Kid-Approved Cheap Eats

Going out to eat with kids can be a challenging experience. Someone is bound to be picky, and spending a small fortune on a barely-touched sandwich can be disappointing for everyone. To save your sanity when going out to eat, take the advice of local kids about some kid-approved cheap eats around Bend.

Breakfast

Mother’s, a local organic cafe with two locations, serves healthy breakfast and lunch options that even picky kids will enjoy. Sisters Sarah, 3, and Margot, 1, often share the Rome Beauty smoothie. When I asked them what makes this smoothie so special, Sarah exclaimed, “Dinosaurs like it!” In three-year-old speak, this is the equivalent of giving it five stars. A small classic smoothie, like the Rome Beauty, is $9 and plenty for two toddlers to share. Both their Eastside and Westside locations are open daily from 8am to 3pm.

Max Goode, who has grown up in Bend and is about ready to graduate high school, says that Richard’s Donuts & Pastries is his go-to treat. Of this classic Bend establishment, he says, “You can taste the care that goes into each one.” He often grabs a Boston Cream Donut on his way to school. Most donuts range between just $1.50 and $3.25 each, leaving enough cash left over for milk to stave off the sugar crash. Please bring cash or use their handy ATM; credit cards are not accepted. Open daily from 4:30am to 4pm.

Lunch and Dinner

When it comes to lunch, Max prefers Pizza Mondo, saying it is “the best place for a quick, cheap meal.” A slice, salad, and soda cost just $9 during their lunch hours, from 11:30am to 3:30pm each day. Looking to share? Grab a flavorful pizza for as little as $17 during lunch or dinner hours. They are open Monday through Saturday from 11am to close and Sunday from 11:30am to close.

Jackson Guilfoy, a local middle schooler, also loves pizza for lunch. He enjoys sharing the Margherita pizza from Bend Pizza Kitchen. He says it’s “Really, really good. It has juicy tomatoes, and the cheese is really good.” Share a house made medium Margherita pizza for $26. Open Daily 11:30 am to 8pm.

When he’s not in the mood to share, he likes picking up his own Pepperoni Roll from Great Harvest Bread Co. At just $3.25 each, you can avoid the argument over who gets the last piece by buying each kid their own roll. Open Monday through Friday, 7am to 3pm, and Saturday, 9am to 3pm.

Not in the mood for pizza? Tacos are always a great choice. Max suggests Axel’s Tacos, calling it “delicious food for delicious prices.” Jackson agrees, adding that he recommends the TJ carne asada tacos, which come stuffed with meat and topped with fresh cilantro, onions and guacamole. Three TJ tacos cost just $8. Open daily from 6am to close.

Dessert

If you’re all craving a treat, both parents and kids can feel good about stopping in at the small frozen yogurt chain Cuppa Yo. Kip Crawford, 8, likes Cuppa Yo because “my mom says I can get as much fruit as I want, so I head straight to the cherries since they have the most sugar!” For a more indulgent treat, choose from one of nearly 50 topping options, including Boba, Gummy Bears, M&M’s and Nutella. Open daily Noon to 9 pm.

This article appears in Source Weekly June 19, 2025.