Getting My Child to Eat Something New

My mother used to have us try one bite of almost everything. Sometimes she would even say, "Close Your Eyes & Open Your Mouth." She would then insert a spoonful of an amazingly delicious dessert. We knew she wasn't trying to manipulate us into eating because it fit none of the guidelines for being healthy.

Now as an adult, I finally understand why she used this technique. She wanted us to try one bite of everything and we were always willing to open our mouth because we never knew whether it was a delicious dessert or something plain and ordinary she wanted us to try.

Children are replused by items that don't look edible just as we would be if we visited a foreign culture and encouraged to try new things from foods they see as common (anyone tried bugs recently). Therefore, we must do our best to encourage them to open their minds and understand that just because an item doesn't look pleasant doesn't mean it doesn't taste good.

Sometimes I use the technique I mentioned my mom using. However, other times I recommend something to my daughter by saying the item "has sugar on it." So I use the phrase: "Try it. You'll like it. It has sugar on it." I never lie to her but this works for a surprising number of things: "Baked apple dessert, pumpkin pie (both are extremely healthy), peas with honey butter and so on." Children like to think an item has sugar on it or it is sweet. So if it is any type of fruit or sweet potatoe with marshmellows, I always use: "Try it, you'll like it. It has sugar on it."

By all means if you want a child to try something new especially a fruit, consider finding a way to add sugar to it. Then you can use this technique too. Chances are your child will not need sugar on it to make it appealing as they make their way into adulthood, but a little bit of sugar can help the nutrition go down!