pint-sized diners

The Chicago chefs behind Pilot Light aim to impact serious change in how kids relate to food.