Family adapts meals to individual needs and allergies

In Vietnam, a woman manages family meals despite her husband’s seafood allergy and her child’s picky eating habits.

The woman learned to balance the family’s meals without forcing anyone to eat foods they dislike, after reading about another mother’s similar struggles. Her husband enjoys many cuisines but has a severe allergy to shellfish, leading the family to avoid those foods for a time.

Her child also has mild allergies and is a selective eater, only consuming a few familiar dishes and refusing to try new ones. The mother believes her child’s eating habits may be inherited, as she herself grew up eating only a few simple dishes due to her mother’s work commitments. The woman now chooses menus that suit everyone and seeks out clean, quality restaurants. Each family member now often eats what they prefer, without pressure to conform to others' tastes.

She actively encourages her child to try new foods, starting with small portions of vegetables in soup when the child was young. Now, the child willingly eats a variety of dishes, including pho and noodle soup, and adds seasonings and herbs independently, but avoids sweets and fried foods. She also supplements this with nutrition education at school and through books.