Unfortunately, adventurous eaters are rarely simply born. Children seem to go through different phases of eating. Some children are eager from the start to try everything and begin to show their preferences as they get a little older while some have difficulty transitioning to solids from the beginning. Regardless of where you find yourself currently – in a household with small children who are pushing away their peas, or perhaps even with tweens who have very distinct palate requests, it is never too late to become an adventurous eater.
Top tips to more adventurous eating:
• Make time for enjoyable meals. When meals are rushed, we are less likely to eat well or try new things.
• Introduce new foods in a relaxed manner. When people feel pressured to try new foods, they are less likely to want to try it. Make new foods a fun experience.
• Playing with food helps. When young children play with their food, they are actually learning quite a bit. First, they are becoming familiar with how the food smells & feels. Once this is in place, they can feel more comfortable putting it in their mouth and experiencing the flavours and textures of the food.
• It can take several introductions before we can fully determine if we like a certain food. Try it again and or try it in a different form. Perhaps mashed potatoes are a no go, but oven roasted potatoes seal the deal.
• Invite children into the kitchen. When given the opportunity to help prepare food, children are more likely to want to eat it too.
Wishing you all the best as you explore new flavours around your table!
Photo by Derek Owens on Unsplash
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