This is a guest post by Peggy Crum, RD. Peggy is the nutritionist for the Health4U program at Michigan State University.
Most of us are naturally skeptical about new foods. We may not want to try them because they look strange or smell weird. It’s easier just to stay with the familiar and comfortable things we’re used to eating.
But what if our children won’t eat the foods we like to eat? Taking the path of least resistance, a parent could serve just what their children like. Doing this becomes as ho-hum as choosing from your local restaurant’s kids’ menu. Alternatively, making two (or more) different meals is time consuming.
One common approach to getting children to try new foods is to apply pressure, for instance, setting a one-bite rule or a no-thank-you helping. This usually results in a power struggle and may result in a bite, but rarely results in the child really liking the food.
The rule of thumb for liking new foods is to give it 5 to 20. That is, a person needs to experience a new food as few as 5 times and as many as 20 times before truly liking it. Some ways of experiencing a new food are to shop for it, prepare it, serve it, watch someone else eat it—all without ever even tasting it. After several of these kinds of opportunities, the person may be ready to taste it—without notice or fanfare, please!
Instead of dropping foods from the menu, keep on serving them. Persistence and being positive will pay off!
Read more about the trust approach to feeding children.
On-campus opportunities to learn more about feeding children: