How do you get your toddler to try new foods?

I want to start to intoduce some new foods to Ryan, since his diet is terrible. He is very resistant to new foods and won't even taste it to know that he doesn't like it, he takes one look and starts to get upset.

Any tricks/tips?

The only thing I can think of is to start eating it in front of him around his dinner time, and he will probably want to taste what I am eating, and HOPEFULLY this would get him to eat it. (He is notorious for "grubbing" food off of everyone).

Other than that, I have no clue. I just don't want dinner time to be a disaster.

Re: How do you get your toddler to try new foods?

I'm not there yet, but I do remember reading that you should not give up if they refuse in the beginning.
I think whatever I read said it could take up to 10 tries to get a child to eat/like something...

Don't give up!
Also, if he sees you enjoying it, he may want to try it.
My brother and I eat everything, I wonder how my parents did it?
I'll ask.....

I definitely remember my dad bribing me with $10 to eat a piece of my moms liver and onions......

Re: How do you get your toddler to try new foods?

We dip it in applesauce or put it on the fork with something they do eat.

We also offer it over and over.

Re: How do you get your toddler to try new foods?

We offer it over and over and also when he sees one of us eating it he usually wants to try it.

Re: How do you get your toddler to try new foods?

4 things:

1. Hide it in something they love. Broccoli mixed in with pasta. Their favorite pretzels dipped in hummus or creamed spinach.

2. Make it a game. "Mommy LOVES broccoli... I am going to eat it all up" then put it on the fork and look away. If he eats it turn around and say "YOU ATE IT ALL UP! Now Mommy has NONE!" Repeat. If he doesn't eat the food, drop it off the fork before you turn around and say "YOU ATE IT??" anyway. I've gotten whole bowls of veggies in my kids this way!

3. Make it look interesting. Make faces or pictures or animals out of the food. The plate is your canvas and the food is your medium! Kids might not be interested in eating a carrot... but the think it is HILARIOUS to eat nose.

4. Make it a rule. IN my house they need to taste something 3 times before the decide they hate it. 3 bites of broccoli, 3 bites of spinach - whatever. If they hate it I take it away and move on.

Message edited 4/25/2008 3:39:37 PM.

Re: How do you get your toddler to try new foods?

Like others have said, basically, if I am eating it, he wants it. Edamame is his favorite food now because of this

Re: How do you get your toddler to try new foods?

Thank you everyone for your responses. They are great ideas and will try them!!

Re: How do you get your toddler to try new foods?

My son is a terrible eater (unless its pasta) but I do know when he is at daycare he eats EVERYTHING they put in front of him, so my advice is to get him to try foods around other kids, its the peer pressure.

Re: How do you get your toddler to try new foods?

Another idea..not already posted is to offer foods as appetizers!!! Kids for some reason love to choose their appetizers they are like adults at a free buffet!!!!

As they get older placing foods on a toothpick helps things along too. I guess b/c it makes things fun...

My kids learned they liked most veggies by trying them from a vegetable platter with dips...or spinach didnt seem so offensive when it was made into a dip and offerend on a corn chip.