What shall I feed my French exchange student to prevent a repeat?

I've always found our German exchanges pretty good at eating whatever I put in front of them - one we had for a month who was vegetarian which really challenged my culinary skills, being a family of carnivores, but she seemed grateful for my efforts!
The one we had the most difficulty with was a Romanian girl who I made the stock spag bol for. I served the pasta and put the sauce on for my girls when she said 'I just have sugar' and proceeded to put a tablespoonful of sugar on plain pasta! At least she ate it. My poor DD was given pasta with warm milk for breakfast when she went there!
If you can plan ahead I'd make some easy chicken casseroles, bolognese which you turn into lasagne, chilli etc and just pull out of the freezer in the morning.

For lunch I've just given them what I give my lot. They all seem to bring plenty of money with them so they can fill up on chocolate etc if they don't like what's been packed.

I always have cold chicken breasts, which can be dressed in olive oil and herbs, or sliced for sandwiches. I often buy a French loaf from Waitrose, as well.

They all seem to eat lasagne and coq au vin/chicken casserole-type things.

The French always love fresh green beans and green salads.

And second the baking. I usually try and make a cake as many days in the week as I can.

I had a chat to a chap who'd been hosted by a UK family - he is from the Philipines. He hated the 'full english' breakfasts and found most of the food unpleasant. France is a doddle then!

Chocolate breakfast cereal. French people do love their chocolate. I wouldn't try croissants unless you have a really good and authentic bakery nearby. Chicken escallope is another that goes down well (with rosemary roast potatoes and creamed spinach).

Make sure you have lots of lovely cheese and bread! Crudites and salads with nice cold cuts always go down well. Who doesn't like pizza?

I'm wracking my brains on what DS's french mates eat - usually pasta, pizza and roast chicken are faves! Mashed potato does not go down well (very odd in my book!) nor does hot spicy food. Custard (bleuch) goes down well too. Bottled water too.

Can you ask in advance what he will/wont eat?

The only meal I found difficult was breakfast - the French exchange students we had liked hot milk with their cereal and also hot chocolate. Otherwise they ate what we normally had - they were happy to try most things. Which is part of the exchange experience I guess.

We had great experiences with our French and half French half German exchanges. They were really adventurous in what they would try - didn't like everything, but more than willing to give it a go e.g. marmite, English mustard on bread(!), Yorkshires with gravy etc. I think this might be even more the case if she is the daughter of a chef - she'll have been brought up to try anything. Good luck!

Hi

Only suggestion is, do meals that are more buffet style than usual. Put out roast chicken legs tossed in olive oil and herbs, garlic bread, salads and some cheeses then he can help himself to what he likes.

Or do a trad English roast: beef and yorkshires or chicken and roast potatoes.

Maybe a couple of other UK staples: spag bol is a national dish, as is curry. Try him with a mild biryani or dare him to try chicken tikka masala.

In my (distant) memory from having a childhood home full of a constant stream of French students, they love UK baking: scones and jam, white sliced toast makes them drool as the bread they get there just isn't the same, ordinary English chocolate cake, teacakes, muffins etc - they loved all that.

Packed lunches - just do the usual: sandwiches, wraps or crusty rolls with good cheddar or red leicester or ham, crisps, fruit, smoothies and yogurts/ wrapped biscuits. They like Tunnock's wafers and shortbread. Used to fill suitcases full of the stuff to take home.

We used to have au pairs who were fussy I am enormously accommodating and a pretty ok cook and I just serve then what I eat. My DS1 is pretty fussy as well and I wouldn't expect any special treatment for him if he went on an exchange. We also used to have a boy to stay all the time who only ate 6 things he just had to muddle through. She's only with you for four nights she wont die if she doesn't eat much.
IME many fussy people eat toast/bread, teenagers drink fruit juice like its going out of fashion, a variety of breakfast cereals seems to also hit the spot, pasta with butter and margarita pizzas.
You say her parents are restauranteurs years ago we had a friend who was the "executive chef" at one of London's most famous restaurants he loved fish fingers and baked beans.