1. Cook with your kids. We have found that fussy eaters are much more likely to try food they have played a part in making, which gives you a great opportunity to introduce them to new healthy ingredients.
2. Visit a farmers market. While taking the kids to the supermarket can be a daunting experience with all that colourful pre-packaged ingredients, a trip to a farmer’s market can be fun.
There are plenty of foods to sample and it is interesting talking to the people who grow the food that’s for sale. They often have tasty tips on how to prepare the food too.
The kids get the opportunity to see the freshest seasonal fruit and vegetables, some of which they won’t have seen before. This is also a good time to get the kids to help choose new ingredients to try at home.
3. Plan a trip to the fish markets. Kids (and adults) will be amazed at the variety of fish and shellfish on display. Show them where the boats come in from the sea and if possible let them see someone preparing and scaling the fish.
The kids will be amazed by the colours, shapes and the smell of the ocean.
This is another great opportunity to get the kids involved in choosing something to take home and cook.
4. Play the taste testing game! This is a great opportunity to get kids to try foods they otherwise would not go near. Make it fun and get them to guess what they are tasting.
Make sure you include plenty of tastes and textures eg: crunchy (apples), soft (banana), wobbly (jelly), hard (ice), smooth (soybeans), gelatanious (tofu), chewy (sourdough).
This works really well as a play date. Just put the different foods in plastic bowls and give each taster a spoon. If they don’t like something they can always spit it out.
5. Does your child have a favourite colour? For example, girls who love pink can be enticed to try beetroot soup – just don’t call it beetroot soup, make up a fun name like ‘Pink Potion’ and away you go!
6. Get kids used to being in the kitchen. They can help while you cook by stirring, washing vegetables and fruit, passing ingredients and chatting.
They can get more involved as they get older chopping ingredients and reading recipes etc.
7. Get them involved at every stage of food preparation. Setting the table, picking flowers to put on the table, clearing the table and wiping down after you eat.
8. Try cooking foods in different ways. For example asparagus – if they don’t like it steamed, try roasting or BBQing it!
9. Start your own garden and get the kids involved. Strawberries are easy to grow and most kids (and adults) love them.
Tomatoes, beans, herbs, pumpkins and lettuce are also fun and easy to grow. It just depends on how much space you have and what time of year you want to start your garden.
10. If your kids don’t like the taste of something don’t stress! Kids’ little taste buds will develop as they get older. So they may hate something one year and love it in years to come. Just make sure you keep it fun and keep giving them different things to try!
