Here are some ways to encourage trying new fruits and vegetables!!
- Don’t expect them to love it instantly. It can take 10-20 exposures to a new food for children to like it. To minimize food waste, try buying frozen vegetables or fruits that can be defrosted in small portions.
- Try different ways of cooking the vegetables. Kids may find it difficult to eat large pieces of vegetables, so dice them up into smaller pieces that are easier to eat. Try them baked, raw with dip, or steamed – texture matters for young eaters!
- Have kids pick out the foods they want to try. As children get older, allow them to pick out a new fruit or vegetable at the grocery store they would like to try. It could be their favorite color, or from a country where their favorite animal lives.
- Add new foods to meals they already like. If you know your child already likes peas and carrots, add a similar food like green beans slowly to the dish. Children like to see familiar foods!
- Be a healthy role model. Children select and eat foods the adults around them are eating, so be sure to model the food choices you want your children to be making.