Encourage Kids to Try New Foods

Encourage Kids to Try New Foods

A varied palate is a great thing to have, and it starts with kids trying new foods! These are great tips on how to encourage kids to try new foods!

If you have a picky eater at home, you’re not the only one! There is one out there who will only eat chicken nuggets for every parent with a vegetable-loving child. Encouraging your child to step outside of their comfort zone and try new foods can be a painful and thankless task. If you are tired of the same foods’ constant rotation because of your picky eater, you are in luck! Here are a few ways to encourage your kids to try new foods.

Related: How to encourage your kids to exercise and be fit

Get your kids involved in cooking

Letting your child touch the ingredients can help them better understand the food they eat. Kids are naturally curious and, as a side effect, want to know what’s in the foods they’re eating. Younger children can help with mixing and measuring, but it’s still better to have their help in the kitchen than not. If they’ve helped prepare the meal, they are more likely to eat it! This might not always work, but it can help skeptical kids. If your children are still to young to help in the kitchen, take them to the store to help buy the ingredients!

Accommodate your picky eater, but don’t cater to them

It’s important that your child’s preferences during mealtimes are accommodated, but you are not a make-to-order chef. During meal planning, ask what your child wants to eat and ask them to pick out new vegetables or fruits to try. If you know your child doesn’t like spicy foods, don’t make many spicy foods, or make a less spicy version of that dish. Meals that allow you to serve yourself such as tacos or burritos are a great option for picky eaters because it gives them the freedom to create their own meal.

Get rid of the surprise with new foods

As parents, it can be tempting to try and hide or surprise your child with new foods. Instead, don’t let them come into a meal surprised. No one wants to try food blind without any idea as to what it might taste like. Give your children some information before they eat it, like it’s crunch or tastes like the chicken you had the other day or has the same sauce. Sometimes not eating new food might not be a picky taste thing; it could be from not understanding the foreign foods on their plate.

Use foods you know they like to encourage them to expand their palate

Does your child like pasta or oatmeal? These can be used as a base for many different varieties of dishes. Try swapping things like blueberries in their oatmeal for something different or adding veggies to the spaghetti they know and love. This will make them a little more optimistic about the dish because they know they love the dish’s base.

Trying new foods can be scary for kids, especially if they’re used to eating the same things repeatedly. However, I promise you that breaking this habit now will not only be better for their diet but better for them in the long run.

Check out these other posts about teaching kids!

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.