Table 3 Child-focused concerns when eating out

Concerns about limitations on child eating out:

1) Yeah, I think it’s embarrassing (for child), because he doesn’t want to feel different, nobody wants to feel different. If someone else had the problem he wouldn’t feel so bad but because he’s the only one out of us, yeah I mean he does feel different.

  (P8, M 13–17: Peanuts, tree nuts)

2) I feel it’s quite unfair on him, eating the same thing. He either gets sausages and chips or chicken nuggets or he’ll have plain noodles. It’s not really fair....it’s not fair on him when every other child gets an ice cream and he gets a packet of crisps. Every other child gets chocolate and he gets a bowl of grapes.

  (P9, M < 8: Milk)

Avoiding child’s disappointment:

3) Yeah it impacts a lot because most desserts, unless he just gets fruit, he can’t have them. So what I do then is if he’s made something or I’ll try and get something he can have when we go back home.

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

4) We tend to stick to the same place if you’ve been there once and its ok, and if he doesn’t have a reaction…if he likes it, it’s a bonus.

  (P2, M 8–12: Peanuts, tree nuts)

5) ….there was this one time I took him to a vegan restaurant and he was just in heaven because they had the most incredible puddings. We’ve got to go back there but it’s just not very near. If only there were more vegan restaurants!

  (P13, M 13–17: Milk)