Thailand is chock full of tasty surprises for the old and the young. In fact, kids might be excited to know that one of the most popular words in the Thai language is kanom. It translates, roughly, to “yummy little sweet treat”.  Typical kanom might include little sugar candies shaped like vegetables.

Many of the main dishes are amazingly kid-friendly as well. Try the curries of course. Geng kiaw wan (sweet green curry) is a favorite and can be served with chicken, tofu, pork, or beef. Chicken and tofu are the best. It can be spicy, so order this mai pet (not spicy) for kids.

There are fun dishes like shrimp puffs slathered in flaky coconut.

And a personal favorite, pak boong fai deng (morning glory sautéed over a very hot fire). Yes, kids still need vegetables when they are traveling.

If you are looking for comfort food, look no further than kao mun gai, chicken and rice. The rice is special in that it is cooked in chicken broth. While you can add peppers and spice, it’s plenty delicious as is – just steamed chicken on a yummy bed of rice. You may need to go to a kao mun gai shop to find this dish so ask around if your kids are in need of the chicken-noodle-soup-of-Thailand.

Don’t forget the drinks. Cha yen (Thai tea) is a spectacular mix of tea and cream that is veritably addictive. Often served in a plastic bag for wandering, you can also find it in frosty mugs.

In the south, try dim sum. While a traditional Chinese meal available in the USA, there is a similar specialty in the southern town of Trang. Small dishes are on display raw. Kids can point to the ones they want and the dishes are steamed to order.

Similar to green curry is haw muk. I don’t know what it translates to but it’s something like “delicious steamed green coconut curry” and usually involves seafood. Most often it arrives in a banana leaf but we found it served in a fresh coconut!

Also try whole steamed fish – always beautiful, never spicy.

Or mussels served with coconut curry.

In the north, absolutely try som tam (green papaya salad). This is probably one of the most famous Thai dishes and can be served with little or no spice.

And sample cyclaw, little sausage bites served with cabbage and peanuts. Yum!

Desserts are spectacular in Thailand. There are plenty of fresh fruits for a healthy finale to any meal, but don’t forget to splurge on sweets once in a while. For example, choose western-influenced coconut cake.

Or traditional sticky rice with mango.

You and your kids will not go hungry in this wonderland of flavors!