Top fussy eating tips

(This article was first published in my local magazine in the UK)

Whether you are at home or abroad this summer, I share my top tips for eating out fuss-free.

Time to lower expectations?

It is tempting to see what the children on the next table are doing in a restaurant and convince yourself they are ‘better’ eaters, but you are seeing just a snapshot of their daily lives. ‘The variety of what your child eats does not define how good a parent you are. Some children are naturally more hesitant in trying new food and that is ok,’ Grace explains.

Mealtimes are also about connecting, taking a break from cooking and playing a game or time to pause, even in the chaos of regular trips to the toilet and meltdowns!

The more you focus on your own family and what you are doing and realise we cannot control what others think of us, you may begin to relax and enjoy the experience more.

Is it worth the battle?

Whilst you would love your child to eat something more interesting off the menu than the usual burgers and hotdogs, trying to expand variety when out, may not be the best time to do so. ‘Even basic food can taste different out of the home, with unexpected seeds on burgers, different cutlery and vegetables cooked differently, it can be overwhelming for a child’, Grace explains. If you want to create opportunities to increase variety, offer them food off your plate or order another starter, sharing plate or side for you all to try.

Benefits of barbecues

Picnics and barbecues naturally offer more variety over regular home meals, which in turn gives your child extra choice and the chance to experiment more. ‘If you can do this as well without pressure, your child is more likely to try new food too’, Grace advises. There is also something about being outside that removes the regular pressure of the four walls in the kitchen and mealtimes feel less stressful. Serve your child’s familiar food and other additions such as cold pizza, fruit kebabs, dips, pasta salad or veggie sticks. Even if your child doesn’t try anything new, don’t underestimate the power of them watching you try new food, it’s all going in!

Come prepared

Whatever your child’s age, bring something to keep them entertained. Don’t forget about the simple games too such as noughts and crosses, hangman or Wordle, 20 questions or the yes or no game. Play ‘Scattegories’ where you choose topics such as ice cream flavour, country, sport, animals, famous people or names of chocolate bars, draw a table on a piece of paper, choose a random letter of the alphabet and set a timer to try and complete as many categories as possible. You get one point for every answer that is not the same as anyone else playing.

The Menu

Don’t be afraid to ask the waiter to adapt a dish to your child’s needs; ask for sauce on the side, fewer toppings, replace a side with something else. Advocate for your child, this is not pandering to their needs, it’s acknowledging them like you would your own needs and building slowly from that and expanding variety when they are ready. There’s no rush!