Isabella Adams is an experienced nutritionist and a passionate freelance writer. She uses her knowledge and experience to write about trending nutrition topics and develop a healthy and joyous relationship with food and the body. Her tips help to make healthier lifestyle choices. Here she tells us how to manage traveling with a picky eater child.
A travel experience with children may be a gold mine of memories and unforgettable moments. But once you have a picky eater among you, what should be a funny adventure may then turn into a stress-strained challenge. Balancing your child’s eating preferences with trying new foods in unfamiliar places can be challenging. Preparation and creativity, however, will allow you to make mealtime yet another fun part of the adventure. Here are some tips that will help you deal with your picky eater while on vacation to ensure that everyone will get enough nutrition and be happy and have fun.
Stick To What You Know They Will Eat
The first rule of traveling with a picky eater is to stick with the familiar. Bringing along a few of their favorite foods can be a lifesaver when you’re far from home. Taking some comforting food items along with special crackers, a favorite fruit, or breakfast cereal will go a long way toward the continuity of life. This will be a lifesaver during your family travels when options might be limited. Familiar foods also may be soothing for nervous children in new environments, offering a sense of normalcy in the whirlwind of travel.
Bring Extra Snacks
For the picky eater, you can never have too many snacks on hand. A well-stocked snack bag is a must for maintaining hunger and quite possibly stopping any meltdown episodes in their tracks. Include a few mix-and-match options to keep things interesting: some mix of raw and roasted nuts, granola bars, dried fruits, and even some of their favorite packaged snacks. That way, you have something in your pocket that you know they will eat, so you are not at their mercy if hunger strikes. Besides, snacks are great to fill in the little gaps between meals, especially if you are in a place where meal choices are limited and perhaps weird.
Research Your Destination
Allow yourself some time to research your destination in advance. Find out what types of foods are common for the area suitable for pickier eaters. Many tourist towns have places that cater well to children, but it’s always nice to know in advance. You may also want to find out if there are any grocery stores or markets where you can pick up some things that your child is used to once you arrive. In this way, you will be prepared to avoid added stress in finding suitable meals on the run.
Eat at Restaurants That Have Kid’s Menus
Dining out, when kids’ menus are available, makes a world of difference. Those menus are designed around picky eaters chicken tenders, pasta, or grilled cheese often will do the trick. Of course, it’s great to expose them to all types of food, but sometimes you just need to revert to the easy things to know a meal your child will eat. Second, most of the kids’ menus come with healthier options of vegetables and fruits that will counterbalance some of the food they probably will want.
Try A Points System For Trying New Foods
Encouraging new foods for your child may not be as challenging if you make it a game. You can implement the use of a points system whereby your child will receive rewards after trying new food. They get a point every time they put a new food in their mouth. After a certain number of points, they can get a little prize. They’re positive reinforcement for adventurous eating make sure not to say they have to eat it. That’s just torture. They might learn to enjoy it after a while and discover some new favorites.
The No Dessert Rule
This is not to say that this is not tempting, especially when it comes to using dessert as a bargaining chip. But this can be a backfiring strategy, so a better idea may be the “no dessert unless you try everything on your plate” rule. In this way, the focus isn’t on dessert, but rather on trying everything on their plate for at least one taste. By doing this you are teaching them to eat new foods but also allowing them to know that dessert should be acknowledged as a treat and not a reward for having consumed their meal.
Order a Mix of Familiar and Unfamiliar Foods
When ordering meals, even out the old with the new. For instance, if your child loves pasta, order them a pasta dish but request that it be served with some local vegetables or a sauce they have not had before. This way, there is something on the plate your child will eat, while also getting the opportunity to taste something new. It is a really low-pressure way to expand the palate without overwhelming the child.
Make It a Game—“Steal a Bite”
Making mealtime into a game can be just as helpful in confronting tension with trying new foods. One fun option could be playing a game of “steal a bite.” This means each person at the table takes a “stolen” bite from someone else’s plate. Light-hearted and fun, without feeling pressured to eat more than a single bite. This way, it could be a great way of having your child try new food in a friendly environment, and that could prevent them from feeling so overwhelmed with new dishes.
Bring Your Food When You Can
While it is wonderful to encourage your child to try things, there is absolutely no etiquette breach in bringing your own food. This will really come in useful if you are going to a place that is far removed or doesn’t have a lot of dining options. For peace of mind, pack a few ready-to-eat meals or snacks since now you will be sure that something is available your child will eat. More importantly, if a food allergy or dietary restriction makes eating out a real challenge to your child, it can turn into an indispensable item.
Get Them As Involved As You Can
One surest way of having your picky eater excited to eat would be to get him involved in the process. Let him plan some meals, choose snacks, or even pick a restaurant every now and then. The more he gets to put his imprint on what he is eating, the better the chances are that he will try new foods. If your venue has a kitchen, consider involving your child in the preparation of one meal or another. Nine times out of ten, this kind of hands-on exposure will make them absolutely interested in the food they consume, and they just won’t be able to resist the offer to try something new.
Conclusion
Traveling with a picky eater can be a challenge, but with just a little preparation and some creativity, mealtime can become an enjoyable part of the journey. Fall back on the comfort foods, pack a pile of snacks, and then turn new foods into some sort of game. Do anything to make sure your kid is nourished and happy at the end of the day. And don’t forget – all the purpose behind this is so, with regards to food, your child begins to equate travel with an excellent adventure, not with torture and stress. Tuck these tools in your travel belt, and you will be up for just about anything. The outcome will be a trip that is unforgettable for all the right reasons.
Read more Travel Tips for parents or discover our pick of the Best Foodie Destinations this year.
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/umbria/the-piegaro-residence
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/lisbon/the-rua-dos-acores-residence
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/the-lot/the-bergerie-au-bouyssou-residence
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/somerset/the-somerleaze-residence