How do you get your kids to try new foods?
By Tanika
@Tanika (632)
Australia
March 6, 2007 7:07am CST
Heya, My daughter is three and getting her to try something new or something that looks a little unconventional is like trying to extract teeth.
How do you parents here persuade your kids to try a new food or drink?
I usually end up bribing her which I don't really like so I though you guys might have some better ideas. Tonight for example the dinner looked a little unconventional and she didn't even want to taste it, so I bribed her by saying that if she tasted it and she really didn't like it she could have some tinned spaghetti. So she tasted it and decided she didn't like it. I couldn't help but wonder if she was using her own strategy on me just to get her favourite food.
Its not like I want to force her to eat it all or anything, just to try some would make me happy. Please share your strategies with me. Thanks in advance, Tanika.
1 person likes this
4 responses
@Sissygrl (10912)
• Canada
6 Mar 07
My step son is the same way he doesnt' really like anything new, he'll always ask for frenchfries and pork chops lol. if i try him with something new i try to arrange it on the plate so it looks fun. I'll make shapes or faces out of it.. its kind of hard for anything soupy or cassaroley, but i try lol. Sometimes he'll take the bait and others he totally refuses. Especially after i lied to him and told him an onion was a noodle. lol i dont think he trusts my cooking after that one HA. maybe sommeday he will forget. he said "EW IT WAS AN ONION TRACEY AND I ATE IT!" with the most disgusted look on his face. lol it still makes me laugh to think about it. he's 3! lol.
1 person likes this
@sugarnspice (110)
• United Arab Emirates
6 Mar 07
OMG I have had this same problem! The way I go about it is that I ask her to eat what I have cooked, and if she can finish it she gets a treat, either an icecream or a chocolate or any treat of her choice after the meal, if she still doesn't like it, then I will not cook it again. invariably, she finds that she really likes it. But I can tell you through experience that children will try anything to get their own way and you need to out smart them at their own game. It can be fun thinking up ways to get around fussy eaters.
@kathy77 (7486)
• Australia
6 Mar 07
Hi Tanika, in regards to persuading your daughter to eat the food that she is supposed to eat is very hard I have to agree with that but I think if you try just a little bit at a time with different foods then this way you can find out what she really likes and doesn't like, and at this age it is pretty hard and they will play games with us just to get their favourite foods, but don't try to persude her by saying that she can have it just tell her that she has to eat some of it then you will see what else you can give her as telling her that she can have something else first then they are quite smart the children and will play on you so that you give them exactly what they want.
@eden32 (3973)
• United States
7 Mar 07
I try to only make one new-to-him food each meal. A favorite starch & favorite meat with a new vegetable is more likely to get tried than a plate full of all new foods. If one of his older siblings love the food that helps, he idolizes his big sister & brother.
My kids are thankfully pretty good about trying new foods, I've never had to come up with very creative ideas for new foods.
