As a doctor my heart sinks every time a parent asks for help managing a child that is a fussy eater.  I know what advice they require:

-Serve meals “family” style with at least one option on the table you know the child will eat.

-Use a sticker chart to reward the child for trying new foods.

-Avoid power battles over food.

-Blend fruit into smoothies, vegetables into pasta sauce etc.

The truth is though that none of this has worked with our own fussy eater, aged four.  When his fussy eating was stunting his growth his paediatrician told me “Feed him MacDonald’s every day if that is what it takes to get him to eat”.  I dryly informed the paediatrician that I would do so if only my son would try MacDonald’s.  My son’s fussy eating has improved marginally since then however we still rely on supplemental vitamins and minerals to fill the substantial gaps in his diet (no fruit or vegetables at all) and minimal red meat.

Although I don’t wish to make excuses for my son’s fussy eating, over time we have come to understand that he has a heightened sense of taste.  On the rare occasions that he tries a new food, if the taste is unpleasant to him he has a vomiting (not just a gagging) reaction.  Needless to say my son’s fussy eating is a daily challenge for me to deal with.

I have heard other parents saying they are fearful of travel due to their child’s fussy eating.  While I don’t have any cures for the resistant fussy eater we are proof that traveling, even with a grade A fussy eater is possible.

The following are a few tips that have helped us manage our own son’s fussy eating while we travel.

• Always take a meal with you on plane journeys for your child.  For us this may just mean a few yoghurt squeezies and some crackers to keep our son going when he refuses his airline meal.
• Take a few staples with you in your luggage.  We just carried a tube of Vegemite around China with us because it is all our son will eat on bread.
• If you are going on a trip that your child is really looking forward to pick a new food that they will have to try when you get there.  We travelled to Disneyland last year and scanned the website together for menu options available in the park that he may want to try.  He chose teriyaki chicken, liked it, and as a result we have another meal that we can add to our weekly repertoire.
• While serving meals family style may be recommended for fussy eaters when they are at home, it may worsen food anxiety if traveling internationally.  The reason – a number of completely unfamiliar dishes may be on the table.  We found in China that even though our meals were served buffet style, with plenty of acceptable options for our son, because they were served next to very foreign looking dishes he panicked, and restricted his eating further.  What worked best for us in China was to order a meal that we new he would tolerate and just have it placed in front of him.
• Buffet breakfasts are a winner for our fussy eater.   He may not eat healthily but he loads up on “holiday” cereal that he isn’t permitted at home, as well as bakery goods.   My two and four year old usually eat for free at hotel buffet breakfasts as well.
• Prolonged travel with a very fussy eater may not be wise if it restricts your child’s diet too much.
• Very fussy eaters are prone to nutrient deficiency including iron deficiency.  Have a chat with your doctor prior to departing to discuss whether your child would benefit from supplements.

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