kids won't eat foreign cuisine

[Anonymous]

I started by:

1. Creating deconstructed versions of ethnic dishes at home so they could see that they like all the parts and slowly started to combine them (think make-your-own taco bar, etc);

2. Taking my kids to local restaurants at "off" hours and ordering a variety of share plates and "taste testing" and playing food critic.

It is a process.

[Anonymous]

I am a picky vegetarian. I found things to eat everywhere. Yes, Canada is a foreign country, but it is about the least foreign country you could possibly find.

There will be things to eat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Is this a troll post? Quebec isn't exactly eating freshly-harvested raw seal meat with Eskimos, now, is it?

We are an international family, so we eat European foods and Asian foods. My children are not used to eating Indian curries, and don't appreciate the spices. I thought you were going to talk about something like that!

But Quebec????
I'm sure you'll find something in that lonely, exotic, outlandish, far-off corner of the world to feed your kids...

LOL

[Anonymous]

Take your kids to get BeaverTails in Quebec.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Take your kids to get BeaverTails in Quebec.

http://beavertails.com/en/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Take your kids to get BeaverTails in Quebec.

Beaver Tails, chien chaud, burger avec fromage, pomme frites. So many ways to expand their palates. When in doubt there's always Tim Hortons.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for all of your advice! It will be a process for sure. I discussed some of your ideas with the kids, and they liked PP's beaver tails suggestions the best

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why are Americans so intent on sabotaging their childrens' health? It's truly mind-boggling. There is no other culture in the world that has so much trouble feeding its offspring normal food.

Because most American adults don't eat well themselves, and I am including myself in that category. So naturally the kids eat what parents eat.

We eat a lot more takeout than we should. So my 3 year old loves Indian food, Chinese food, Thai food, and sushi (shrimp or eel). At the same time he refuses a lot of "regular" food unless it involves cheese or tomato sauce. So quesadillas, grilled cheese, plain old cheese (he loves any cheese except blue cheese), chicken parmigian, he'll eat. But he won't eat chicken nuggets or hamburger or salmon or most vegetables. And because of our work schedules we don't sit down to eat as a family during the week, only on the weekends, so he doesn't get as much exposure as he should. And it's on us, I know. Something we are working to change.

It's a process. I hated vegetables as a young kid too, and actually hated almost everything my mother cooked (and still do) -- she cooks with no spice or salt at all. But by the time I was a teenager I ate almost everything except fish. And by the time I was a young adult I ate fish as well. My cousin's kid literally ate hot dogs and eggs until he was 13, when he learned to love salad, and now he eats anything. Kids change.

[Anonymous]

Treat as part of the adventure! That's what you do on vacation, some things you like, some things you don't. I ate white rice and drank tea at Chinese restaurants until I was probably 11 or 12. I'll eat about anything now as an adult. Funny my parents are less adventurous eaters now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are Americans so intent on sabotaging their childrens' health? It's truly mind-boggling. There is no other culture in the world that has so much trouble feeding its offspring normal food.

Most people who are parents are concerned about making sure that their kids eat. If you look at a menu for a place and you think, "Wow, there is nothing on this menu that my kid would eat" that is something that is worrying.

I'm an adult picky eater, and I do my best to find restaurants in whatever place I'm visiting that have stuff I know I'll be willing to eat.

Yes, kids eat what the parents eat. Picky parents, picky kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're planning a trip to Quebec. I have looked at some restaurant menus -- they look amazing to me, but I see nothing that my kids will eat. These are mid-range restaurants. The menus tend to have fewer items that U.S. restaurants, and many of the items include organ meats or fragrant cheeses. What would be the best approach if I go to one of these restaurants? I'll probably have to feed my kids first and then order something small for them and eat it myself, I suppose. Thanks for any advice!

I would go to restaurants with a menu the kids might actually eat. You can get normal kid fare in Quebec.

[Anonymous]

My 4 year old is picky. But he'll eat plain rice, bread, crackers, and french fries (or fried yucca) and relatively plain chicken. We've been able to find something he'll eat at the ethnic restaruants with no kids' options around here--I'm sure your family will do fine in Quebec.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're planning a trip to Quebec. I have looked at some restaurant menus -- they look amazing to me, but I see nothing that my kids will eat. These are mid-range restaurants. The menus tend to have fewer items that U.S. restaurants, and many of the items include organ meats or fragrant cheeses. What would be the best approach if I go to one of these restaurants? I'll probably have to feed my kids first and then order something small for them and eat it myself, I suppose. Thanks for any advice!

Can you link a few of the Quebec restaurants? I haven't been to Quebec in more than 20 years but we travel to France regularly and organ meats is not common on restaurant menus (more common than in the US but it will be 1 out of maybe 12 items on the menu). "Fragrant" cheese is mostly served at a separate cheese course. Most of the mains are the usual suspects: beef, pork, seafood, poultry. We've never had issues feeding children in France both at high and low end restaurants.

What I remember having on my trip to Quebec was some sort of meat pie (basically ground beef in a pie shell), poutines (didn't like it, very heavy, but have it plain without any toppings and it's fries), a bean dish similar to Boston baked beans, and some rather delicious desserts. Quebec should have Tim Hortons and a plethora of pizza and burger places. I don't remember encountering organ meats at all or "fragrant" cheese.

[Anonymous]

I'm glad they liked the Beaver Tails idea; I had a feeling they would. Another option in Quebec is the Jean Talon open air (and covered) market. It is one of the largest in North America. http://www.montrealfooddivas.com/marche-jean-talon-market-montreal/
It's kind of like a supersized Eastern Market with significantly better food. There are so many booths you and the kids could easily find different food options.
Another kid-friendly selection is Montreal bagels. http://www.seriouseats.com/2009/11/what-are-montreal-bagels-the-best-fairmount-vs-st-viateur-rivalry-canada.html

[Anonymous]

Why are people being so mean? This is the travel forum, not GP!
I am a very adventurous eater and I love food from all nationalities. I have fed my kids all sorts of food for day 1. Guess what? They are still incredibly picky eaters!! One child will only eat meat and fish (organ meat, stinky sausages, squid, jerky, raw steak --pretty much whatever) but hates all vegetables except for beans. One child hates all meat, most vegetables, and all whole grains, but will eat any kind of fragrant cheese! Another child is just totally unpredictable--one day she will try nothing, another day she'll try everything and like it all. Weirdly, they all hate all potatoes which is particularly funny becausr they come from many generations of potato eaters (Irish and polish peasants on both sides)--it's like the genetic code finally rebelled against the tater.

And I do think French food is one of the hardest for icky waters because food tends to be combined and covered with sauces. We rarely eat out French for this reason.
My advice is just to live your life and try not to get aggravated. Order them an appetizer and let them eat from the bread basket. Keep trying random things because every once in a while you hit on something they will eat (fried calamari has been a win for us.). Then tip well.