How To Introduce New Flavours And Textures To Toddlers

Does your little one demand the same fare of bland, blanched food for every meal? We ask private chef, Divya Butani, aka The Veggie Wifey, about how to develop more adventurous eaters.

As a mother of young and particular eaters, I know the struggle of trying to introduce new foods into their diet. After many failed pitches to my toddlers, here are a few tried and tested ways you can introduce new flavours and textures to support your child towards a wholesome nutritious diet.

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Introducing Kids To New Flavours & Textures: Communicate

Whenever my kids and I have a quiet moment together, I like to talk to them about their interests and things they dislike. It’s my way of creating that safe space to let them share their perspectives and opinions. Sometimes, I navigate this conversation to talk to them about food and healthy eating. With an abundance of convenient food options we have today, short conversations like this can plant the seed of self-reflection in our kids, and help them think about their choices. Moreover, if I am introducing a new dish that evening, the open communication we have helps prepare them for the change rather than surprise them.

Read More: How To Get Your Picky Eaters To Fall In Love With Food

Introducing Kids To New Flavours & Textures: Use different colours and shapes

Cultivating your child’s curiosity will decrease their reluctance to try new foods. One of the ways I do this is by creating a simple storyboard with the food – Dal or lentils can be likened to pebbles, while broccoli can be trees. I also try cutting food in different shapes using cookie cutters, and adding different natural colours using mango, spinach or beetroot water to whole grains to increase the nutritional value and flavour. These small changes help familiarise children with colour on their plate. It also makes mealtime an activity to free a child’s imagination rather than a chore they have to complete before they can go play.

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Introducing Kids To New Flavours & Textures: Mask The Veggies

If your toddler is very particular about adding anything colourful to their plate, try blending the veggies together, and adding it as a sauce alongside something they love. It may be cheeky, but it is truly for their benefit. Once they get the hang of the taste, they can then attempt to eat the full form of the veggie over time. Blending the veggies together can work for things like pasta sauces, curries, soups, stews and dals.

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Introducing Kids To New Flavours & Textures: Be Mindful Of Their Habits

Most kid-friendly restaurants in Hong Kong have children’s menus with the standard mac’n cheese, French fries, spaghetti Bolognese, Margherita pizza and a side of bland, steamed veggies. To drink, it’s often boxed apple juice that is concentrated and with a lot of added sugar. It’s fair to say, the nutritional value of children’s menus in Hong Kong is low. It’s rare to have children’s menus that play with a rainbow variety of fresh veggies in exciting ways that can provide an abundance of nutritional benefits for a growing child. If a child is consistently exposed to a limited range of nutritional food, their preferences will adapt accordingly. Once we become more mindful of what we expose our children to, we can make positive changes to their diet and lifestyle going forward.

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Introducing Kids To New Flavours & Textures: Create Variety

Having the same meal every day can exhaust the kids from looking forward to mealtime. Using a menu plan to rotate different dishes around the week and expose your toddlers to new foods is helpful in maintaining their excitement. It does not have to be anything fancy, but a small change on their plate can help trigger some excitement or curiosity. On very busy days, a hack is to use toddler plates with dividers and add small amounts of different foods in each section. This creates variety through different flavours, colours and textures on their plate. I usually add a wholegrain, veggie, protein, fat or dairy and something that is naturally sweet or low-GI.

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Introducing Kids To New Flavours & Textures: Eat With Them

When I make it a point to eat together with my kids, I try to cook the same meal for myself or something that looks similar. This way my kids can learn to explore different foods by example. Often we isolate our children’s diet by creating something that looks and tastes different from what we would usually like. Incorporating their diet with ours not only empowers them, but also significantly reduces cooking time.

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Recipe To Introduce New Flavours & Textures: White Sauce Pasta (With Hidden Veggies)

Ready to try a yum recipe for your toddlers? Try this white sauce pasta recipe with hidden vegetables. What you will love (and your kids will too!) is the rainbow coloured pasta that’s packed with nutrients from different vegetables like beetroot, purple cabbage, carrot, and pumpkin. And to up the goodness of this recipe, I’ve added some puréed veggies to make this white sauce a ‘stealthy’ healthy one. Try this recipe with the kids and enjoy eating it with them!

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