tedgale: I'm sure it's the difficulty of procuring good sheep's lungs.

My husband and I, when we traveled with the children when they were younger, and we wanted to eat at a better restaurant, we would feed the "picky" eaters before the dinner, and then let them order a dessert at our restaurant while we ate a nice meal. That way, everyone was happy. Plus, why spend big bucks on food they don't appreciate. They almost always loved the fancy dessert that they got. So, it is a win/win as all of us saw it. Hope this helps those with picky eaters.

I've been to "Breakfast In America" in Paris. If I remember correctly the owner is from Maryland.

My son and I were the only Americans there and the pancakes and bacon were great. We don't even eat big breakfasts at home and we weren't craving it or anything. We just thought it would be fun to check out after our tour guide (Michael Osman's friend Scott) told us he often takes his French friends there for breakfast.

We were staying nearby anyway and we'd already eaten croissants daily for a week so we walked to it. There are toasters on every table so you can toast your own bread.

I doubt a 12 year old knows French food from good American. Tell her the restaurant you are in serves the best USA food.

She's a fussy eater but not stupid, I think she'd know the difference.............

Highland_Lass: There seem to be a lot of posters jumping down your throat because you said that your DD won't eat French food -- I think that they might be taking you too literally. Perhaps you mean that she's not a very adventurous eater, and if that's the case, then many have given you suggestions of the availability of food that your DD will recognize and be comfortable with. Enjoy your trip. I wish my mother had taken me to France when I was twelve.

highland lass; I have one child who is not an adventurous eater (the other two will eat anything), and we go to France two or three times a year. There are lots of pizza restaurants that are much better then Pizza Hut. Lots of McDonalds and Quick (a French version of McDonalds). But even in a regular French bistro, my son never has a problem; omelet with french fries is nearly always available, roast chicken, and if nothing else, 'pates au beurre', just simple pasta with butter and cheese. And bread. In the unlikely event that she does not like anything on the menu, promise her a McDonalds afterwards; make a deal with her. If she promises to try one thing in the restaurant, and she really does not like it, she can have a burger afterwards. The promise of a 'dame blanche' for dessert also works wonders in my experience.

Even if you don't really have to have gourmet meals on your visit, it's so much nicer to sit in a nice bistro than it is to go to McDonalds.

Oh, and if they have a children's menu, it's usually steak hache, or a french burger, which is normally not very good, and served rare, so don't order that!

Yes, who exactly is the parent here? My wife and I decided long ago that we didn't apply enough discipline during our childrens' formative years, but one thing we never put up with was this "picky eater" crap. They ate what was put before them or they went hungry - simple, and now that they're adults I can say character-forming.

One thing that's been puzzling me - why is everybody treating this post seriously? Am I the only person who suspects highland_lass of being a male American troll?

Well, I'm a 15 year old high school student masquerading as a teacher, so anything is possible...

I was very much brought up in the school of "You'll eat what you're given AND YOU'LL LIKE IT", so I don't have a great deal of sympathy.

But I suspect someone's been telling playground tales and got her in a state about going abroad in general. I suspect it won't take much to demonstrate that the food is not that different from what she's used to, and that elaborate and/or fussy haute cuisine, bleeding meat, snails and frog's legs are not compulsory.

The most important thing is to wait until she's hungry. Or you could walk round a supermarket to look at what ordinary local people buy, to help get her hungry. Then look for any main crossroads. Somewhere nearby will be the boulangerie/patisserie with all those cakes in the window - walk her (slowly) past it and not far away (probably on every corner of the crossroads) a bar/café/bistro with a menu outside. There way well be a line of different places (Moroccan/Turkish, Italian, Chinese and so on). Have a list of menu terms to hand so you can work out the full range of what's on offer, order an omelette/frites or jambon/frites and I think the fears may begin to subside.

See this thread on French food vocabulary:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...0&start=50

" Yes, who exactly is the parent here? My wife and I decided long ago that we didn't apply enough discipline during our childrens' formative years, but one thing we never put up with was this "picky eater" crap. They ate what was put before them or they went hungry - simple, and now that they're adults I can say character-forming. "

One thing that's been puzzling me - why is everybody treating this post seriously? Am I the only person who suspects highland_lass of being a male American troll? "

I don't understand !!

I'm not male , not American and definately not a troll ( not the last time I looked ) !! Just a normal Scottish mum looking for some help.

All I wanted was to asked some nice helpful parents of fussy eaters for some help. Instead I get judged on my parenting skills and sneered at !!

I think I'll avoid asking anything in future in these boards although I must say those parents out there with picky eaters have all been kind and helpful. I have the information I need and am very much looking forward to my trip to Paris.

Ireland traveller is correct about me probably saying the wrong thing in my original post. My daughter isn't an adventurous eater and yes I was looking for advice on eating in Paris. Her schoolteacher for french language has been telling the class during lessons about the more adventurous french dishes and I suspect this has frightened her a little !!

So whilst lots of posters have " jumped down my throat " others have been very nice and I do thank them all.

I was a very picky eater at that age. Don't worry she will always find somethin g and go for sandwiches, panni and crepes if she is hubgry. Does she like cheese? get her a cheese plate with some bread. I would not worry to much or mention to her just she how she gets on and adapt when it suits you both.

Believe it or not, while controversy rages on this thread, there is another thread asking where to get frog's legs for a culinarily ADVENTUROUS daughter (who sounds like my kinda person).

The mother who posted begins:

"Is there such a thing as buying frog legs from a street vendor in Paris? If not where is the best place to go to just try them, My 11 yr old daughter really wants to try them...."

I only just realised you are scottish...

In which case there is a british pub near chatelet (in the Rue St Denis) called the Frog and Rosbif which serves typical british pub food, and will let your kids in.

If you are staying in Bercy then head to Bercy Village (metro is Cour St Emilion). It's a recently converted pedestrianised area (used to be warehouses). As well as a few shops and a multiplex cinema, there are various food places there, including a Frog pub (called the Frog at Bercy Village, and part of the same Paris chain that Dave mentions) which serves fish and chips, burgers, sandwiches, etc. The food there is perfectly decent and it's a large, airy place with a terrace outside.

You can even see a sample of their menu on the frog pubs website: http://www.frogpubs.com/pub.php?lang...opic=eatdrinks

Thank you hanl.

I have looked at the website you mentioned and will pay them a visit.

It sounds just what we're looking for !

The only thing I would mention on the Frog and... chain is they get VERY busy if there is any major British (especially English) sporting event on. They also get busy late in the evening - but that's probably after your kid's bedtime.

I just had a look at the Bercy Village website (http://bercyvillage.phidji.com/Datab...m=0&Sort=1) and there are various restaurants/eateries that should be OK for your daughter, including a Hippopotamus, which is a very child-friendly French chain restaurant serving various grilled steak + chips combinations, a creperie where your daughter should be able to have something simple like a cheese crepe, and an Italian pasta restaurant, along with more traditional French style places.

I would avoid Hippopotamous...the decor is cute and they hand out very cool baloons, but the food is bad. It's like eating at Denny's only paying four times as much for it. However, Bisto Romain is a kid friendly chain that I would recommend.