Traveling with Picky Eaters: A Parent's Guide to Making Adventures Accessible
- stephyablonsky
- Jul 10
- 5 min read
Updated: Jul 16
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Travel opens up worlds of possibility—new cultures, breathtaking sights, and unforgettable experiences. But when you're traveling with a picky eater, the dream of culinary adventures can quickly become a source of stress. That beautiful Italian trattoria with the handwritten menu? The bustling night market with exotic street food? Suddenly, these experiences feel less like opportunities and more like obstacles.
If you're a parent navigating travel with a child who has strong food preferences, you're not alone. Whether your child is dealing with ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder), sensory processing differences, autism-related food sensitivities, or simply strong preferences, their relationship with food is valid and deserving of accommodation. And more importantly, you're not missing out on meaningful travel experiences—you're just approaching them differently.
The Reality of Traveling with Picky Eaters
Let's be honest about what traveling with a picky eater actually looks like. You might find yourself scanning restaurant menus for the familiar comfort of chicken tenders and fries. You'll become an expert at asking servers, "Can you make this pasta with just butter and parmesan?" You'll develop a sixth sense for spotting golden arches from three blocks away, and you'll learn to navigate foreign grocery stores with the determination of a detective hunting for specific brands of crackers.
There's the wild goose chase through narrow Moroccan streets looking for parmesan cheese because your child will only eat pasta with "the real stuff." There's the moment when the crepe vendor at the local market starts waving at you like an old friend because you've been there every morning for a week, ordering the same plain crepe with a sprinkle of sugar.
These scenarios might not match the Instagram-worthy food photos you imagined sharing, but they represent something more valuable: the art of making travel accessible for your child.
The Mindset Shift: From Frustration to Accommodation
The first and most important shift is moving from seeing your child's eating habits as a limitation to viewing accommodation as a form of love and inclusion. When you hunt down that familiar food, you're not giving up on adventure—you're ensuring your child has the emotional and physical foundation to embrace everything else the trip has to offer.
Think of food as your child's home base. When they know they can rely on having something familiar and comforting to eat, they're more likely to be open to new experiences in other areas. That security might be what allows them to try petting a llama at the petting zoo, swimming in the ocean for the first time, or sleeping in an unfamiliar bed without distress.
The Tradeoffs Are Worth It
Yes, traveling with a picky eater requires compromises. You might not get to try every local delicacy or spend hours lingering over multi-course meals. But consider what you gain in return:
Your child feels valued and heard. When you take their food needs seriously, you're communicating that their comfort matters. This builds trust and can actually make them more willing to try new things in other contexts.
You still get to visit amazing places. The Eiffel Tower doesn't become less magnificent because you packed goldfish crackers in your backpack. The Great Wall of China is still awe-inspiring even if you stopped at McDonald's beforehand.
You develop creative problem-solving skills. Learning to navigate different food systems, communicate with servers across language barriers, and find familiar items in foreign grocery stores are valuable travel skills that extend far beyond mealtime.
You create positive associations with travel. A child who feels secure and cared for during trips is more likely to develop a love of travel that lasts into adulthood.
Practical Strategies for Success
Research before you go. Look up kid-friendly restaurants in your destination. Many cities have online communities where parents share recommendations for places with simple, familiar options.
Pack strategic snacks. Bring shelf-stable favorites that can bridge the gap between meals or serve as backup options. Think granola bars, crackers, dried fruit, or whatever your child considers "safe" foods. My personal hack on our trip to Morocco was a quart sized bag filled with single serving peanut butter packets (carry-on and purse friendly).
Learn key phrases. If traveling internationally, learn how to ask for simple modifications in the local language. "Plain pasta," "no sauce," and "chicken, not spicy" are surprisingly useful phrases.
Embrace repetition. If you find a restaurant that works, there's no shame in going back. Sometimes the best travel memories come from becoming regulars at the little café where everyone knows your order.
Get creative with familiar foods. A plain crepe can be just as exciting as an elaborate dish when it's made fresh in front of your child by a friendly vendor who greets them by name.
The Bigger Picture
Travel with a picky eater teaches valuable lessons about adaptation, patience, and unconditional love. It shows your child that their needs matter and that challenges can be overcome with creativity and persistence. These are lessons that extend far beyond food preferences.
When you finally find that perfect restaurant with the perfect plain pasta, and you watch your child's face light up with relief and happiness, you realize that this moment—this feeling of security and joy—is worth more than any exotic dish you might have tried instead.
The Long Game
Many parents worry that accommodating picky eating while traveling will reinforce limitations rather than expand horizons. But in reality, the opposite is often true. Children who feel secure and supported are more likely to take risks and try new things when they're ready.
The child who feels confident that their food needs will be met might be the one who surprises you by asking to try a bite of your gelato or showing interest in the colorful fruit at the market. And you never know—after two weeks of seeing chicken tagine on every menu, they might finally take a tentative bite and end up devouring the whole plate. The foundation of security you provide around food can actually create space for natural curiosity to emerge.
Redefining Success
Success in traveling with a picky eater isn't measured by the number of local dishes consumed or the authenticity of every meal. It's measured by the joy on your child's face when they see the Mona Lisa, the wonder in their eyes when they touch the ocean for the first time, or the pride they feel when they successfully navigate a foreign subway system.
The crepe vendor who knows your name, the server who automatically brings plain pasta without being asked, the grocery store clerk who helps you find the right crackers—these people become part of your travel story. They represent the kindness of strangers and the universal understanding that caring for children transcends cultural boundaries.
Final Thoughts
Traveling with a picky eater requires patience, flexibility, and sometimes letting go of preconceived notions about what travel "should" look like. But it also offers unique rewards: deeper connections with locals who appreciate your dedication to your child's wellbeing, creative problem-solving skills, and the profound satisfaction of making the world accessible to someone you love.
Your child may not remember every meal from your trip, but they'll remember how it felt to be understood and accommodated. They'll remember that travel is something their family does together, that new places are approachable and manageable, and that their needs matter.
So pack those goldfish crackers, research the kid-friendly restaurants, and embrace the beautiful chaos of making travel work for your family. The world is waiting, chicken tenders and all.
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