Child meal portions and pricing at island resorts
You are bringing children and want to know how their meals are counted and charged.
Children’s meals on an island are usually priced by age band, and the bands differ from one resort to the next. A child who is free in one place can pay a child rate in another, and a tall eleven-year-old may be treated as an adult. Ask for the bands and the rules in writing before you compare prices.
For the wider checklist, read full board on islands. The island trip cost calculator lets you test your family numbers.
How are children usually counted?
Most resorts split guests into infants, children and adults. The ages and the prices differ.
One operator in our research shows a booking form that separates children aged three to twelve from infants under three, with no child rate shown [1]. That tells you the bands exist, not what they cost, so ask.
Some resorts count age on the day of arrival, others on the day of the meal. A child who turns the next age band mid-stay may be charged more for later nights. It is worth asking.
How do portions and prices compare?
| Style | How a child is usually charged | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Buffet | A child rate, or free below an age | Is the rate flat, and what is the age limit? |
| Set menu | A smaller portion at a lower price, or full price | Is there a children’s set? |
| Half board | Child meal rate for the included meals | Are drinks included for children? |
| A la carte | Child menu, if one exists | Is there a child menu at all? |
An older child who eats a full plate may still be charged as an adult. Ask about the cut-off age, and whether height is used as well as age.
What does a family example look like?
Take two adults and two children, aged four and ten, for three nights on full board. Ask the resort to price the adult rate, the child rate for each age band and any infant rate. Then add them up.
- Adult meal cost per night times two adults times three nights.
- Child meal cost for the four-year-old, if different from free.
- Child meal cost for the ten-year-old, which may be higher.
- Any drinks charged separately for children.
- The total, compared with a quotation from a second resort.
If the older child crosses into the adult band at the second resort, the total there may be higher even if the headline price looks lower. That is the reason to compare by lines. Our guide on reading a resort price line by line shows how.
Questions to put in writing
- What are the age bands for infants, children and adults, and are they based on age on the day of arrival?
- Is there a meal charge for each band, and is it per meal or per night?
- Is a child’s buffet rate flat or based on what is eaten?
- Do you count height as well as age?
- Is there a children’s set menu or simple option?
- Can you bring baby food or milk, and can the kitchen warm it? See baby food and milk on islands.
- Are drinks included for children?
For fussy eaters, buffet or set menu may also help.
A better fit if…
A resort with clear child bands and a simple children’s option may be a better fit if you are bringing several children, especially across different ages.
A package with a flat adult-only rate may be a better fit if your children are teenagers who eat as much as adults, since there are no discounts to chase.
Either way, put the ages in your message and ask for a line-by-line quote.
Common questions
Do children eat free on island packages?
Sometimes the youngest do, but it depends on the resort and the age band it uses. Do not assume. Ask whether infants, toddlers and older children are free, discounted or full price for meals, and ask for each rule in writing.
What counts as a child at a resort?
Resorts set their own bands, and the same child can be an infant at one place and a child at another. One operator's booking form separates children aged three to twelve from infants under three [1]. Ask for the exact ages and how they are counted on the day of stay.
Are child portions smaller?
At a buffet, the child takes what they want, and the price may be a flat child rate. At a set menu, portions may be smaller or the same. Ask which applies, and whether a hungry older child is charged as an adult.
Can I request simple food for a fussy child?
Many kitchens can offer plain rice, egg, noodles or toast if asked. Ask in advance, and ask whether this is part of the package. It is kind to the kitchen and helpful to you. A plain dish on the side can keep a tired child calm.
Sources
- mataking.com (accessed 2026-10-16)