Selection of food for my son???

[the plumbers wife]

Hi, We are taking our twins sons (12) on there first cruise in July (Navigator). My only concern is that one of my sons is very PICKY. He is a great kid, but he doesn't like much. I know for breakfast he will be fine.

But he has his peanut butter and jelly sandwich every day!! Any suggestions?? I am going to pack some of his favorite snacks, granola bars, raisins, and he loves fruit, cereals, ect. thank God...lol!! As far as dinner?? We have the late seating, we will take them with us on some nights and other nights I am going to let them eat earlier at the buffet.

Great tip, by the way. Is there a menu I can look at ahead of time??

On the other hand his twin will EAT anything and everything!!! LOL!!

Thanks, this a great website!!!

[ORANGEinINDY]

I'm not sure if the diningroom has peanut butter or not but I saw the single serving 'tubs' at breakfast in windjammer.. so PB&J should be an option.

I didn't bring any kids, but I'm pretty sure that RCI deals with oick eater children all the time and will find something to please him.

I think with the snacks you're bringing and the staff helping you, he'll be fine.

Have a great cruise!!

[the plumbers wife]

Thanks, If I know that I can make him a PB&J sandwich everyday that would be great. This is going to seem like a DUH question :rolleyes: but do they have american and or wheat bread? What we Moms worry about...lol

[lv2crooz2]

Don't worry! There are plenty of kid friendly things to eat on board. Hopefully,Nliedel will come on to help you. She has some of the menus down cold due to her own boys!!! You won't have any problem getting him something to eat and he won't suffer LOL!

[ORANGEinINDY]

I tried to edit my message to add this but it didn't work.

You can also remind your Son the cruise is a great opportunity to TRY things (don't pressure him). But if he tries and still doesn't like it, they'll take it back with no questions and your not out the price of a dinner.

Also.. you might need to stock up on some of the PB at breakfast. (or ask the staff other times... they'll find it:D

[lv2crooz2]

They do have both kinds of bread. Does he eat cheese or fruit? Some of the things offered include pizza, hamburgers, hot dogs, fries, chicken tenders, cereal, plain spaghetti (some kids like it with just butter), nachos, soup, etc. If it makes you feel better, throw a plastic jar of PB and one of his favorite jelly, in your suitcase. No harm done.:D

[the plumbers wife]

Thanks, you are all a great big help and he does like several of the items that you mentioned!! And I am hopeful that maybe he will be willing to try some new foods, if he doesn't its OK too. Just to be safe I am going to pack a plastic jar of each!! He has already asked and thanks to all you I can tell him its going to be just fine!!

[Fredr]

Hello,

 

You might want to consider the first seating because the 2nd seating is usually much later than his normal dinner time.

 

Fred

[erik]

I just had to comment.....as the father of two daughters whose eating habits are as unpredictable as a hurricane, I solved the problem a long time ago. It may sound harsh, but it works for me. I simply tell them what I'm preparing for a particular meal and let them know that if they don't like or want it, that's no problem. "You sure, honey? OK, maybe you'll be more hungry when the next mealtime rolls around!" HAHAHAHAHAH Just kidding, of course.

 

I've been fighting picky eating for years with these two. When we're at home and I can provide a variety of (relatively) healthy choices, it's not that bad. If I were to take them on a cruise (hasn't happend yet), I suspect I'd let them see what was there and if they didn't want anything listed, they would have to go without until later. They know I don't budge on issues like this, so I'm pretty sure they would settle on something pretty quickly.

 

Having said all that, if it was as easy as packing a jar each of PB and jelly, I'd make sure I did that. :) I've always felt it was important to pick your battles and this is not one I'd like to have while on vacation.

[Trevoli]

Is bringing peanut butter in your luggage a good idea? I remember hearing that it set off all kinds of alarms because apparently it's so dense that it appears to be something more sinister to the X-Ray machines.

 

Maybe that was post-911 hype.

 

T

[ORANGEinINDY]

Is bringing peanut butter in your luggage a good idea? I remember hearing that it set off all kinds of alarms because apparently it's so dense that it appears to be something more sinister to the X-Ray machines.

 

Maybe that was post-911 hype.

 

T

And the dogs that sniff the luggage love it as well!!:D :eek: :rolleyes:

[Bonnie J.]

Put the P&J in your carry on. You can get fruit most of the time and take some back to your cabin to just have on hand. You can get rolls on the buffet - P&J on a roll?, sounds interesting! But they have toast and some ships have bread they toast for you. Bring zip lock bags and put these in them to keep them fresh til you make a sandwich. Tell your son if he doesn't like anything, the waiter will take it away and bring somethng else - with a smile on his face. He might surprise you and enjoy trying strange new foods. I know he will not starve!

[bellaa]

MY 15 year old is VERY picky and he ordered off the kids menu each night. No problem. There is usually a pizza place or a place to get fries, so he pigged out there when he needed to.

[jerseygirl3]

We traveled with my 5-year-old neice and nephew on the Carnival Liberty a couple of weeks ago. Peanut butter and jelly was always offered in the dining room for breakfast and dinner. If they offer it there, I'm sure you can get it through room service or ask for them to make up extras at lunch or dinner in the dining room and wrap it and keep it in the fridge in your cabin. I wouldn't bother bringing it with you in your suitcase.

[caprcorn28]

Hi, We are taking our twins sons (12) on there first cruise in July (Navigator). My only concern is that one of my sons is very PICKY. He is a great kid, but he doesn't like much. I know for breakfast he will be fine.

Did one of your sons and mine get switched at birth?!? I have the other PICKY 12 year old!! I am one that will try anything and DESPISE pickiness!!!! If my son could LIVE on Breakfast food, he WOULD...and I think, sometimes has!!!! He's unbelievably healthy, tall and strong. Thanks Kellogs and General Mills ;)

 

Anyway...my kids have cruised before and LOVED every minute of it! None of them went hungry. I think my son may have lived on Pizza and ice cream for the week - but at dinner he would usually order a steak! That is another love of his! I have never been on Navigator, but on our ships, that is an option every night at dinner if there was nothing on the adult menu that he wanted.

 

Good luck and have a fabulous cruise!!! I hope they love cruising as much as my kids!!! :D

[Mom1977]

Check your cruise line's room service menu. I know Carnival has pb&j available 24 hours on the room service, so there should be no problem getting it in the dining room also.

[ladycaveat]

Did one of your sons and mine get switched at birth?!? I have the other PICKY 12 year old!! I am one that will try anything and DESPISE pickiness!!!! If my son could LIVE on Breakfast food, he WOULD...and I think, sometimes has!!!! He's unbelievably healthy, tall and strong. Thanks Kellogs and General Mills ;)

 

Anyway...my kids have cruised before and LOVED every minute of it! None of them went hungry. I think my son may have lived on Pizza and ice cream for the week - but at dinner he would usually order a steak! That is another love of his! I have never been on Navigator, but on our ships, that is an option every night at dinner if there was nothing on the adult menu that he wanted.

 

Good luck and have a fabulous cruise!!! I hope they love cruising as much as my kids!!! :D

 

OT . . . just wanted to reassure mothers of picky eaters . . . this too shall pass. Until my son was in his early twenties (he's now twenty-eight), he never met a vegetable he liked and if he had his way, he would have lived on hamburgers, mac and cheese and cherrios. He's now 6'5", flies a helicopter for the Coast Guard, is as healthy as a horse . . . and will eat just about anything (except cooked vegetable . . . still hates them but loves salads). I shutter to think back on those days when he was little and how I tried to get him to just "taste" something . . . I am totally convinced that there is a special place in Heaven for mothers of picky eaters . . . :D

[dontjudgememonkey87]

well i know from past experiacne this was wiht pricess cruises on the diamond though but my younger sister is very picky wiht what she eats one night she got them insted of cooking a fajita(that cant be spelt right) and ya they cooked the chicken with nothign on it for her and ever brough the cheese out meleted seperatly on another plate.

[the plumbers wife]

A BIG THANK YOU TO YOU ALL, ESPECIALLY LADYCAVEAT AND CAPRCORN 28!!! We do worry so much don't we!! And low and behold he is already taller and stronger than his twin..lol!!! And breakfast is his favorite meal "Frosted Flakes and Waffles"..lol!! From what you all say he should find plenty to eat! Keep the suggestions coming, its so good to know that I am not alone!!!!!!!!!

[Happy ks]

I'd not pack the extra food, they will have it all onboard for him.

 

I would just like to tell you that I thought my kids were picky eaters, but they really surprised me when we started cruising. Both of them knew if they didn't like a meal, it could be replaced for whatever they wanted, so they took advantage of the opportunity to try new things. Some nights they got a second meal replacement, but some nights they were surprised at some new choices.

 

My daughter found that she loves fish and salads. My son, who has never had a piece of lettuce in his life, tried escargot and loved it.

 

My point is, don't sell the kid short, let him know he can change his mind, he might just amaze you!

[the plumbers wife]

Your absolutely right Kathy, you just never know he might surprise me, I sure hope he does! :D

[renata102]

funny thing is we cruised with our 2 year old and we did not order one thing off the kids menu. She even had rack of lamb (lucky i guesse). we are cruising agian with her (she will be 5) and our new son (he will be 1 - and now at 6 months old he does like a bunch of food already)

 

I am 29 and have been married to my husband for 7 years now and together going on 12 years. Now he is not a super picky eater, but he can be picky. Especially when we were younger. HIs parents only would make their typical South American food (yummy) and so when other types of food was made he was not really willing to try. He did try here and there. Anyway on our first cruise at 21, he made a fuss that he was sticking to the tried and tasted typical american, italian fare that he had grown to love outside his comfort food. Well when we found out that if he didnot like it, he could return it and get something else (that first day), he started taking risks. I know this sounds funny coming from an adult, but he actually tried many things (some he loved, some he hated,mostly loved). his experssion would be WOW, i never knew this tasted so good, or soemthing along those lines. This actually opend his eyes to trying new foods (I was always the adventures type and HATED to go out to eat with him). As the years passed and more cruises we went on (and also we explorecd more with food in our normal lives) he LOVES to try new foods. He is hooked on Indian food and we even tried North & South AFRICAN Food (which I am not fond of) in a resturant in NYC (we live very near to NYC). I have to say it all started on a Royal Caribbean cruise.

Now we are taking his parents for their first ever cruise. And they also tend to stick to certain types of food. But we will apply the same concept to them. If you don't like it, order something else.

So maybe for your son, it could be that there is no pressure (you have to eat it cuz I made it or whatever). He might like the idea that he might try it and like it or hate it (even if he hates it, tell him that is okay we will try something else next dinner, so what do you want instead).

It changed my life!

[jenjens1023]

On RCI last year my picky 14yo DD ordered plain spaghetti the first night. On the second night the waitress brought her the kids menu and said "I didn't think you'd like anything on the adult menu tonigt" (she was right). The third night my DD requested a salad of lettuce, eggs, cheese and carrots. She then spoke quietly to the waitress about something and for the rest of the cruise that special salad was delivered to her at every dinner and presented with a flourish. That waitress got a big tip and a bigger hug!

 

I get soooo tired of the pickiness. I can just imagine her wedding reception--chicken fingers, grilled cheese and carrot sticks!

[tex_toby]

DW and I just returned from our first cruise which was on the Grand Princess. We did not bring our kids along this time, mainly because we did not know what to expect (not just food, but all aspects). We wanted to feel things out before we attempted to bring along the kids - and it was also nice to have a romantic week to ourselves :D

 

We discussed the "food discussion" amongst ourselves. Our 6 year old is a VERY, VERY picky eater. With that being said, I don't think it would be a problem at all finding him something to eat, day or night. Many, many options.

 

One thing we did discuss which I haven't read on this thread is eating when in port. DW and I had no problems finding things to eat, but we are pretty open minded. I think it would be a challenge finding the kids something they would enjoy while off of the ship. Something to think about...

[jenischmeni]

On RCI last year my picky 14yo DD ordered plain spaghetti the first night. On the second night the waitress brought her the kids menu and said "I didn't think you'd like anything on the adult menu tonigt" (she was right). The third night my DD requested a salad of lettuce, eggs, cheese and carrots. She then spoke quietly to the waitress about something and for the rest of the cruise that special salad was delivered to her at every dinner and presented with a flourish. That waitress got a big tip and a bigger hug!

 

I get soooo tired of the pickiness. I can just imagine her wedding reception--chicken fingers, grilled cheese and carrot sticks!

 

LOL jenjens! Sometimes I've wondered that EXACT same thing, myself!

 

I stumbled across this thread and boy am I glad! I honestly did not realize so many other mother's had this same problem. My picky eating son is almost 15 now, and still has not grown out of this! It's very reassuring to read that he's not as unique as I had assumed.

 

I agree w/ caprcorn. If not for the cereal manufactures, my son truly would have starved himself to death. (Despite what Doctor Spock says, children can, indeed, starve themselves to death!)

 

We force him to sit down to dinner with us, but he usually prepares himself something he likes. He will try new things, but hasn't yet liked anything! Since I don't run a diner out of my kitchen, if he doesn't like the dinner offering, he's always free to prepare himself something he does like (I now have stock in Malt 'o Meal). Realizing this isn't practical on a cruise, I plan to have him enjoy dinner with us as a family (regardless of whether he eats or not) and then he can have pizza AFTERWARDS. Even though it's a late seating, I'm willing to bet that he'll find something that he can eat, because by that time he'll be very, very hungry. I'm not going to have him 'ruin' his appetite and eat pizza prior to dinner.

 

I've discussed this at length w/ his pediatrician (and now family physician), and the physicians echoed the earlier poster's remark about 'picking your battles'. Both doctors agreed that this wasn't the battle.