Table 2 The family context of eating out with a child with FH

Importance of eating out for family:

1) Yes, we’re going out this Saturday, my husband’s from (UK city), and his mum’s from (UK city), her brother is from (European country), with his wee girl., and we’re all going out as a family, which is really nice.…We always try and go out, we were out last Friday at the (chain restaurant), because my husband and I both work, we like to go out, spend family time together, and catch up with (daughter). It’s very important.

  (P6, F 8–12: Peanuts & tree nuts)

2) (Burger chain drive-through) the one Friday of the week. That’s because that’s mine and his thing together. That’s me finished work… so that’s the wee snippet of time that I have and he just thinks it’s great fun in the car.

  (P9, M < 8: Milk)

Impact on other family member’s eating out behaviours and freedom of choice:

3) So how often would you say you are eating out?

  It could be once a week, it used to be more, now of course it’s a bit less, it could be once a week, yeah.

  So his condition has sort of reduced the frequency which you’d do that?

  Yeah because the variety of places you can go and you know he’ll be okay are less now.

  Was that just you know whenever you felt like it or would you tend to go and eat out on a special occasion?

  Special occasions and sometimes like at the weekend, I’ll just think ‘oh I’m not cooking, let’s just go out’. But you have to think a bit more because if there are only say one or two things that we know are safe for him on the menu….So it’s kind of restricted our choice of places to go.

  (P1, M 13–17: Peanuts, tree nuts, milk)

4) The (restaurant name), that is my husband’s favourite (Asian restaurant), but we don’t go so much now because it’s very difficult for him (son) to find some curry and rice, to find you know what you call a ‘meal’ that would be safe for him.

  (P2, M 8–12: Peanuts, tree nuts)

5) We…have a bit of a chat about it because Dad will say to (child’s sibling) ‘don’t be ridiculous, we’re not going to (chicken chain restaurant)’, Mum and (daughter) need something else. I mean we’ve been out before and we’ve split up to different places for lunch….Which can get irritating.

  (P5, F 13–17: Cereals containing gluten)