Bringing food from home for CP child

[boakl1968]

We will be visiting WDW Thanksgiving week. My son, who will be four at the time of our visit has mild CP and I am concerned about how to keep him fed and happy. He has a very hard time chewing foods. Most restuarant kid foods (chicken nuggets, burgers etc) are too crunchy or chewy for him and he chokes. This is upsetting to him and to those around him as you can imagine! I usually bring a thermos with cut up nuggets with us along with canned fruit. Anytime we have been questioned by a restaurant we tell them about his limitations and we have never once had a problem. We usually add the price of a child's meal to our total at TS restaurants and tip accordingly.

Do you think we will be given a hard time about doing this during our trip? I am not so much concerned about the restaurants themselves, what I worry about are the security checks at the gates. If they make me throw out the food, eating will be very tricky for us.

Any suggestions?

 

[MisMikiNikiLynne]

When DD could only eat small pieces of foods I carried along a chopper from the Pampered Chef and just chopped up table foods for her. She can now only eat ground food so I have a portable baby grinder that i take with me and still feed her table foods. I got this grinder from The Right Start Catalog and it was fairly inexpensive (less than $20.00 shipped). She does not eat much, only bits now and the servers have always been very accomodating to her needs.
Good Luck!

 

[disneyandme]

My DD4 has many food allergies and still has too many for Disney to be able to cook for her so we bring all the food she needs with us and have never had a problem. They have always been willing to make whatever accomodations she needs but we only have a few things she can have so it is just easier for us to bring it than to explain the issues and make sure all the ingredients are OK.

 

[SueM in MN]

The security people are looking for things like guns and weapons. People bring in food all the time with no problem, so I would not worry about bringing your child's food in.
Last year when we went in October during the Food and Wine Festival, we brought some food along with us for DD. My DH and I planned to eat most of our meals at the special food stands and we knew there was little for DD to eat. We had things like individual canned fruits, apple sauce, cheese. Many of the counter service places had Mac and Cheese, which was no problem for her to eat.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Hi and to both DisBoards and disABILITIES!

If you click on where it says "disABILTIES" at the top of this page it will take you to the Index. One of the top items is the "disABILTIES FAQ" which will gives lots of useful information. Page 3 of the FAQ has a lot of information and links listed as "diet".

In addition, there are at least four threads just on the first page of this forum that are related to food situations. You should be able to get some very good ideas from them.

Or, if you want an easier route, click on the link in my signature.

 

[livndisney]

We will be visiting WDW Thanksgiving week. My son, who will be four at the time of our visit has mild CP and I am concerned about how to keep him fed and happy. He has a very hard time chewing foods. Most restuarant kid foods (chicken nuggets, burgers etc) are too crunchy or chewy for him and he chokes. This is upsetting to him and to those around him as you can imagine! I usually bring a thermos with cut up nuggets with us along with canned fruit. Anytime we have been questioned by a restaurant we tell them about his limitations and we have never once had a problem. We usually add the price of a child's meal to our total at TS restaurants and tip accordingly.

Do you think we will be given a hard time about doing this during our trip? I am not so much concerned about the restaurants themselves, what I worry about are the security checks at the gates. If they make me throw out the food, eating will be very tricky for us.

Any suggestions?

I have not taken food into a table service place-but we take food into the parks (food allergies) all the time. The only comments we have gotten is security wanting to know if they can join us since the food we bring looks good

 

[boakl1968]

I have been very worried about this. LOL about the pp's food looking good to the checkers at the gate --- I don't think they will be all that impressed with microwaved chicken nuggets and fruit cocktail!

Also thanks for making me aware of the GAC. I plan to request a stroller as a wheelchair card. My son does walk independently, but has low stimina and I think waiting in lines will be too much for him. He will also need a stroller during shows as he needs armrests in case he loses his balance while sitting. I am hopeful that they will issue one to us.

Thanks again

 

[mechurchlady]

I have wasted too much energy and time in my life worrying about what other people think or will think. Enjoy life and if people give you a hard time then give them a nice lecture, lol, or ignore them. People tend to assume things but when told the facts are pretty nice. Of course, there are your jerks who when not glaring at a disabled person are glaring at a fat lady, smoker, or mom with a crying toddler.

They will definitely give you the GAC and the "stroller as a wheelchair" tag. You will need the GAC in case you happen to see a short line and walk in without the stroller. CMs will see a bouncy kid and not know about how in a while the bounce will be gone. CMs are not mind readers, lol.

As for the food, talk to the restaurant people as they surely can make pureed foods as well as soft foods like mashed potatos at table restaurants. I like the idea of the small chopper as that would help you. Also order their chicken nuggets and see if they are soft enough as you will not know unless you try them. this boards FAQs explain how and who to deal with for specialized meals.

CMs are used to people bringing in whole meals for religious and medical reasons. I used to do that at DLR as I could not eat most of their food safely.

 

[DCDisney]

They will be fine with you bringing foods but they aren't allowed to heat them for you at all.

 

[SueM in MN]

They will be fine with you bringing foods but they aren't allowed to heat them for you at all.

That is a food safety rule for restaurants.
If you need things heated, I'm pretty sure that they have microwaves for food heating at the Baby Care center in each park.