Food issues of a 9 year old.

[Mikailova]

My 9yo niece has one button that drives me nuts. Food. Our first trip to Disney will be in October this year and this is one of my greatest worry wart triggers right now.

I want her first Disney trip to be a fun one. I don't want every meal to be a power struggle. Honestly I would be happy to let her eat nothing but junk for the whole week, but I do know better.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to make food times as much fun as the rest of the trip?

Also what are some snacks and suggestions that other parents have that when you know your child will eat nothing else they will eat "this" and where can you find them at Disney? (for my niece it's chicken nuggets, and mac and cheese)

 

[mom2alix]

Almost all the buffets have a children's section (down at their height where they can help themselves) that includes the requisite chicken nuggets and mac n cheese. Those are really good choices for sit-down meals with picky kids. The good thing is that you can pick the "good stuff" from the rest of the buffet so everyon'e happy!

 

[MSSANDRA]

Well, Ds did live off Chicken nuggets one year at WDW when he was just about her age. He,lived to tell the story. I simply was not going to fight aver food at WDW. A few things I did was plan some buffets and place a plate of fruit on the table and encourage him to nibble on that. I offered juice instead of soda but did not insist on it. i kept healthy snacks such as cheese and youget in a cooler. Try caring dried fruit or pick up fresh fruit at fruit stands in the parks.
Offer her samplings off you plate and encourage her to choose something besides fries at every meal.


BUT... relax. it is just one week and you do not have to be the parent..you get to be auntie.

 

[tikimimi]

I don't know if this will work with your niece, but we have a picky eater in our household (chicken nuggets and mac & cheese would be on her list) and growing up, whenever there was a buffet option, we would go there for her. The rule was always - a meat, something green, something yellow or roange, then your choice. It is amazing how little actually makes up a serving of anything, so really getting just a little of the green and other color in her was not a huge deal. She would usually eat them first knowing the rest was up to her after that. Of course, dessert was always contingent on the green and other color being gone. Now all that being said, research has shown that given a choice, and over time, children all the way down to toddlers will usually provide for themselves a balance in items sufficient to nourish their bodies. As to your question about other snack ideas - it really depends on what she'll eat. Of course, if you can play off her interests (For example, if she likes Hannah Montana, does she know Hannah loves water to drink and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?) and use some positive peer pressure, that might help. It is amazing to me the ehalthy options Disney has added to their children's meals. Good luck!

 

[janey99]

MY DS9 is pretty picky. One thing that worked for us was lots of snacks at the various kiosks - a crepe, a sack of nuts, other small healthy treats that were interesting to him just because we were in Disney and they came from a cool cart.

It may not have had him eating major meals in restaurants, but at least we knew he was getting some high quality nutrition on a grazing basis!

Good luck -

Jane

 

[MelanieRI]

My DD is a very picky eater, also. They only meat she eats is the fake kind in chicken nuggets and won't eat a PB&J unless there is no J. lol But, a week of vacation and not so great meals isn't going to harm her too much and I don't make a big deal out of it. Here are my tips:

1) Pack (or get at a store when u get there) the kinds of food she might like that you can carry around at the parks with you. For example: small boxes/cups of cereal (just buy milk), cereal bars and those types of food.

2) Check out http://allearsnet.com/menu/menus.htm#mk It lists all the menus for the places to eat. I edited them in Word to show the places that would serve meals that she would eat. That way I know there's no need to stop at the Flame House BBQ in AK if it's not on my list b/c I know there's nothing there she's going to eat. When there is a place I want to eat at but she won't, that is when the boxed cereal comes in great.

 

[graygables]

Never put food at the center of a power struggle and CERTAINLY don't do it at WDW. The kid isn't going to drop dead of a heart attack from eating chicken strips (which are VERY good) and mac & cheese (comes with a side of grapes) all week.

I've told my DDs one rule about food at WDW. If they order something and don't like it, they can order something else. I've seen too many parents screaming at their kids over food and I refuse to be one of them. I have a 20yo nephew who has had an eating disorder his whole life b/c his mother made food a power struggle when he was a baby.

Buffets will be your friend. My picky 9yo stocks up on fresh fruits at buffets and we always say that she'll eat an adult's money worth just in strawberries, if given the chance.

 

[Mikailova]

Never put food at the center of a power struggle and CERTAINLY don't do it at WDW. The kid isn't going to drop dead of a heart attack from eating chicken strips (which are VERY good) and mac & cheese (comes with a side of grapes) all week.

I've told my DDs one rule about food at WDW. If they order something and don't like it, they can order something else. I've seen too many parents screaming at their kids over food and I refuse to be one of them. I have a 20yo nephew who has had an eating disorder his whole life b/c his mother made food a power struggle when he was a baby.

Buffets will be your friend. My picky 9yo stocks up on fresh fruits at buffets and we always say that she'll eat an adult's money worth just in strawberries, if given the chance.

That's basically what my niece's mother has done to this child and she's 9 years old. There is a much deeper issue here and I know it. I just don't want it to interfere with our Disney trip.

All this advice has help greatly. I'm probably worrying over nothing. She'll eat just fine for me. I don't make it an issue, and she's not trying to rebel against me. I let her be herself. I just want to make sure she's got enough calories and stamina to make it through the day. I know if she's hungry she'll tell me. Pop corn, and candied apples are healthyish (or I at least try to comfort myself with that). They started out as fruits and vegetables, right?

 

[ilovejack02]

My DS5 eats almost anything, but will eat junk all day long if allowed to. WDW has the one place i just give up and let him go with what he wants. I suggest you do the same with yours. Vacation is meant to be fun and i never argue about food or much else on it.

 

[graygables]

That's basically what my niece's mother has done to this child and she's 9 years old. There is a much deeper issue here and I know it.

My SIL started it when he was a baby; he wasn't allowed to feed himself. She'd hold his hands down when he reached for the food and she would give him bites (in measured amounts). If he was having a growth spurt and still hungry, too bad for him. Once he was old enough to recognize that food was the battleground, he took complete control and won each and every time. She'd make him sit at the table until bedtime or leave the food until the next meal (and he still wouldn't eat it), but he outlasted her. He realized it was the only thing in his life where he had any control and he exercised it. Now that he's an adult and living at college (and rarely comes home), he's started eating some more, but those old habits die VERY hard. It's a very sad situation, my brother doesn't hear from DN much, either b/c DN also blames him for not defending him more and getting SIL to ease up. I hope your niece is able to find her way. (and the chicken strips at WDW are YUMMY, even *I* like to eat them! )

 

[crisi]

Note that the mac n cheese at Disney is Stouffers - the truly picky Kraft lovers sometimes won't eat it.

Make a list of what she will eat and what you are willing to have her eat - then read menus. If necessary, pick up bread and peanut butter and jelly (if she eats that).

 

[CastleCreations]

When we're at Disney, I let the girls choose their main meal, it's usually a hot dog, pizza, or mac n cheese, but I make them drink water, apple juice or milk...NO SODA..They also must choose a healthy snack. No ice cream or Mickey shaped rice crispy things, they usually like grapes, apples, or any cut up fruit. They also like the cut up celery and carrot sticks, and yogurt.

 

[badblackpug]

Don't even sweat it. Last year my 7 y/o went on a food tour we jokingly refer to as "chicken tenders around the world." No matter where we ate he ordered chicken tenders and fries. My thought is: it is vacation, let him enjoy it. Almost every meal was Chicken tenders, fries, and an ice cream sundae. I wouldn't classify him as a picky eater. He is more than willing to try or taste anything off of anyone elses plate, and usually likes it, but when asked what he wanted it was always "chicken tenders and fries."

Just let her eat what she wants. My suggestion is offer her "tastes" off your plate, if she refuses, no big deal, if she accepts then praise her for trying something new.

 

[DevilDuckie]

That's basically what my niece's mother has done to this child and she's 9 years old. There is a much deeper issue here and I know it. I just don't want it to interfere with our Disney trip.

All this advice has help greatly. I'm probably worrying over nothing. She'll eat just fine for me. I don't make it an issue, and she's not trying to rebel against me. I let her be herself. I just want to make sure she's got enough calories and stamina to make it through the day. I know if she's hungry she'll tell me. Pop corn, and candied apples are healthyish (or I at least try to comfort myself with that). They started out as fruits and vegetables, right?

If she tells you she's hungry start out by offering her real healthy foods. If she won't go for it, then consider falling back on junk but remember that she may be more willing to accept proper food from you than from her mom- especially if mom isn't around!

If you are carrying good snacks for yourself, offer her some randomly. If YOU are having a string cheese and a bottle of water it doesn't feel like pressure if you offer her some. "I'm having X, would you like some?" is a totally different prospect than, "Will you please eat X?"


If there are other children in your group, praise good eaters. Simply don't comment if your niece is refusing to eat properly. Sometimes it is enough that other people are being praised- you don't even have to criticize her.

 

[Mkrop]

DS10 ate chicken tenders, mac and cheese or pb&j the whole trip. This is what he orders when we eat out. When we are at home, I get him to eat good stuff. He does like fruit so he did eat grapes and loaded up on melons at breakfast. Maybe get some filling breakfasts in her like Mickey waffles. I did get some green beans in him at Garden Grill

DS5 was pretty mucht he same except he added pizza, and he would eat the raw carrots they served.

I would go to the menus and make sure they have her fall back stuff, most do and then see if you can see if she would like to try something from your plate or something different from the buffet.

I mean with my picky eaters we did Chef Mickey(B), Garden Grill(L), H&V(B) Crsytal Palace (L), Concourse Steakhouse(L&D), Cosmic Rays, Sunshine Seasons, Pizzafari,Sci Fi Diner. They didnt starve and I didnt nag!

Have fun! There is no reason to fill up on junk, although we did have McDonalds fries and ice cream for dinner one night