It is a battle none of us can fully prepare for: getting children to eat foods that they absolutely don’t want to.
Of course, most of us have tried the usual tactics. Hiding vegetables in sauces, shaping them into stars or dinosaurs, getting on our knees and begging. However, kids are smart and there’s only so much that will work on their growing little minds.
That being said, one dietician and mother of two thinks she may have found the answer and it doesn’t involve sorcery somehow.
The trick to getting children to eat new foods
Writing in Allrecipes, Sally Kuzemchak said that while she was on a road trip with her children, her son, who would never usually touch a dish with onions, suddenly asked for a side of onion rings.
Just as Kuzemchak was about to tell him not to get them as he usually hated onions, she realised that this might actually be a breakthrough moment.
So, her advice for getting kids to try new foods? Change the scenery and see how you get on.
She said: “Being in a new environment feels like an adventure, and kids might be more game for trying new things—including foods.
“Whether it’s a dish you don’t typically serve at home or a familiar ingredient spun in a new direction, foods can take on an air of mystique when we’re away from home. (Removing the pressure of the usual dinner table can help children feel freer to experiment, too.)”
It turns out that the dietitian was right to let her child try onion rings, as it really was a breakthrough for him and his sibling.
Kuzemchak said: “My kids have tried poutine in Canada, fried alligator in Florida, and plantains in Costa Rica.
“But even if they’re just trying a new ice cream flavour, I know they’re learning they can be brave—and the unknown can be good! As parents, trying new foods and praising our kids’ courage can help model an adventurous spirit.”
It’s worth a try!