9 TIPS TO RAISE ADVENTUROUS EATERS

Why do I want to raise adventurous eaters? 

From the day we came home from the hospital with Logan, I knew I wanted to do food differently than we often see in American and British culture. I didn’t appreciate it at the time, but I grew up being exposed to a large variety of foods. Fresh, organic, whole foods were not foreign to me. It wasn’t until I got to University and saw everyone eating Mac + Cheese out of a plastic microwaveable container that I realized not all families ate the way we did. 

Despite eating really well as a kid, there were still a lot of negative food labels thrown at me. A lot of pressure in terms of how much to eat and foods that make you fat. Foods were either good or bad and I was never taught how to listen to what my body needed. 

So like most things in life I took some things from my childhood when it came to food and I left the rest. For me raising an adventurous eater goes beyond avoiding the “my kid only eats white bread and peanut butter” path. It is about fostering a lifelong healthy relationship with food. Teaching kids to listen to their bodies and avoid negative food associations. 

Raising an adventurous eater translates into so many other life skills. It teaches them to try new things, to be flexible, and to listen to their bodies without guilt. It’s also important to me that my kids can be invited over to a friend’s house and happily eat whatever is served (or politely say no thank you).

9 tips for raising adventurous eaters

Serve a variety

You’ve probably heard the saying “eat the rainbow.” Well that applies here. I try to serve foods from different food groups as well as a variety of colors. The goal here is to expose your kid to as many different types of foods as possible. 

Prepare foods in different ways

When you serve pasta try different types of noodles and switch up the sauce. If your child isn’t sure about mushrooms, cook them in a different way next time. My kids and I talk about how amazing it is that you can take something that may not taste great on its own, then you add some butter or a sauce and all of a sudden the food tastes incredible (this is how I got my kids to love mushrooms). 

Don’t assume the kids won’t like something 

Leave judgements and assumptions at the door. Serve it to them anyway. You might be surprised what they gravitate to. Just the other day my boys saw me peeling carrots for dinner. They asked if they could have one of the huge carrots to eat. They ate the entire thing. It was novel for them, because I don’t usually serve carrots like that, so they kept coming back for more. 

Repeated exposure 

Kid’s taste buds are continually changing. So keep trying. Don’t give up if a kid isn’t sure about something the first time. It can take 8-10 times of serving it before children will even touch it. Then maybe a few more times before they decide to taste it. It’s definitely a long game, not a short game. When my kids aren’t sure about something, I take it as a challenge, to keep exposing them and finding different ways of preparing the food so they do enjoy it.

Eat together and make it feel special

Sharing a meal together has so many benefits. It’s a chance for connection and an incredible pause in the day. Kids love when we use the “fancy plates” or put candles out on the table. It makes it feel special.

One meal for the entire family

No short order cooking. I do my best to make sure there is a “safe” food at each meal. I do push the envelope with what I serve them, but if I know it’s something very new or different, I’ll pair it with a food I know they like. But there is one meal for everyone. No alternatives. If this one is difficult, get the kids involved in meal planning for the week.

Get them involved

Kids are naturally curious and want to help. Get them involved in every aspect of the meal – planting vegetables in the garden, choosing the recipe, going to the market, and preparing the meal. I’ve often been surprised what types of foods kids are willing to try, when they are the ones who prepared it. It gives them a sense of pride, and fosters curiosity and responsibility. When kids feel they are good at things they want to do more of it. 

No snacking and no bribery

In France the mindset is that it’s ok for kids to feel hungry in between meals. When a kid sits down for a meal and they are actually hungry, then they eat. Simple as that. If they have had 6 snacks before the meal, they will be much less inclined to eat what’s served. 

Bribery is tricky, but when we say things like “eat your dinner, then you can have a cookie” what the kids hear is “eat this disgusting thing so you can have the yummy thing after.” Instead we want to focus on enjoying the meal and learning to love the food.  

Relax

This might be easier said than done. But it’s a good reminder for all of us, especially as meal times can be stressful. The more relaxed we are around meal times, the more relaxed the kids will be. Avoid putting pressure or expectations on the kids when it comes to food. Avoid saying things like “take another bite” or “you need to eat more chicken.” Give kids freedom to explore at their own pace while chatting and enjoying each other’s company.