Tips For Introducing New Foods – Parenthood
When children’s nutritional needs require that their diets change, it is normal for parents to fear that children will refuse food. In these cases, they have to resort to tricks to introduce new foods.
Regardless of children’s appetites, they can suffer from neophobia at any age. This results in fear of the unknown or the new.
If adults also refuse to taste new flavors, it is even more likely that children will have that same sensation. This is why we want to bring up the subject. Indeed, with the appropriate tools, you will manage to manage the situation as best as possible.
Where does the fear or dislike of new foods come from?
The fear of trying new foods is not an exclusive attitude for children. Scientists say humans have the so-called “omnivore dilemma” rooted in them. This would cause us to feel an unconscious fear of tasting new foods due to an ingrained memory that associates the consumption of unknown plants with severe stomach upset, or death from poisoning.
From this stems what can be considered a disgust for children’s whim eating is actually associated with their most archaic survival instincts. If we do respond unconsciously with an aversion to new foods, how can we use these most basic instincts to our favor to get children to eat the new foods we want to offer them?
Tips for Introducing New Foods
There are many tips for introducing new foods into children’s diets. We give you a list of recommended ideas below. They are also the most effective.
Playing with food
It is believed that the texture and color of foods are key factors in arousing disgust in children. If something looks mushy, crunchy, or lumpy, there is an 80% chance that children will be disgusted and not want to eat.
However, if the child manages to come into direct contact with the “weird” textured food with his hands, it will create a sense of familiarity in his mind. This will make him want to taste and then consume a good portion without disgust or fear.
Don’t make him eat
If a child is forced to eat with punishment or force, the child will develop a deep sense of rejection. A child readily agrees to eat a food after having tasted it several times.
This implies that you can start by offering him a spoonful of the new food. If he doesn’t want it, don’t insist. Let two or three days pass and repeat the action. Obviously, patience is required. However, with frequent consumption, the dish will become akin to something familiar to the child.
Teach by example
It is not enough to tell the child that he is eating certain foods when he observes that we are not. Children learn and repeat actions through imitation. When the little ones notice that we eat a food with great interest, joy and that it seems that we appreciate its flavor, they will immediately feel the confidence and the interest to taste it to confirm for themselves what it is. is.
Avoid giving them without moderation foods high in sugars, fast food or fried foods
If you want to add more vegetables to your child’s diet, avoid overeating sweets, fried foods, or foods that include flavor enhancers. For example, mono-sodium glutamate is found in fast food. This will prevent them from feeling comfortable eating products whose flavors are not artificially manipulated.
Finally, it is important to know that if you are looking to introduce new foods to your child’s diet, you should sit at the table with him so that he can feel that you are experimenting with the flavors of the new foods together.
To achieve this, the child must be focused on the act of eating. Therefore, turn off the TV, keep the toys out of sight. Stimulate it without pressure while you are at the table for the experience to be successful.
