All foodies are excited about encouraging a love of food in their kids. They can’t wait to go out to their favorite restaurants or create their favorite dishes and see their kids’ faces light up and ask for seconds and even thirds. However, some kids can be a little picky. They might not want to try some new dish when they could have chicken nuggets. There’s nothing wrong with nuggets, but you can still find ways to help them appreciate new dishes. Here are 5 ways to help your kids appreciate new dishes.
Encourage your kids to cook and try new foods! Photo Credit: Unsplash.com
5 Ways To Help Your Kids Appreciate New Dishes:
1. Teach Them About The Culture
It doesn’t matter what your favorite food is, there is a rich, flavorful history behind these dishes. Teaching your kids about these cultures and highlighting their history can help them understand why food is so important. Whether you want to show them the history of tacos or explain how a Bandeja Paisa was the perfect way for farmers in Medellin to stay fueled throughout the day, you can enjoy a significant and valuable learning experience with your kids, and they will be more willing to try new things.
2. Make Food With Them
There is no better substitute for learning while doing. Not only does cooking with your kids inspire vital life skills, but it also shows them how these new dishes aren’t much different from what they’re used to. They might not like the sound of a chicken schnitzel, but making it with them will show them that it’s just a huge chicken nugget. You can also use this time to encourage them to try more vegetables and other foods they might not be as keen on.
3. Visit New Countries
If you love to travel, you can give your kids a front-row seat to some of the finest cuisines in the world. It doesn’t matter where you go, there’s always a delicious local dish waiting for your kids to try and fall in love with. Not only that, but visiting new countries also encourages learning new things, which should inspire your kids to be more curious. They will make positive memories during these travels and be more open to trying new things in the future.
4. Let Them Sample It
Your kids might be too young to try certain foods, but this doesn’t mean you can’t let them have a little taste now and then. Your favorite spicy curry packs too much heat for them to eat in full, but you could let them take a bite to see how they react. The burst of flavors and textures could intrigue them, even if they aren’t ready for a main course yet.
5. Create Their Favorites With New Flavors
You shouldn’t force new foods on your kids, but you can adapt their favorites by including new flavors that show them there’s nothing to be scared of. If they love chicken pizza, why not make a butter chicken curry pizza one night? It’s not too spicy, and it contains all the fundamentals of their favorite food.
Delicious
Your kids are likely to come around to new dishes eventually, but you may as well give them the chance to do this as soon as possible. From tasting to making to learning, these tips can all encourage your kids to love the same foods as you and maybe even branch out further.
