Tasting Party

One of the most important influences that you can have on children's lifelong eating patterns is to provide them with the opportunity to taste a variety of healthy foods on a number of occasions.

It is known that children will accept up to 98% of the foods introduced to them if they are introduced on a number of occasions before the age of six. What does this mean? If your child turns up his/her nose at green beans - don't fret. Continue to offer green beans to him/her without pressure to eat them, and chances are over time he/she will learn to enjoy the taste. The trick is to continue to offer these foods while taste preferences are being developed. Children often develop their taste preferences at an early age.

So take this opportunity to continue to offer a variety of healthy foods in a positive environment. This does not mean that if your child does not accept green beans by the age of six that they never will, it just means that chances are better at an early age.

A great way to offer a positive environment for tasting new foods is a Tasting Party!

Involve children in the selection of the foods that will be offered at the tasting party. Have children choose a variety of healthy foods. Discuss foods that may be new to them such as radishes, peppers, cauliflower, berries, tropical fruit, whole grains and different cheeses. You may want to have a theme such as "Vegetables that are new to me".

Have children participate in the cleaning and cutting of the vegetables. (Don't forget to wash your hands.) Most vegetables can be cut with plastic knives. Arrange them on trays with a dip in the centre. Children love to dip crunchy, raw vegetables.

As children taste the vegetables discuss the smell, texture and flavour of the foods.

Start "Tasting Journals" for children to take home and share their new favorites with their parents. Have children choose the theme of the next tasting party.

Feel good! You have done a great deal to influence the future healthy eating patterns of the children in your program.