Managing Fussy Eaters on Holiday

Refusing to eat anything green, raw or anything with tomatoes in, is an all too common occurrence that parents the world over have to contend with once or twice. Many children go through phases of being fussy eaters. And although a nuisance at home, when going away on holiday, it can cause you to run into problems. If your little one is being somewhat less adventurous with food, follow these simple steps to make going away on holiday that much more pleasant.

Let them choose where you eat once or twice

Even if you have gone all-inclusive, the chances are there will be more than one restaurant on site. Giving your child the option to choose where you eat, either at lunchtime or at night, is a great way of helping them to feel like they are included and they’re not being punished for not eating certain foods. It also means that the whole family will be able to eat a good meal together at least once a day.

Let them see you enjoying your food

It’s no secret that children copy their parents, so if they see you enjoying your food, they are more likely to try it and enjoy it too.

Embrace buffets

Buffets are standard on holidays – particularly in hotel resorts. Offering a huge variety of foods from around the world, buffets are certain to cater for fussy little eaters. Buffets are also great for allowing kids to choose how much they put on their plate and getting them used to portion sizes.

Take some snacks with you

Taking snacks you know they like, such as cereal bars and dried fruit bags are perfect for warding off hunger pangs in-between meals. Although it may seem excessive, there’s nothing worse than a hungry child that can’t find anything to eat that they like.

Keep to a routine

Although on holiday it can seem lovely to ignore the rules of everyday life and be free and easy when it comes to mealtimes, if you have a fussy eater or two in tow, sticking to mealtime routines is often the best way to avoid arguments about food. Eating late at night will only result in children being tired, hungry and grumpy, meaning they are less likely to eat what is in front of them.

Don’t stress too much about it

We all want our children to be healthy and eat a varied diet, but sometimes – particularly on holiday – we have to be a little less strict to avoid ruining the time away together. As long as they are eating, going a little bit ‘slack’ won’t matter too much. Just make sure to focus more on the healthy foods they like to make up for the not so healthy items.