Tips for Encouraging Kids to Try New Food Flavors
Getting kids to try new foods and expand their palates can be a challenge for many parents. However, introducing new flavors and textures early and consistently is important for raising children who enjoy a diverse, healthy diet. With creativity and patience, parents can find ways to get even the pickiest eaters to willingly try more foods. This article provides helpful tips for making mealtimes an adventure rather than a chore when encouraging kids to try new food flavors.
Introducing New Foods from an Early Age
Exposing children to a wide variety of flavors and textures from an early age is key to getting them used to trying new foods. Offer new foods frequently and don’t give up if they initially refuse. It can take 10 or more attempts before a child accepts a new food. Try offering just a small amount to start with. Give new foods alongside foods you know they already like. Make it fun by cutting foods into different shapes or serving with dips. Praise them for trying new things.
Involve Your Child in Preparing Food
Get your child involved in preparing and cooking new recipes. Let them help with age-appropriate tasks like mixing, pouring, spreading, etc. Grow fruits and vegetables together. Bring them along when you go food shopping and let them choose a new fruit or veggie. They’ll be more inclined to try foods they helped pick and prepare themselves. Discuss where foods come from and how they grow. It’s a fun exercise if you’re fostering children with an agency like Orange Grove Foster Care.
Role Model Enjoying Diverse Foods
Children are greatly influenced by the eating habits of those around them. Sit down for meals together as a family. Show your child you enjoy eating a variety of healthy foods yourself. Be adventurous and expose them to different cuisines like Italian, Chinese, Indian, etc. Avoid labelling foods as good or bad and forcing them to clean their plate. This can create unhealthy attitudes to food.
Use Dips and Sauces
Pairing new foods with flavoursome dips and sauces can make them more enticing. Provide dips like hummus, tzatziki, or salad cream. Adding a small amount of ketchup or mild curry sauce to vegetables can help too. Just be mindful of how much sauce you provide to keep the meal healthy. Dips also make a great motivational tool – “You can have some more ketchup if you try some carrots first”.
Try New Flavours in Familiar Foods
Introduce new flavors into foods you already serve. Adding pureed butternut squash or sweet potato to mac and cheese is an easy way to sneak in veggies. Grate vegetables like courgetti, carrot and spinach into pasta sauces, stews, and bakes. Blend cauliflower into mashed potato or cheddar cheese into soups. Adding herbs, spices and new seasonings to meals is an easy way to expose kids to new flavors.
Make it Fun
Theme nights like Mexican Fiesta Night or Italian Pasta Night help make mealtimes fun. Let kids decorate their plates with vegetable faces and art. Cut food into fun shapes with cookie cutters. Plant a herbs or vegetable garden together they can pick from. Get creative together with fruit kebabs, smoothies, or homemade pizzas with veggie toppings.
Anything you can do to get kids engaged and excited about food will encourage tasting.
