How to deal with DD's picky eating habits

[buddyboo]

Does anyone else have a child that is an extremely picky eater? I have 2 dds. The 4yo will eat anything, but the 7yo has to be the pickiest child on the face of the earth. She will only eat peanutbutter (no jelly) sandwiches or crackers, mcdonalds chicken nuggets, salad w/ ranch dressing (not buttermilk ranch though), cucumbers, carrot sticks, black olives, deli turkey meat (not the thick roasted turkey slices), apples, kraft mac&cheese, rolls, cereals, american cheese slices, melons, & fruit cocktail. Her diet is actually very healthy, but there's just not much variety to it. Dr. says not to make a big deal about it b/c her diet is so healthy. We have PSs at:
Ohana
Cinderella's Table-this one really concerns me!
Rainforest Cafe
Prime Time Cafe
Hollywood and Vine (will be ok bc of the salad bar)
I refuse to let her eating habits dictate where we can eat, but I'm wondering what I can do so she'll be able to eat something. Will I have to pay for her at places where she doesn't eat anything? Can I take things like apples & peanutbutter crackers into the restaurant for her to eat?

Please tell me I'm not the only one whose child is like this! I

 

[luvaladdin]

Two of my 3 kids are fussy eaters. Everything seems to "taste funny" to them. My DD14 was eating fruit with dip and enjoying it, until I told her there was fluff and cream cheese in the dip, then she wouldn't eat anymore! May your child outgrow this sooner than mine!

We went to O'Hana's one evening and it was obvious to the waiter that my kids were not eating. He offered to bring them cheeseburgers and fries, which I didn't know was available. I felt badly as they hardly ate these either, maybe they had filled up on the bread that was initially served to us. But then the waiter noticed apparently that they didn't eat that either, and he didn't charge us for them. Which I thought was way nice.

I would talk to the hostess at the restaurant before being seated, and explain that your daughter will be eating only the food that you have brought. Or you could ask if there is something they serve that she likes not listed on the menu. I think restaurants are willing to work with you, as long as they feel that you are not trying to mooch a free kid's meal.

But as for any character meals, I believe you have to pay regardless because part of the price is for the characters.

 

[MikeWazowski]

Originally posted by luvaladdin
But then the waiter noticed apparently that they didn't eat that either, and he didn't charge us for them. Which I thought was way nice.

A similiar act of kindness happened to my family when we dined with my 6yo niece at Cinderella's. She also does not eat that much, she usually has one big eating day out of the week. We ordered her the same old chicken stripes. As usually and no surprise to us she was'nt eating it. Not because it was'nt good, just because she was'nt in the mood.

Our waitor noticed that she was not eating and offered somthing else that she would like. But, we said no thanks this is just how she is. So he said if she ate some more chicken that he would have a special dessert for her. She took a bite and he returned w/ ice ceam. Both her meal and dessert were not on the bill. It was not necessary, but was very nice.

What we do know is feed her on the outside usually a hot dog or you guessed it, chicken stripes from a counter-service then we go to a sit-down. Where she get's dessert and we all win.

 

[>>^..^<<]

Well your picky daughter sounds like a dream child compared to mine - at least she eats salad! My DD will only eat tomatoes - and forget dressing - and black olives? she would run for the hills.

She even has a problem with Lipton chicken noodle soup - insisting the little "green parsley flecks" have to be strained out first.

She is supicious of foods and thinks we are all trying to poison her.

I think your DD will be fine - the restaurants are great - coming up with a grilled cheese when you need it.

Don't Worry,

>>^..^<<

 

[jpmom97]

My son lives on fruit roll ups. I don't know how he survives. He sometimes will eat breakfast so I have lots of breakfasts planned for our trip. Oh and he eats french fries so I figure everyplace can supply those. But I feel your pain. Then I look at myself and my husband and wonder where my DS came from, we love to eat!!

 

[Terk-1]

As a slightly picky adult eater, who is an aunt to a picky nephew, I think I may be able to help.

On my last trip with my family, we stopped by a grocery store and purchased PB&J, bread, Pop Tarts, snack bags of Doritoes & other things, juice drinks, cereal, milk, water, etc. This helped on many different levels. We'd have breakfast in the room, then head for one of the parks. We would do one meal in the parks or resorts, then do sandwiches for the other meal. This saved quite a bit of money on meals, plus we knew it was something they would eat. We did do Chef Mickey's for breakfast, since it has cereal & pancakes (which they eat), as well as the Crystal Palace. The waitress even let us order french fries, which the kids liked. This way we all enjoyed the meal. I think you'll do well at the places you listed, but I would add the Crystal Palace, Garden Grill or 1900 Park Fare to your list and pass of the Rainforest Cafe. Also, take a look at the menus at the site listed below. This will help alot. Another option would be to dine at some places that everyone will enjoy and bring some things with you that you know that your child will eat. This way everyone is happy.

Hope this helps!!

 

[peg2001]

Originally posted by buddyboo


Please tell me I'm not the only one whose child is like this! I

Please rest assured that you are not alone. My DD6 has a diet very similar to what you have listed. I can't get any support or advice from her doctors as they think she is doing fine.

We are now focusing our efforts on minimizing the effects of her eating habits on us. I reassure her that she won't go hungry and we won't force anything on her, but that she will accompany us wherever we want to eat. She can eat or simply keep us company politely. She either eats beforehand or afterwards and can usually find SOMETHING on the menu to snack on during our meal.

Peggy

 

[Jordan's MOM]

I did not know that my only child son had so many "lost siblings" out there!!!! He is 11 and still very picky! The problem is that his Picky is not near as healthy as your daughters. Here is what we have found at WDW. Yes, he can survive for a full week on nothing but chicken stips (no not the nuggets). We have also found that most places will go out of the way to fix or get for him ,something not on the menu. Ohana can get a kids meals form Konga Cafe. Most anyplace can fix a grilled cheese but you have to be very specific, white bread, yellow american cheese nothing else please! We have also learned not to sweat paying for food he ended up not eating. I can't see a problem with taking some fast food from an outside counter service into the resturant, and I think most of the places would even send someone out to get it for you.

DS at 11 is getting a little better. He will now eat a grilled chicken breast and baked potato, and any nice place can handle that even if it's not on the menu.

Relax and remember she will not starve in a week and she might even find a new food that she likes.


Jordan's mom

 

[HokieDad]

I was a very picky eater as a child (no pizza, just the crust Pizza Hut only). It's a control thing. If I got hungry enough, I could always find something to eat. I was more likely to eat new foods when I was hungry rather than try old foods I already didn't like.

I don't know if other kids have this problem but the combination of sugar and hot sun always made me sick. We kept our kids on water at Disney.

 

[goofy4tink]

Have no fear. My dd has what we call a 'discriminating' palate. At 9 1/2, she has just started eating steak and pizza. She has existed on American cheese (and grilled cheese), 1% milk, Trix yogurt (only!!), lowfat pudding, peanut butter (creamy, no jelly), hot dogs (roll only as a transferal device), chicken, corn on the cob, Kraft macaroni & cheese. We found that the WDW restaurants were terrific about getting mac & cheese or hots dogs (the mini kind) or grilled cheese for her. We don't force the issue but insist that she try things at least once. She is always really surprised when she tries something new, that I have insisted upon, only to find that is is quite good. To those of you who are familiar with Friendly's in the NE, she finally tried a choc. Fribble (very thick shake) and found it greatly to her liking!!! There's always something to eat at WDW, for anyone!!!! Have a terrific time.

 

[CARRIE0604]

Oh, I'm laughing so much, but want to cry.
You know you have a picky eater when you're happy your child now likes hotdogs, simply because it's a "new food" item on the very short list of what she will eat.
I FEEL YOUR ANGUISH!!
We too had wait staff at O'hana's go out of there way to accomodate my daughter. Very much appreciated.

 

[Kae]

I Think my DD2 is going turn into a Wheat thin! I go through 3-4 boxes aweek.

Kae

 

[jlaspoq]

Check the menus before you go! They are widely available - I think here on DIS but I got mine from WDWIG. I showed them to my picky DD8 and talked a lot about how we were going to try things and not worry about whether they were exactly what she usually eats (which, like yours, is mostly healthy but very limited).

Then, when you get there, don't be afraid to ask for special accomodations. We went to Liberty Tree, and heard so much about the great strawberry dressing that I made my daughter try it. She hated it. The waiter noticed she wasn't eating, and brought her another with basic ranch. Also - be aware that several counter service type places list PB&J, but it might actaully be the new Uncrustables (by Smuckers, I think) that you get in the grocery store. My daughter doesn't like those, so I learned to ask before I picked PB&J. Then, if it was regular PB&J, I had to ask for "just jelly".

Also, it seems to me there are a couple of places with McDonald's food.... maybe at AK and Epcot. Worth checking ahead of time.

I had several possiblities in mind based on our itinerary, so that regardless of where we got hungry, I had an idea what might work.

Oh, and the most important thing - don't worry too much, and let her eat ice cream and milk shakes - after all, they're in the milk group and this is vacation!

 

[uktigger]

hi all
my ds is also a very picky eater,he really only eats
nuggets and fries
sausage and mash
and generally things like fish fingers maybe sometimes he might try something different he defeniatly don't eat any fruit or veg and ice-cream has to be of the plain kind
on our last trip in 2001 we ate at limited places and just got on with it(me,dh,ds2 eat most things)but next time we are hoping to eat at places we would like to try,we will have to try and sort something out he will enjoy
also we will be booking ice-cream social will they be able to bring his out plain?

thanxs eve

 

[slp87]

My DD (9) is also extremely picky. She just ate her first pb&j the other day. We decided before our last trip that we weren't going to sweat the food. If she lived on bacon & french fries the entire trip, we weren't going to worry. It will all work out, and she won't starve. Have a great trip!!

 

[CRCrazy]

We are in the same boat with our middle DD - she is turning 13 at DW this week!

We've gone twice with her - once when she was 11, once at 12, and both times, she lived on hot dogs, and chicken strips. She also brought her own bottle of Catalina dressing - she eats that on everything she is willing to eat. She does eat salad - but only lettuce & cucumbers - no other stuff! Unfortunately, she is 5 ft 8 inches tall, and 150 pounds, so she doesn't look like she needs to eat off of the child's menu!

Disney is usually pretty good - we used the Candlelight dining package last year at Le Cellier - I asked if I could use the child menu for her, since the cut off age is 11, and she was 12. No problem, and they only charged me the child price - not the adult price!

We wanted to go out to dinner for her birthday, and she wanted to eat at one of the nicer restaurants, not a buffet. We ended up choosing the 50's PT - it's the only restaurant that offers fried chicken on the adult menu, and she's convinced that she wants to eat off the adult menu this trip. I refuse to pay $20 for an entree that she will not touch!