Chicken Fingers

[awdl2000]

I am taking my son on his first cruise in Dec! Here is the thing, he is the worst eater! his dinner is always chicken and fries or grilled cheese and fries!!! We will be on th Mariner, is this and option for him in the dining room or the kids program?

[MargaritaPlease]

This would be an AWESOME opportunity for him to branch out a bit and try some new foods!

[rgnok]

I was on the Splendour with my 2 and 6 year old daughters in December -- chicken strips and grilled cheese were both on the kids dinner menu in the main dining room. Despite the more casual, relaxed style of the Windjammer Cafe, it was actually harder to find the girls things they liked to eat there, since they essentially had a buffett and everyone had the same choices. In the dining room they had a specific kids menu, not unlike what you will find in most restaurants that offer table serivce, complete with pictures to color and puzzles to work and offerings that included chicken fingers, mac & cheese, pb&j, and pizza. While the "regular" menu changed each night in the dining room, the kids menu was the same each time.

 

Chicken and fries was also on the room service menu.

[Nliedel]

I copied and pasted this into my website for our group in October, it's the Mariner Kids Menu. Two nights, formal nights, Adventure Ocean offers to take the kids to Johnny Rockets. The boys LOVED it, they went to formal night one night and did the Johnny Rockets the other formal night. They preffered to hang with their friends. You can also get pizza and a fruit plate from room service, they were a big hit.

 

 

Floating Favorite (Fresh Fruit Cocktail)

Soup of Z Day

Kidchef Salad (Assorted Greens, with Turkey, Ham and Cheese)

Huck Finn's Favorite (Chilled Tuna Salad)

Sammy's Legs (Veggies and Dip)

Freddie's Fishlets Platter (Fried Fish with Dipping Sauce)

Inky's Treasures (Chicken Fingers and French Fries)

Ocean Gold (Fried Mozzarella Sticks with Marinara Sauce)

Octopie (Cheese Pizza)

Susie Seahorse Steak (Four minute steak with mashed potatoes and corn on the cob)

S-Getti (Spaghetti with cheese sauce or tomato sauce)

Is it Cheese and Macaroni or Macaroni and Cheese?

Adventure Burger (Hamburger or Cheeseburger with French Fries)

Peanut Butter Samich (Peanut Butter Sandwhich)

Sea Dog (Hot Dog)

[rgnok]

This would be an AWESOME opportunity for him to branch out a bit and try some new foods!

 

It might be, and, of course, OP doesn't say how OLD her son is, but consider this (and I really hope to avoid a whole kids and cruising or kids in the dining room debate):

 

If a child is HAPPY eating chicken and fries and would fuss and be difficult overing eating something else -- which one would you want to be seated close to -- the child happily eating his usual dinner of chicken and fries, or the unhappy child being made to "try some new foods".

 

You pick your battles with kids, and why pick a battle in the dining room on the cruise?

[awdl2000]

Well my son Alex is 8 years old, and I have picked way to many battles on the food issues, so I have given up! he would go to the point of actually gagging when I asked him to try something new! Slowly but surely he is trying things on his own and it seems to be working out. Believe me I will never try to be one of those parents forcing my child into eating something he can not pronunce in the dining room to cause a big scene and distract my fellow cruisers. I have read so many post on the "children issues" and i have waited untill he was old enough and well behaved to bring him along. I am sure he will be making friends in the AO program and not even be with me at dinner, but wanted to make sure just in case!

[threeofus]

I could not agree more.......

I work with young women with eating disorders. Picky eaters aren't going to change because you tell them to. Either they'll branch out or they won't but it will be their choice and not yours and on their time frame. The more you push the more they push.

 

Let it go.....and enjoy the cruise. Don't let the memory of this cruise be all about the eating.

[Nliedel]

My, soon to be nine, year old pretends to throw up when he smells green beans. I hate it. I have tried paying him to eat one (he is all about money), threats, and other bribes but nothing works. He eats a yellow and orange diet. Carrots, Oranges and orange fruit, cheese, Cheeto's (he buys his own with his allowance) and other yellow/orange combos. I HATE IT! He was happy on the Mariner.

 

My six year old, on the other hand, tried it all. I loved it!

[OliverTheCat]

It might be, and, of course, OP doesn't say how OLD her son is, but consider this (and I really hope to avoid a whole kids and cruising or kids in the dining room debate):

 

If a child is HAPPY eating chicken and fries and would fuss and be difficult overing eating something else -- which one would you want to be seated close to -- the child happily eating his usual dinner of chicken and fries, or the unhappy child being made to "try some new foods".

 

You pick your battles with kids, and why pick a battle in the dining room on the cruise?

 

Agreed!!!

[GrandySm]

and to think i was getting woried that parents weren't letting their children do what they want anymore

[megessey]

Well my son Alex is 8 years old, and I have picked way to many battles on the food issues, so I have given up! he would go to the point of actually gagging when I asked him to try something new!

 

ROFL! I used to do that when I was a kid....especially tomatoes. There's something very personal about eating that makes it a hard area to control, so you're right about giving up the battle. Just bring on the Vita-gummies or Vita-balls, whatever they like :)

[CCCM]

DD is excited to try the adult menu. She is 8. If there is nothing interesting on the kids menu, she will ask to look at the adults. The picking battles is so true. I won't make her eat brussel sprouts, because that is the only veggie she will not eat. What does irritate me is that she is now into the have I had it before and do I like it? I just keep saying yes and she eats it. Things that she previously ate and enjoyed are starting to be cast aside and this scares me.

 

Every child has their good points and bad points. That is what makes it so much fun. It is not about winning or forcing or letting, but about them growing up to be healthy, happy and productive adults.

[GrandySm]

As a parent of two grown kids I always get a kick out the ludicrous concept of picking your battles. This is not about battles, this is about a learning oppurtunity and a chance to expose your kids to new and diferent things. Breaking the picky eating nonsense is real easy no eat no playstation til you do

[awdl2000]

I wish the play station thing would work....my son would sleep at the dinner table and sit there through school the next day! I did get the doctor involved to sort of give him the "thret" needing certain foods to get big & strong, and all she said was to introduce the multi vitaman! I am sure that all of my fellow cruisers would not enjoy their breakfast if my son is sitting in the chair from the night before with his slowly molding prime rib!!!

[rgnok]

As a parent of two grown kids I always get a kick out the ludicrous concept of picking your battles. This is not about battles, this is about a learning oppurtunity and a chance to expose your kids to new and diferent things. Breaking the picky eating nonsense is real easy no eat no playstation til you do

 

Expose them to new things? That's great and I'm all for it.

 

Force the issue in the dining room on a cruise ship? Neither the time nor the place.

 

All of life is a learning opportunity, but that doesn't mean that parents have to push that continuously. If mom & dad want to take a break in the dining room and do as much as possible to make for a relaxed, pleasant evening, more power to them!

 

I have, in fact, combined the "learning opportunity" from the cruise ship and the private atmosphere of home like this -- I recently forced my girls to eat asparagus with dinner (at home) and included this comment: "Hey, I had this on our cruise last month and I thought it was really good, so I wanted to have it here and you girls are going to have some, too." They eventually ate most of what I served them, it was a battle that did not need to be played out on the cruise, and they experienced new food as a direct result of our cruise. In fact, we often cook meals using including dishes or concepts we experienced on a cruise in the months that follow -- those who had it on the cruise get a reminder, and those who didn't get to experience it. Same concept, better time and place.

[GrandySm]

Well common sense says you begin at home and not on a cruise ship........you have many months before you cruise start working on changinging the behavior now..........vitamins are not an answer to a behavior problem i would start with a new doctor

[ritarussell]

The OP asked about chicken fingers and fries. Yes they are available, along with other kid friendly items as has already been posted. I have two small children and they've been on 3 cruises. They love to go on cruises. This is their vacation too, if they want chicken fingers and fries evey night, let them eat it. Why get into a battle over trying new things if they don't want to. What is the point?

[cruisingwiththekids]

My DS (7) is a picky eater, too, but has promised that he will at least try new things on the cruise (since it's technically already paid for). We've told him if he doesn't like it, he doesn't have to eat it and can then get a hamburger or chicken or pizza. My DD (10) on the other hand is VERY excited about trying new things and can't wait for the shrimp night!

[Nliedel]

Pick your battles I say. It's not worth it. My eldest is never going to eat green beans. The fight to get him to is not worth it. As long as he eats brocolli (one of the none orange/yellow foods he loves) then I am OK with no green beans. It's why we chose a cruiseline with a kids menu. It was a fun and relaxing experience for all.

 

Kids are who they are. They develop dislike for some foods. No one in my, rather large, family has the same tastes. My eldest is the fussiest but even JJ, who the Grandparents call "Trash Can" has his preferances. Yesterday I found out he adores oranges. He's one. Great!

 

I also have found out that even if you introduce a wide variety to your children they will still have things they will not eat and do not like. I give all my babies the same varied diet. Mostly fruits and veggies, a little meat and "Starches". My husband and I both prepare and eat a wide array of foods both in kind and style of cooking, so any food aversions are not because we don't try new things. They still all have them. You can work on "changing behavior", in the end you can force them to eat it but that does not mean they will like it. I don't eat food, especially on vacation, that I do not like. I sure don't expect my kids to. As long as there are veggies in the mix and fruit for snacks and NO POP then I am happy.

[awdl2000]

I really did not intend to start a war over kids on cruise ships and good/bad eating habbits! Every parent has different views on what is best for their kids and how they wish to go about following through with them. All I was doing is making sure my baby would not starve for dinner!

[cesarrcabrera]

You should not worry about the menu variety, as I'm pretty sure you will always be able to find something suitable for your kid...

 

As for the whole "get him to try new things"; I do agree that it is better to let it go.. My kid had the same lunch for about 3 years in a row... Rottiserie Chicken with french fries... then, after a while of us not bothering him with that, he started trying new things... it is also important to consider, that at certain age kids start eating more.. .it is at this time that you can "get them" to try new things... ;)

[awdl2000]

he ate everything as a baby/toddler....ate pasta one night and got sick from the red sauce...that was the end of that.....to be quite honest I cant even remember how it happened. I am a picky eater myself, not nearly as bad as him. So I am sure that has something to do with it! He does eat other thing besides chicken and fries but they ar mostly breakfast foods.

[cb at sea]

I used to cajole, beg, plead, etc... to get my kids to try new things. They wouldn't. Then, my eldest took a trip with friends and no one cared what or if he ate. After about 3 days, he got hungry enough and started trying new things, and is now quite an adventuresome eater! Your "baby" will not starve himself.

[Nliedel]

I really did not intend to start a war over kids on cruise ships and good/bad eating habbits! Every parent has different views on what is best for their kids and how they wish to go about following through with them. All I was doing is making sure my baby would not starve for dinner!

 

It's real easy to tell someone else how to parent. It's also easy to fix someone else's love life. Not so easy from the inside. There are times I have been at a total loss with my kids and some yahoo (sometimes right) has come along and told me how to fix it. Everyone knows how to parent. I have found that most people "know" the most when they either don't have kids yet or they had kids, but a long time ago and the passage of time has softened the battles. Just do what you feel is best.

 

I did post the current kids menu so your "baby" (My kids get really mad when I call them "babies" but as I pointed out they will be 40 and still be my "babies" they can deal) will be able to eat chicken fingers and fries the entire trip and you can munch on all the things that you like. RCI does an exceptional job with kids. They had a fabulous time and want to go again, now.

[Merion_Mom]

CHICKENS HAVE FINGERS?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?