Now that the big ticket items on our wish list had been ticked off (our dream beach wedding, making sure our businesses are now up and running smoothly — Mahal takes care of our little resort Oslob New Village and restaurant Lami-an while I take care of digital marketing for my clients via my new biz VirtuPro, — and overall management of our life here in our own version of paradise), we are now about to start our travel adventure outside of the country and one of the things I think about is how fussy our son is when it comes to eating. When traveling locally, Tuz already has a list of food he is willing to eat. But how about when we visit other cultures and places where the food is totally different from what he’s used to? Are you in the same situation? If you want to travel with your kids but feel as though it’s always an uphill battle to get them to eat, then you’re not alone. So many people are in the same position as you (as us), but there are things we can do to try and make things easier on ourselves. If you want to find out more then simply take a look below.

Screen Restaurants

One of the first things you need to do is screen restaurants before you go. Look at the menu online and make sure that there is something your kids can eat, without complaint. Even if they don’t have a kid’s menu, you should be able to come up with a child-friendly version. Mushroom and cheese panini can easily be presented as a grilled cheese sandwich, and this is something that your children are bound to love. If you want them to have a particular dish at a restaurant, try and cook it from home first. If your child can participate in cooking the meal, even better. If you want to ease them into it, this buttermilk biscuit recipe is a great choice. 

Google Maps is your Friend

Another thing you need to know is that Google Maps is your friend. When you go on holiday, you should be searching for restaurants that have a kid’s play area. If you can do this then you will soon be able to find something that suits your family. By screening restaurants beforehand and making sure that there is something suitable, you can take a lot of the stress out of your trip.

Order Something Familiar

Young and picky eaters are not going to decide that they want to eat something, even if they like all of the ingredients. The main reason for this is because it is presented in a way that is unfamiliar to them. If you want to help them then let them order whatever they want. French fries are fine to have on holiday because it’s a one-off and it means that they are getting the calories they need during the day.

Venture Into Unfamiliar Territory

If you are ordering something that your child is familiar with then you can easily put something of yours on their plate too. They may freak out and insist that you remove it immediately, or they may be okay with it and give it a go. If you can do this now and again then you may find that your child ends up liking what they have and this can work in your favor.

Adventure Bites

Adventure bites are great. It’s a phrase that helps to encourage your child to try something new. With adventure bites, you ask your child to have one bite of something and if they hate it, you leave them alone. If your child is not brave enough to take a bite then you can let them have a lick instead if you want. Either way, this is a great way for you to let them try new foods and if you can make a game out of it, or create a rewards system then this will help you out with future vacations.

Ketchup on Everything

Kids love ketchup. If you want to help them with their eating, or if you want to encourage them to try new foods then one thing you can do is put some ketchup on their plate. It’s a universal rule that if you put tomato sauce on something, your kids will be more likely to eat it. If you want to ease your picky eaters into a new food then you can use ketchup to cover up the taste or the texture, which is a great way for you to encourage them to be more adventurous.

Family-Style

Another thing you can do is order family-style. Chinese restaurants are great for this as the food tends to be in the middle of the table, so people can just grab what they want. The best thing about this is that it puts your child in the driver’s seat when it comes to their meals, so they can choose what appeals to them. You may think you know what your kid is going to like, but by giving them control you can help them to feel much more at ease in a new environment while also encouraging them to try things that they might not have been previously open to. Just remember, with everything, patience is key here so don’t push them out of their comfort zone too much. 

I hope the above tips will help you encourage your fussy kids to eat when travelling. They surely help us when we travel locally, and hopefully, when we travel out of the country soon. First stop this year for us is Singapore and maybe next year we’ll try Paris, then Japan. It’s always good to have something to look forward to, right? Especially when you’re armed with information on everything you need to do.