11 year old & Food touching on plate

[disnut8]

My husband's family still reminds him of the times he said he would never eat what was on the plate before him because things were touching. He downplays the incidents from childhood and barely remembers them. As I'm sure the OP's relative will be the same. I can quote a very intelligence source of information, my Uncle Jiggs, who said "it dont' matter, it all gets mixed up in the stomach anyway" but that's not going to make one bit of a difference.

What the OP has to face is a person who does not want anything touching on the plate. Why should the OP have to deal with this? Let the person who has the "problem" deal with it herself. Have her tell the server to separate things. Maybe she will continue to do that for her entire life or maybe she will decide it's not that big of a deal. Either way, it's that particular person's choice, not ours.

 

[bdoyledimou]

i really don't understand the people here who assume something is wrong with the kid because of this. who says what's normal? maybe everyone else is abnormal because they like everything mixed all together.

I think it's egotistical to think that someone should be broken of a particular behavior because it's not popular. things like this are what make people unique and interesting. it's just like how teachers automatically place pencils in a child's right hand because it's culturally 'right'.

It's not the actual habit that is bad, it's the attitude and sense of entitlement that comes with it. The "if you don't do it MY WAY then i will sit here and pout".
That's what needs to be broken.

It is 100% okay to have a preference. It is when the preference becomes demand that it is not acceptable.

 

[newrygirl]

I find it sad that people on these boards tell an op what they should do when she just asked a question of "would they accomedate her niece". If someone doesn't like their food touching so be it, to be told it is thinking you are entitled to special preference is wrong, people say the child should have to accept things as they come, is that any different than someone looking at a menu and saying "oh I would like mashed potatoes instead of baked and a different veggie other than southern greens" does this not make more work for the chef instead of just plating that meal with what it says it comes with on the menu, I think it would be easier for the chef just to not have food piled on each other then to make all the subsitutions some guests ask for. I don't think any chef would have a problem with this request

 

[jlhill4444]

I am 33 and do not like my food to touch. I am not a picky eater and am very healthy, I just prefer to enjoy the flavors separately. If it was not made all together than I do not want it mixed all together. I dont think any resteraunt will have a problem accomodating. It is no different than asking for sauce on the side. There is nothing wrong with your neice, she has a different preference. Like a vegetarian that has to make changes to their meal for their own choices, food not touching is a choice. I don't pout or whine when it happens, I just eat around the touching food, no big deal.

 

[scrappymel]

If we asked nicely would they seperate her food on the plate so she might actually eat all of it?

sure... no different than asking for a substitution or two. and, i'm sure it will NOT be the first time someone's asked for this.

 

[CamColt]

ummm....i still do this. and, i know i'm not the only one!! there are other adults i've met that don't like foods to touch. i've never asked for special accomodations at disney but i'm sure they would do it. i just don't eat the part of the food that's mixed. I do this more for the taste aspect. when many foods mix together, i think the taste is awful. she may grow out of it or she may not, but either way, it's fine.

Me too! I just want to taste each item not have all 1 blended taste. And I also eat 1 food at a time, for example, all my fries, then my burger, no going back and forth. I'm probably worse now than I was as a kid. I do find things aren't too hard to separate when eating out though.

Actually, I just remembered I did once ask for a separate plate. At Jiko when I got the Filet and Mac & Cheese, they were very accomodating and brought the Mac & Cheese in a separte bowl.

 

[TwiddleDeeTwiddleDum]

Most restaurants are willing to accomodate those type of requests if asked in advance politely.

But I feel your pain. DS is picky. Once we were at a resturant & he had asked politely that NO sause be served with his chicken tenders. Waiter smiled okay, then served them with a gob of honey mustard - oops. DS was grossed out & was not going to eat them come hell or high water. I asked him to just eat on the other side of the plate not covered with sause rather than waste food. But our waiter noticed & said, oh, so sorry, you didn't want sause & promptly removed plate & replaced. I felt bad about the waste of food but appreciated waiter fixing it so we just tipped him extra well. Maybe I should have not worried since DS did request no sause but I still feel bad when sending back perfectly edilble food Since then I try to emphasize to waiter after DS orders to please NOT put sause on chicken OR tomatoe/lettuce on burger, etc. so there wouldn't be any waste (but he still has to make the special request )

 

[littletommy]

Change reservations to one person "kosher"...Or let the resturant know when you check in.
Food won't touch then.

 

[littletommy]

Change reservations to one person "kosher"...Or let the restaurant know when you check in.
Food won't touch then.

 

[Tommy_B]

The question is, will they accommodate her and the answer is maybe, but I still find it an incredibly weird behavior.

How do people who don't like their food touching other food eat sandwiches or hamburgers? Do you put the buns separate from the patty, separate from the lettuce, tomato separate and cheese separate?

How do you eat pasta with shrimp or meat balls?

I get not wanting the sauce from one part of a meal running into another, but just touching and there is no transfer of flavor ...... eh, don't get it.

 

[ZehnJahren]

I'm this way too, though I've gotten better (in my 30s). Maybe ask for a seperate plate, and once the food comes she can seperate the stuff that touched and put it on that other plate. I've gotta say, something about food touching has ALWAYS bothered me, and I spent many a hungry night as a kid but it didn't stop it. I never liked the look or the taste of "mingled" food, and since I'm an adult I can do whatever I please now!

 

[LovesHerTaurus]

I hate my food touching too And I'm 32!

I always hated it. It makes it a big mess of glob on your plate. If your 11 year old hates it and otherwise isn't a picky eater no biggie. Go to buffets! That gives her control over her food.

 

[duffy]

The kosher suggestion is very good!

 

[duffy]

It's not the actual habit that is bad, it's the attitude and sense of entitlement that comes with it. The "if you don't do it MY WAY then i will sit here and pout".
That's what needs to be broken.

It is 100% okay to have a preference. It is when the preference becomes demand that it is not acceptable.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[karrit2000]

OK, I'll admit that I don't like my food touching either. I don't ever recall making a fuss in a restaurant though since I have no control over what goes on in their kitchen. There's usually enough food on the plate to avoid whatever is mixed that I don't want to taste.

But to those who say it all ends up mixed together anyway in the end so what does it matter? I like to taste my foods separately forthe most part. Yes there are casseroles, pasta dishes, etc. that are mixed already when you eat them. And I do like some of them but I don't care for stews or the flavors added by onions, peppers and such so I avoid foods that contain those ingredients when I can. And for a less popular answer, I don't care for the taste of the food if it were to come back up from my stomach and I don't know of anyone who does. That's the flavor you get once it all mixes together.

To the original poster I say give your niece a choice of going hungry, or eating the food the way it is prepared, or her making the request that the food be kept separate on her plate when she orders. She will decide which option she is most comfortable with but let it be her decision.

 

[Deb & Bill]

The artistic method of stacking the food in one tall pile is stupid in my book. As soon as I get my plate, I unstack it so I can eat it. Who can eat that tall stack???

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

I have to agree. My Son was also like this, until i finally got fed up enabling the behaviour and just started giving him the same plate as anyone else.

Another option would be to start creating home made 'hamburger helper" type meals.. cassaroles, sheppards pie, beef stroganoff, where the entire dish is a blend, and then once she starts eating that point out that it is reall just protein/veggies/starch touching each other, no different than mash veggies and steak on a plate.

Good idea. My SIL used to have to decrust everything- sandwiches, pizza, even *peeling* entire bagels (which takes a long time!) She complained and complained until she finally stopped doing it. My nephew's 18 and eats unpeeled bagels almost every day now.

OP, does she eat tacos and sandwiches or do all food items really have to be separate? Maybe you could start with items like fajitas where she is in control of the "mixing". I hope you're able to find a good solution

 

[parkers*momma]

I am so glad I am not the only other adult who doesn't like their food to touch! I'm pushing 50, and totally understand. My DD is the same way and we never have a problem at Disney. A simple quick explanation is all it will take.

Seriously, the idea of a plate of mashed potatoes w/gravy, cole slaw and BBQ ribs. All those things touching....shutter. Poatoes/gravy tasting like cole slaw, slaw tasting like BBQ sauce or brown gravy on BBQ ribs...just not my cup of tea.

Simply explain to the waitress and you should be fine.

 

[divawife]

::sigh::
For the record I thought I made it clear that it was the fancier stacking method of food like mashed potatoes on the bottom, stacked with steak, then onion straws, then whatever as a stacked, "artistic" presentation tower rather then simply a plate of food with the food next to each other that might bother her. I am sorry I didn't make myself clear in the first post.
So..it is my niece not my daughter. She is ok with just a plate of food and does not freak out if the mashed potatos happen to touch the steak if they are next to each other. She simply prefers they do not touch but can move them aside. Without pouting or crying. She eats casseroles and pasta with meatballs. She eats chicken pot pie and shepards pie. Again, it is the stacked food on top of food on top of food that she will not care for. I simply wanted to know if her preference could be accomodated. She is a normal little girl and is not a horse to be "broken". She will be on vacation, she is a child and is not the person "responsible for her problem not me" for asking the waitress for anything out of the ordinary. As the adult it is indeed "my problem" and I don't see it as a "problem" in the first place. As for 'let her go hungry don't worry she'll eat" I don't even know how to respond to that.
For those of you who simply helped out with a simple answer...thank you.

 

[SteffM]

I find it sad that people on these boards tell an op what they should do when she just asked a question of "would they accomedate her niece". If someone doesn't like their food touching so be it, to be told it is thinking you are entitled to special preference is wrong, people say the child should have to accept things as they come, is that any different than someone looking at a menu and saying "oh I would like mashed potatoes instead of baked and a different veggie other than southern greens" does this not make more work for the chef instead of just plating that meal with what it says it comes with on the menu, I think it would be easier for the chef just to not have food piled on each other then to make all the subsitutions some guests ask for. I don't think any chef would have a problem with this request

THIS is exactly why I am not fond of these boards and only frequent when we want to plan/are planning a trip.

I am guessing that the people on here that said that say to break the child of this habit are the people that will also order a steak and say "cook it to whatever doneness is easiest for the chef" or "whatever dressing you slather on my salad is fine by me" .

I really don't like my food touching and I am over 30 years old. To the OP, talk to the waitstaff and I am sure most will try to be accommodating. Either she will or she won't grow out of this, but it is up to her if/when she does this and I don't believe forcing will help .

Have a great trip!