Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Are you going to eat that?

I have been working with kids in after school programs and one of the things I try to do is show them new foods. My biggest discovery is that kids seem to say no less easily to a stranger like me versus their own mom or dad. I have asked many kids and most say they don't it at home but they don't mind trying it with me. So don't be shy to send your kids somewhere else so they can experience new food. 

Here are some ideas that have been fun to try:

  1. it's OK to bribe, push, manipulate, scheme or even force your kids to try new foods - no one will call social services on you...
  2. pick a new fruit and get the kids to taste it – star fruit, kiwi, mango, papaya, passionfruit… let them pick something when you go shopping!
  3. have them try a hot pepper (jalapeno will do to start) – try it yourself first so you can time the heat and then you can tell them that it will dissipate after 20 or 30 seconds (I did this with my daughter and she got to try many spicy foods this way)
  4. show them how to cook simple ingredients like pasta or rice – older kids can even have this as a job to help with at dinner
  5. if you have a group, get them to work as an assembly line with dishes like wraps or rolls – great for spring rolls where you can see the insides once you roll it!
  6. try a blind food tasting to see if they can describe how food tastes – what does it remind them of? (Kristin’s brother said when he was a kid, he thought papayas tasted like the zoo!)
  7. You are what you eat - so help them become better human being!

You can even show them fun ways to set the table, like different ways to fold napkins!
Get your kids involved in the kitchen and they will learn to respect the food and the cook. Years later when they come home to visit, maybe they will cook for you.

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