Table service options for super picky child

[kittehkay]

For people who have traveled with super picky kids, how did you do it? I’m considering taking my sister (9 at time of trip), but the one hang up I’m running into is finding something for her to eat. Quick service is easy and I can find something for her at every park, or even bring things, I’m just struggling with table service options. We’re only doing two sit down, one being Morimoto Asia which luckily she might eat the lo mein (she eats the mall kind and the local Chinese restaurant kind). The issue is the already plain kids meal options are not what she’ll eat. The lists of won’t eat outweigh the list of foods she will eat. She will eat: Disney chicken nuggets, some chicken tenders (think like Tyson not hand breaded), grilled cheese, pepperoni pizza, spaghetti maybe with marinara sauce, and absolutely mashed potatoes (her favorite). You wouldn’t think it’d be hard since the kids menus are not adventurous, but I’ve only found a small handful that will work. We are not visiting MK, so all of those restaurants are out.

 

[EilonwyWanderer]

Look at the menus before hand, it's honestly the only way. Our super picky eater went hungry at some places we tried when we mistakenly thought every table service had chicken nuggets--don't worry, we'd find something for her to eat afterwards. Maybe get her something before you go so she can just watch something on a phone or an ipad while you all eat?

Like I'd love to do Storybook dining but no way my daughter would eat anything there.

 

[kittehkay]

Look at the menus before hand, it's honestly the only way. Our super picky eater went hungry at some places we tried when we mistakenly thought every table service had chicken nuggets--don't worry, we'd find something for her to eat afterwards. Maybe get her something before you go so she can just watch something on a phone or an ipad while you all eat?

Like I'd love to do Storybook dining but no way my daughter would eat anything there.

That is a good point about her eating before hand. DH and I are not picky eaters at all so it’s a completely different experience throwing a picky eater into the equation. It does throw out any family style restaurant completely!

 

[HopperFan]

Avoid anywhere prix fixe, all you can eat etc where you have to pay whether she eats or not.

Look at menus where you might at least find her a side dish or appetizer she’ll like.

Feed her nugget meal etc before you go to dinner so she is full.

Don’t stress over it, she won’t starve just carry snacks.

 

[rdaky]

I agree with reading menus in advance and also avoiding family style meals and most buffets. We have a picky eater who also has food allergies and sensory issues. We skip some restaurants. We have also taken our own food for her into a table service restaurant. I wouldn't sweat it too much. Just read the menus and prepare in advance so that no one is caught off guard. As long as we're prepared, we can handle it and there aren't any meltdowns about not finding anything to eat.

 

[VandVsmama]

For people who have traveled with super picky kids, how did you do it? I’m considering taking my sister (9 at time of trip), but the one hang up I’m running into is finding something for her to eat. Quick service is easy and I can find something for her at every park, or even bring things, I’m just struggling with table service options. We’re only doing two sit down, one being Morimoto Asia which luckily she might eat the lo mein (she eats the mall kind and the local Chinese restaurant kind). The issue is the already plain kids meal options are not what she’ll eat. The lists of won’t eat outweigh the list of foods she will eat. She will eat: Disney chicken nuggets, some chicken tenders (think like Tyson not hand breaded), grilled cheese, pepperoni pizza, spaghetti maybe with marinara sauce, and absolutely mashed potatoes (her favorite). You wouldn’t think it’d be hard since the kids menus are not adventurous, but I’ve only found a small handful that will work. We are not visiting MK, so all of those restaurants are out.

My YDD is a very picky eater. We are going back to WDW in October. The TS & QS places that are on my list, given her eating preferences, are:

• Whispering Canyon at WL - both for breakfast/brunch, lunch, or dinner. At breakfast/brunch, she can stock up on Mickey waffles & bacon. For the lunch/dinner time frames, she'll eat her fill of the BBQ.
• Primo Piatto at the Riviera (QS) - YDD will eat their pizza. but she only likes pepperoni, not sausage. Just ask them to leave the sausage off. Or just pick it off. This place has TS quality food. Everything on the menu here is amazingly good.
• Flame Tree BBQ at AK (QS) - BBQ ribs. She's also a pulled pork fan, so any place that has pulled BBQ pork is a plus for YDD, but she hates bread, so if it's only available at places as a sandwich, she just scrapes it all off of the bun.
• Via Napoli (TS) at Epcot - for obvious reasons...pizza. It's very good there. And the menu has other options, too. YDD will eat some salads, too, as long as the dressing is Italian.
• Tutto Italia (TS) at Epcot - YDD will eat the plain boring pasta w/marinara sauce.
• Any place that offers steak. YDD loves steak, but doesn't like mashed potatoes (I know what you're thinking, "Who is this child?" LOL!).
• Regal Eagle BBQ (QS) at Epcot - for same reason as Flame Tree BBQ at AK.
• Prime Time Cafe (TS) at HS - YDD gets the fried chicken, skips the mashed potatoes. I make her eat a couple of bites of vegetables and she acts like it's going to kill her (she's 13).
• Hollywood Brown Derby (TS) at HS - YDD loves the steak here (we went last June), but I see from the menu right now that it's not on there at the moment.
• Trail's End (TS) at Fort Wilderness - for brunch or dinner.

For the WL or Ft Wilderness TS options, even though you're not going to MK, you could take transportation to MK and then get on bus or boat to WL or Ft Wilderness.

 

[VandVsmama]

My YDD is a very picky eater. We are going back to WDW in October. The TS & QS places that are on my list, given her eating preferences, are:

• Whispering Canyon at WL - both for breakfast/brunch, lunch, or dinner. At breakfast/brunch, she can stock up on Mickey waffles & bacon. For the lunch/dinner time frames, she'll eat her fill of the BBQ.
• Primo Piatto at the Riviera (QS) - YDD will eat their pizza. but she only likes pepperoni, not sausage. Just ask them to leave the sausage off. Or just pick it off. This place has TS quality food. Everything on the menu here is amazingly good.
• Flame Tree BBQ at AK (QS) - BBQ ribs. She's also a pulled pork fan, so any place that has pulled BBQ pork is a plus for YDD, but she hates bread, so if it's only available at places as a sandwich, she just scrapes it all off of the bun.
• Via Napoli (TS) at Epcot - for obvious reasons...pizza. It's very good there. And the menu has other options, too. YDD will eat some salads, too, as long as the dressing is Italian.
• Tutto Italia (TS) at Epcot - YDD will eat the plain boring pasta w/marinara sauce.
• Any place that offers steak. YDD loves steak, but doesn't like mashed potatoes (I know what you're thinking, "Who is this child?" LOL!).
• Regal Eagle BBQ (QS) at Epcot - for same reason as Flame Tree BBQ at AK.
• Prime Time Cafe (TS) at HS - YDD gets the fried chicken, skips the mashed potatoes. I make her eat a couple of bites of vegetables and she acts like it's going to kill her (she's 13).
• Hollywood Brown Derby (TS) at HS - YDD loves the steak here (we went last June), but I see from the menu right now that it's not on there at the moment.
• Trail's End (TS) at Fort Wilderness - for brunch or dinner.

For the WL or Ft Wilderness TS options, even though you're not going to MK, you could take transportation to MK and then get on bus or boat to WL or Ft Wilderness.

Another steak option if the picky kiddo will eat steak is Chefs de France at Epcot. They have a grilled tenderloin of beef. My YDD would skip the potatoes that go with it and it's a lot of money to spend just for a steak, but a good part of me doesn't really care about the price because it would also mean that DH, ODD, & I could also try out some different food and the 4 of us would all be able to find something we liked on the menu.

 

[VandVsmama]

One other option:

Rose & Crown Dining Room at Epcot. They have a fish & chips entree that my YDD would eat. But everything else on their menu? She'd act like it was disgusting and poisonous.

 

[VandVsmama]

Found 1 more - Grand Floridian Cafe. For dinner, they have fried chicken on the menu. For breakfast/lunch, she could get pancakes or waffles while the rest of you get something else.

 

[VandVsmama]

At Boardwalk - Big River Grille & Brewing Works. There's a ribeye steak on the menu. And ribs.

 

[EilonwyWanderer]

Some of the pool bars have hot dogs!

I have one very picky eater and one okay eater but my issue is they have very few things in common.

Picky eater hates pasta with sauce, pizza, certain kinds of chicken nuggets, anything that "looks weird" or "smells weird", steak, sandwich meat of all kinds.

Okay eater likes pasta with sauce, pizza, steak, hot dogs.

Picky eater likes grilled cheese, cheese in general, plain pasta, some chicken nuggets, bread, and hot dogs.

Okay eater hates grilled cheese, cheese in general, any bread but white bread.

Guys I'm so tired of hot dogs.

 

[kittehkay]

Some of the pool bars have hot dogs!

I have one very picky eater and one okay eater but my issue is they have very few things in common.

Picky eater hates pasta with sauce, pizza, certain kinds of chicken nuggets, anything that "looks weird" or "smells weird", steak, sandwich meat of all kinds.

Okay eater likes pasta with sauce, pizza, steak, hot dogs.

Picky eater likes grilled cheese, cheese in general, plain pasta, some chicken nuggets, bread, and hot dogs.

Okay eater hates grilled cheese, cheese in general, any bread but white bread.

Guys I'm so tired of hot dogs.

My sister refuses to even try a hot dog! I hope can influence her to be a bit more “adventurous” with my big sister charm since she adores me lol

 

[sponica]

I have the opposite kind of picky eater and I really wish she'd just eat kid food.

Won't eat- any chicken tender or chicken nugget, hot dogs, grilled cheese, etc. ONLY EATS ANNIE'S MAC AND CHEESE, don't you dare try to serve her Kraft (note to future parents, start with Kraft or you end up with a spoiled kid who only eats annie's).

We go to a Mexican restaurant in town and she orders the avocado burger, without the avocado.

We've basically told her we're eating where we're eating and she needs to try something. If she makes an honest effort to try things, we said we'd get her something somewhere else if she was still hungry.

 

[Beamerball]

We always bring something with us that our picky eater will eat. Bread, banana and cracker/chip options. He’s 11 and will eat nothing at any restaurant. We have 4 TS reservations (no pre-fix/buffets) and just pack stuff for him. We will get him ice cream if available. It’s ridiculous that he won’t eat but We have tried and he won’t. So packing snacks it is!

 

[FCDub]

The POVs on this are so funny sometimes. I remember a recent thread that was VERY heated where the poster said the kids’ menus were garbage in terms of “real food” and their kid was doomed to just eat burgers and chicken tenders every day.

Then there are people who want MORE of those foods. Not a dig at you at, OP. Hope you’re able to find stuff you can all enjoy.

 

[kittehkay]

The POVs on this are so funny sometimes. I remember a recent thread that was VERY heated where the poster said the kids’ menus were garbage and their kid was doomed to just eat burgers and chicken tenders every day.

Then there are people who want MORE of those foods. Not a dig at you at, OP. Hope you’re able to find stuff you can all enjoy.

No you’re right it is funny! I read that thread too and it’s interesting to see the opposite side of the kids taste buds spectrum.
I think the kids menus need a revamp with more options for both the picky and adventurous eaters. It’s all just the same five items rotated throughout property with the occasional restaurant specific item.

 

[Kingdome8]

Look at the menus before hand, it's honestly the only way. Our super picky eater went hungry at some places we tried when we mistakenly thought every table service had chicken nuggets--don't worry, we'd find something for her to eat afterwards. Maybe get her something before you go so she can just watch something on a phone or an ipad while you all eat?

Like I'd love to do Storybook dining but no way my daughter would eat anything there.

You can get chicken tenders there. My daughter is very picky. We had free dining and went there she still had to use adult credit which is fine so she had 60$ chicken tenders but was able to get the cotton candy drink. Lol.

 

[soniam]

I have the opposite kind of picky eater and I really wish she'd just eat kid food.

Won't eat- any chicken tender or chicken nugget, hot dogs, grilled cheese, etc. ONLY EATS ANNIE'S MAC AND CHEESE, don't you dare try to serve her Kraft (note to future parents, start with Kraft or you end up with a spoiled kid who only eats annie's).

We go to a Mexican restaurant in town and she orders the avocado burger, without the avocado.

We've basically told her we're eating where we're eating and she needs to try something. If she makes an honest effort to try things, we said we'd get her something somewhere else if she was still hungry.

That's hilarious, because our son will only eat Annie's, and only specific versions, or Kraft. He won't eat homemade, gourmet, Velveeta, Disney's, nothing. It was really hard at the beginning of covid, because Annies and Kraft were hard to find. Unfortunately, he's picky about everything else too but will eat a few of the kid staples. He won't eat potatoes either. He will eat a couple of fries, but that's about it.

We always bring something with us that our picky eater will eat. Bread, banana and cracker/chip options. He’s 11 and will eat nothing at any restaurant. We have 4 TS reservations (no pre-fix/buffets) and just pack stuff for him. We will get him ice cream if available. It’s ridiculous that he won’t eat but We have tried and he won’t. So packing snacks it is!

I hate when people get judgy about what kids eat. Our son is the most stubborn about it. He's 16 now and hasn't really relented much. We exposed him to all sorts of food and still do. When he was 3, he loved Indian and Thai food. After he refused to eat what we served for a couple of days when he was young, school age, like didn't actually eat for 2 days, I just gave up. At one point, he was old enough to make himself dinner. So if he doesn't eat what I cook, then he cooks for himself.

 

[Ta.Ham1989]

For people who have traveled with super picky kids, how did you do it? I’m considering taking my sister (9 at time of trip), but the one hang up I’m running into is finding something for her to eat. Quick service is easy and I can find something for her at every park, or even bring things, I’m just struggling with table service options. We’re only doing two sit down, one being Morimoto Asia which luckily she might eat the lo mein (she eats the mall kind and the local Chinese restaurant kind). The issue is the already plain kids meal options are not what she’ll eat. The lists of won’t eat outweigh the list of foods she will eat. She will eat: Disney chicken nuggets, some chicken tenders (think like Tyson not hand breaded), grilled cheese, pepperoni pizza, spaghetti maybe with marinara sauce, and absolutely mashed potatoes (her favorite). You wouldn’t think it’d be hard since the kids menus are not adventurous, but I’ve only found a small handful that will work. We are not visiting MK, so all of those restaurants are out.

Where are you going? that would help with options. I would say Garden Grill at Epcot and 50's Prime Time at HS. Some of the hotel options Ohana and Cape May.

 

[LuvLDM]

One of my children was a picky eater (he's 17 now & *slightly more adventurous). When he was younger I would just let him get something from quick service prior to our sit down meal (just to clarify, he would eat his quick service food before going to the restaurant). This way the rest of us could enjoy a nice sit down meal & if he didn't like the menu he wouldn't be STARVING, lol.
I refuse to do food battles while on vacation, I just let him have his chicken nuggets or pizza...