One of the hardest things in parenting has to be getting your kids to try new things, especially new foods. They know what they like and they think they know what they don’t like. What’s even more frustrating is what they like one day they often don’t like the next. How do you get kids to try new things without it being a power struggle? Well, that’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it?
I’d like to share with you one trick that worked great for me and my family and might just work for you. What is it you ask? Two words. Tasting points. What is a tasting point? Well, a tasting point is something you earn when you try new or different foods or even a food you’ve tried before but isn’t your favorite. The things you need to make this happen are minimal. Something small and tangible that you can physically hand your child and a container. For example, for my kids, I used the glass beads that you find in craft stores to use in flower arrangements and a mason jar. A friend of mine uses craft puff balls in bowls. Whatever you choose to use, here’s how they work. Each time your child tries a new food they earn a tasting point. They take the “point” and put them in a jar and they can then cash them in later for something else. I liked using a see through container because I kept them high enough that they could see but not reach and they’d regularly look at their container. You assign value to the points as you see fit. For me, each tasting point was ten cents, that means for every ten bites you could trade it out for $1. They had to have at least $1 worth before they could trade them in, and they couldn’t trade them in more than one time per week. I always kept the tasting points separate from allowance because allowance was chores they had to do and trying new foods was something I wanted them to do.
My kids are now 19 and 20 and they still are excited when they can earn tasting points. The funny thing is, as they spread wings and fly out on their own it’s actually me that needs to expand my palate and try new foods. My childhood bestie has kids that are 6 and 8 and she is using this strategy. She tells them they have to earn 100 before they can cash them in and also has them earn “kindness points.” If she catches them being nice to their sibling or doing something kind without being asked, they also earn points. It works great on their end, and she’s been able to add some new foods to the rotation including sushi! Amazing what can happen when kids decide to do it on their own. Now, keep in mind that if you don’t have extra money or don’t want to reward with material things, try cashing in your tasting points for time or activities. This can be extra playtime before bed, a trip to a new park, one on one time with a parent, an extra book at the library, an extra 15 minutes before bed, etc. The possibilities are as endless as your imagination.
~ Tricia