When did your kid-food-liking kid start becoming an adventurous eater?

[Anonymous]

I had good luck getting my kids to try things but cutting them up and serving them with toothpicks. They thought it was fun to eat things off the toothpick.

They also just become less picky with age. I think that palates do change and I also think peer pressure, or seeing their friends eat other things, helps.

[Anonymous]

Mine is still picky at 10 but is starting to get more adventurous. It’s a bit at a time though, and it’s often influenced by peers. He went to an international club meeting last week for example and had seaweed and several Japanese dishes (just tastes of them) and I was shocked.

[Anonymous]

Not what you want to hear, OP... but we limited kid food between 0-3 so they would develop a taste for other things. No snacks except fruit and only water between meals. Start meals with vegetables, then protein, then grain. A lot of variety and little pasta, bread, etc. They were hungry so they ate everything. We also took them to a lot of ethnic restaurants early on — Mexican, Indian, Thai, middle eastern, Korean, etc. — and made a big deal about how delicious the food was. They learned to love trying new things and will eat everything we eat. I feel like it is harder when they get older because it becomes a control issue and also a psychological familiarity one. Anxiety develops between ages 3-8 so kids at those ages often don’t want to try new things. YMMV.

[Anonymous]

At 1 years old they started eating everything we do. Sushi, curry, seafood etc. We didn't avoid anything except for allergies. Their favorite foods are Chinese style squid/jellyfish, sashimi, pho, and lamb curry. We don't eat mac n cheese or pizza. So, I guess they've always been adventurous eaters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not what you want to hear, OP... but we limited kid food between 0-3 so they would develop a taste for other things. No snacks except fruit and only water between meals. Start meals with vegetables, then protein, then grain. A lot of variety and little pasta, bread, etc. They were hungry so they ate everything. We also took them to a lot of ethnic restaurants early on — Mexican, Indian, Thai, middle eastern, Korean, etc. — and made a big deal about how delicious the food was. They learned to love trying new things and will eat everything we eat. I feel like it is harder when they get older because it becomes a control issue and also a psychological familiarity one. Anxiety develops between ages 3-8 so kids at those ages often don’t want to try new things. YMMV.

I know kids whose parents felt like this and who ended up with kids who only ate 5 things, but the 5 things were just trendy things. So, yes, their kid ate goat cheese instead of string cheese, but goat cheese isn't actually more nutritious, it's just harder to find.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At 1 years old they started eating everything we do. Sushi, curry, seafood etc. We didn't avoid anything except for allergies. Their favorite foods are Chinese style squid/jellyfish, sashimi, pho, and lamb curry. We don't eat mac n cheese or pizza. So, I guess they've always been adventurous eaters.

Similar but we didn’t start our DS till about 3. Our favorite food is sushi and now at 5 he loves it. Now sometimes he would say let’s have sushi on his own. We encouraged him to try what we eat and if he doesn’t like it, he knows he can always spit it out. He’s eaten French food, Indian, Italian, Greek, Asian, etc..so he is pretty adventurous for his age.

Of course he likes Mac and cheese and pizza but we never eat mac and cheese and rarely pizza.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not what you want to hear, OP... but we limited kid food between 0-3 so they would develop a taste for other things. No snacks except fruit and only water between meals. Start meals with vegetables, then protein, then grain. A lot of variety and little pasta, bread, etc. They were hungry so they ate everything. We also took them to a lot of ethnic restaurants early on — Mexican, Indian, Thai, middle eastern, Korean, etc. — and made a big deal about how delicious the food was. They learned to love trying new things and will eat everything we eat. I feel like it is harder when they get older because it becomes a control issue and also a psychological familiarity one. Anxiety develops between ages 3-8 so kids at those ages often don’t want to try new things. YMMV.

I did all that and it worked great until about age 4-5, and then they started rejecting all those foods one by one! A lot of it is the taste buds you are born with, and some kids are just more sensitive to textures or different tastes. We’ve been gradually working things back into the diet. I do think most kids have a jump forward after puberty. It’s pretty well established that taste buds do change after puberty.

[Anonymous]

PS ... my picky eater eats calamari and grilled shrimp, but wouldn’t touch a chicken nugget or burger for love or money. She’ll eat sausage but only if it’s high end butcher or farmers market shop stuff, not the Grocery store stuff. Fancy French cheese is great—she won’t touch American cheese. So you can give fancy diverse foods and they can still be restrictive “picky” eaters!

[Anonymous]

I think it just depends on the child. Every person has preferences. My kids love all of those foods but will still eat the healthy stuff just as much. My youngest kid was introduced to all foods as a baby/toddler even pizza, Mac & cheese, chicken nuggets, etc. She’s 6 now and hates all of those foods. When we say we’re ordering pizza she says ,” Ugh, I hate pizza!” She’ll still eat it because that’s what’s for dinner but it is not her preference. She is very picky but with different foods, she would eat burritos, soft tacos, or salads every night if we let her. Whenever it’s her turn to pick a restaurant, all of her siblings hate it because they don’t like Mexican food and that’s all she’ll pick.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At 1 years old they started eating everything we do. Sushi, curry, seafood etc. We didn't avoid anything except for allergies. Their favorite foods are Chinese style squid/jellyfish, sashimi, pho, and lamb curry. We don't eat mac n cheese or pizza. So, I guess they've always been adventurous eaters.

Similar but we didn’t start our DS till about 3. Our favorite food is sushi and now at 5 he loves it. Now sometimes he would say let’s have sushi on his own. We encouraged him to try what we eat and if he doesn’t like it, he knows he can always spit it out. He’s eaten French food, Indian, Italian, Greek, Asian, etc..so he is pretty adventurous for his age.

Of course he likes Mac and cheese and pizza but we never eat mac and cheese and rarely pizza.

go create your own thread... this thread is about picky eaters. Is English your 2nd language?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not what you want to hear, OP... but we limited kid food between 0-3 so they would develop a taste for other things. No snacks except fruit and only water between meals. Start meals with vegetables, then protein, then grain. A lot of variety and little pasta, bread, etc. They were hungry so they ate everything. We also took them to a lot of ethnic restaurants early on — Mexican, Indian, Thai, middle eastern, Korean, etc. — and made a big deal about how delicious the food was. They learned to love trying new things and will eat everything we eat. I feel like it is harder when they get older because it becomes a control issue and also a psychological familiarity one. Anxiety develops between ages 3-8 so kids at those ages often don’t want to try new things. YMMV.

You clearly don't understand food aversions. Your post is nonsensical.

Nobody cares what your kids eat, do you have advise on kids that can't/won't eat certain foods, if you stop posting on this thread.

[Anonymous]

OP, you don’t say how old your kids are, and that is actually important. Many kids will go through a “pickier” stage. Keep offering a variety of foods, don’t make it a fight.

I’d also frame your ideas about “kid good” vs “adventurous food” a little differently. Let’s be plain about it : Most sushi is essentially rice and fish, or rice and vegetables. These kids may only eat rice and fish, and cringe at BBQ chicken or beef roast, or a whole bunch of other things. “Sushi” seems so exotic, but it really isn’t, if you break it down. A poke bowl is basically the same thing, deconstructed. So, these parents are bragging that their kids eat rice, fish, and vegetables. My 3 year old, probably the pickiest she’s ever been at the moment, will eat rice, fish, and vegetables.

Take a deep breath. Keep plugging along. It will come, and your kids will eat more than rice, fish, and vegetables.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not what you want to hear, OP... but we limited kid food between 0-3 so they would develop a taste for other things. No snacks except fruit and only water between meals. Start meals with vegetables, then protein, then grain. A lot of variety and little pasta, bread, etc. They were hungry so they ate everything. We also took them to a lot of ethnic restaurants early on — Mexican, Indian, Thai, middle eastern, Korean, etc. — and made a big deal about how delicious the food was. They learned to love trying new things and will eat everything we eat. I feel like it is harder when they get older because it becomes a control issue and also a psychological familiarity one. Anxiety develops between ages 3-8 so kids at those ages often don’t want to try new things. YMMV.

You clearly don't understand food aversions. Your post is nonsensical.

Nobody cares what your kids eat, do you have advise on kids that can't/won't eat certain foods, if you stop posting on this thread.

This argument is had here so frequently. "I did not allow my child to be picky!" This parent has not met your kid though....and has no idea what she would do with him/her

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not what you want to hear, OP... but we limited kid food between 0-3 so they would develop a taste for other things. No snacks except fruit and only water between meals. Start meals with vegetables, then protein, then grain. A lot of variety and little pasta, bread, etc. They were hungry so they ate everything. We also took them to a lot of ethnic restaurants early on — Mexican, Indian, Thai, middle eastern, Korean, etc. — and made a big deal about how delicious the food was. They learned to love trying new things and will eat everything we eat. I feel like it is harder when they get older because it becomes a control issue and also a psychological familiarity one. Anxiety develops between ages 3-8 so kids at those ages often don’t want to try new things. YMMV.

You clearly don't understand food aversions. Your post is nonsensical.

Nobody cares what your kids eat, do you have advise on kids that can't/won't eat certain foods, if you stop posting on this thread.

This argument is had here so frequently. "I did not allow my child to be picky!" This parent has not met your kid though....and has no idea what she would do with him/her

+1, but the flip side is that their kids is also accustomed tone foods *they* eat. Eating sushi but rejecting chicken nuggets is just another form of picky, although parents would like to pat themselves on the back for having a sushi eating kid. At least nugget loving parents see the issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not what you want to hear, OP... but we limited kid food between 0-3 so they would develop a taste for other things. No snacks except fruit and only water between meals. Start meals with vegetables, then protein, then grain. A lot of variety and little pasta, bread, etc. They were hungry so they ate everything. We also took them to a lot of ethnic restaurants early on — Mexican, Indian, Thai, middle eastern, Korean, etc. — and made a big deal about how delicious the food was. They learned to love trying new things and will eat everything we eat. I feel like it is harder when they get older because it becomes a control issue and also a psychological familiarity one. Anxiety develops between ages 3-8 so kids at those ages often don’t want to try new things. YMMV.

I know kids whose parents felt like this and who ended up with kids who only ate 5 things, but the 5 things were just trendy things. So, yes, their kid ate goat cheese instead of string cheese, but goat cheese isn't actually more nutritious, it's just harder to find.

Yep, this is my kid! Ate anything and everything, including ethnic food, until toddlerhood, then pickiness kicked in and although we offered the same variety foods, her palate narrowed down to a handful of things. She's almost 4 and eats a VERY healthy diet, but still limited and absolutely refuses to try new things. She won't touch string cheese with a ten foot pole, but will happily eat fancy cheddar. I wanted to throw a parade when she started eating hot dogs and chicken tenders because we could actually order from a restaurant menu.

We are patient and know she'll outgrow it eventually. And we NEVER say, "you don't like X." We say, "you don't like X YET." She knows she'll like more when she gets older and "big kids and grown ups" eat lots of different foods, so she will too eventually. Patience, patience, patience.