Wont eat french food---HELP please
 

I am talking my 12 year old to Paris in April. Its just the 2 of us and we're staying in Bercy.
Problem is she is a very fussy eater and wont eat french food.
I need to know where I can get pizza, burgers, french fries , ham sandwiches ??
I believe theres a McDonald and Pizza Hut in Paris. Anyone know where ??
Also is there an American style diner in Bercy ??

I know you good people will help me out . In a few years when I go to paris without her I'll be sampling all the lovely french fare.............

She won't eat French food, but she eats French fries?

I've traveled to Europe twice with fussy eaters. Actually, they were really fussy only the first time, because that trip turned out to be a great opportunity for them to "eat outside the box" and start to develop a real appreciation for good food. My son was 12 on the first trip, and we figured he'd be okay with roasted chicken and frites, which he could get at almost any cafe or restaurant. My daughter who was 9 then and regularly ordered various kinds of simple fish dishes with frites. On one or two occasions (in a 6-week trip) we got them a burger at a fast food place. But they really did just fine at restaurants where we could enjoy grown-up fare. The best part of this experience is that when we returned home, my kids were no longer fussy eaters (or at least not AS fussy). My son, now 17, is a Food Network addict and likes to prepare gourmet meals for the family. He even likes Sushi, Indian, Thai and other ethnic cuisines now. Daughter isn't quite that adventurous yet, but she's coming along.

The only downside is that now they're a bit fussy on the other end of the spectrum, as in: "Can't we go to a NICE (expensive) restaurant instead of Red Robin?" Anyway, every kid is different, but maybe this will be the turning point in a new attitude toward eating. Good luck!

What exactly does she think of as "french food"? Is she thinking frog legs, snails etc? Does she like beef stew, roasted chicken, steak? If so, she'll like French food.

I've had good luck finding pasta dishes in some restaurants, so that could be an option. Also, crepes can be fun and very tasty, and with so many options they have broad appeal.

Paris offers an incredible array of restaurants, not only what you think of as "french food".

We ate at a family style Italian chain many evenings. You don't have to go to Pizza Hut to get a pizza!!

Lots of the bakeries offer pre-made sandwiches you could take out, ham, chicken salad, etc.

As already mentioned most any cafe will offer baked chicken or grilled steak with fries.

If you really need fast food at least try some of the French chains instead of McD's.

Hi H,

Will they eat chicken, steak, french fries, roast duck, bean casserole, soup, salads, ham and cheese sandwiches, mushrooms, onions, sausages, cheese?

Tell them that if they won't eat French food, that that includes croissants, baguettes, brioche, chocolates, pastries and ice cream.

American soft drinks are expensive in restaurants. If you want to get any for them, do it at grocery stores.

Good advice from carmen.

((I))

PS, a Croque Madame has a soft cooked egg on top. I wouldn't blame them if they don't want that.

what is french food? food made in france?

Go with her into a charcuterie or better traiteur or rotisseur. They have lots of cold and warm ready-to-eat foods on display. Encourage her to select by herself what looks good and let her try.
Usually, these stores have simple things like pizza and sausage rolls, but they hav e also quiches, pastries and more sophisticated French foods.

I presume that she doesn't just eat burgers and pizza at home. So long as you eat at relatively simple places, I don't think you will have a problem finding food that she will like. Fish, chicken etc. French food isn't all snails and frogs legs!

<French food isn't all snails and frogs legs!> you forgot, beef tongue or tail, veal head, pig foot, andouillettes, tripes, rognons....
sorry I couldn't help it! :-d

You can get pizzas all over the place, and some very good ones too, with no need to find a Pizza Hut or other chain. My vegetarian son would be happy to eat pizza Margherita every night, or at least alternated with falafel, and he had no problem. He also loved French pastries and baked goods and yogurt. There are numerous Italian and Arab and Greek and other restaurants in Paris.

I know you didn't ask about this, but I am curious why the stay in Bercy? That might not be the ideal location for your trip, although I know other factors might make it necessary.

You don;t need to stick to american chains. Any simple cafe will serve an omelette (plain or cheese or ??) with FRENCH fries, or a croque monsieur (ham and cheese sanwhich), plain roast chicken or steak with fries, etc.

(If all she'll eat is fast food you really do have a problem - have you had her BP, cholesterol, blood glucose checked?)

Unfortunately I understand where you are coming from because my husband and I are both very picky eaters. Not my most redeeming quality but alas its true. I will say that we found plenty of good places to eat. Cafes had great sandwiches, soups and omlettes, and several bistros had pizza on their menus. As Suze mentioned, Paris is also full of a variety great restaurants. We had delicious pasta and salad at Pizza Tina in the 7eme. You don't have to frequent the American fast food restaurants to find good food, even for a fussy eater.

Tracy

Back to original question - McDonalds all all over Paris - dozens and dozens. Every cafe has ham (jambon) and chesse (fromage) baguette sandwiches and there are supermarkets all over with much the same foods as you'd find at home.
Bercy is a great area to stay in - all rehabbed in past decade - lovely park and the old wine warehouses have been turned into restaurants. Also a Starbucks here.
It is sad however that her culinary adverturism is nil - maybe you could force feed her pain au chocolate, croissants, etc. from ubiquitous bakeries.

When we took our, then, 12 year old daughter to Paris, she fell in love with pain au chocolate and the hot dogs that are served in a baguette. She did have other items but those, by far, were her favorites.

It is surprising to me that a child that age is already refusing to eat French food before she even sees it. That can only come from others.

However, there are many chain and fast food restaurants in Paris (a McDonald?? ha ha I bet there are at least a dozen, as well as many Pizza Huts and many other things like that).

If that is what you want, you won't need to take down special instructions or directions on them, you will see them easily all over the place when you are there. There are plenty on the Champs-Elysees, in the Latin Qtr, etc. So don't worry. There is this fast food hamburger chain called Quick but I don't like it at all (I think it is Belgian, whatever it's worse than McDonalds).

My daughter cut her teeth (quite literally in fact) on baguettes. Why even bring up or mention 'French food', you will find many menu items that she should be familiar with, & like, at nearly any restaurant.

>you forgot, beef tongue or tail, veal head, pig foot, andouillettes, tripes, rognons....<

veal sweetbreads and brains, duck gizzards, goose liver, calf's cheeks, pig snouts....

My picky eater has eaten a LOT of bread thoughout Europe, and he's never lost weight on a trip. We've been to 5 countries and we've only been to a McDonalds once (and then I insisted that we were there to make cultural comparisons- my kids decided the European happy meals came with better toys). I tell my kids that part of the experience of traveling is to try foreign cuisine.