Be a good food role modelIt’s really important for children to see the adults in their lives being adventurous and exploring new tastes and flavours. Remember that your enthusiasm will carry children a long way. A negative comment about meat on the bone or cabbage could stunt the wonders of chicken and greens for years to come. Try to make mealtimes special by sitting together at a table and chatting about those things that are important to everyone: what you have done in your day, what you are excited about. Let children see the grownups cooking and eating with friends. This reinforces positive attitudes in young minds around food, eating and those little rituals that show love for food culture.  Take a world tour on a plateA wonderful way to explore food is to take a tour of the world. Well, a virtual one. Use an atlas of the world and explore it with each dinner at home. Travel to Russia with borscht; the Caribbean with ackee and salt fish; Iceland with kjotsupa (a lamb and vegetable soup); and to Portugal with bolinhos de bacalhau (cod fish fritters). All destinations have a signature dish, so encourage children to keep a record of their culinary experiences, they could make a food travel journal, take Instagram-style food photos, or stick pins in a map to show where they have eaten. If you are due to take a trip overseas, research and test out the flavours you expect to experience. Even if you are just introducing children to new tastes slowly, this will help a lot in understanding and predicting what they will enjoy most while you are away on your adventures.  Take them to the marketsTry taking your children to the local farmers’ markets or farm shops. Children will see the vibrancy of fresh foods, the smells and the feel of it. This is all the more wonderful when in another country; the ordinary becomes the extraordinary, with different flavours, sights and smells. When buying food at markets, try to be adventurous and take the lead from their interests, if they want to try some strange and exotic delicacy, go for it. Make it easy and book an Airbnb in close proximity to the markets on your next city break – the kids will be sampling new gastronomic delights and haggling with the locals in no time.  The rest is history When experimenting with new foods consider linking it to cultures or topics they are learning about at school or have a particular fondness for. If they love Egypt, try emulating the ancients’ pioneering use of aged yeast with some artisan sourdough bread. If it’s the Vikings they’re getting into, try salted fish stews or rökt fisk – a smoked fish, with flat breads. Or, if they are studying the history of Britain, introduce them to our very own British cuisine – ale stew, rabbit pie, jams, pickles, chutneys and haggis.  Make sure to cook with themCook with your children. Even if you are not confident yourself, there are so many great children’s cookbooks you can use. Encourage their interest by letting them choose the ingredients and menu. On your next trip, make sure to book an Airbnb with a good kitchen. With a few delicacies and unusal ingredients picked up from the market you can cook up a locally-inspired feast.  And don’t forget to book a tableEating out is a real pleasure, especially when travelling. Research the best foods and most family-friendly places in your vicinity, and ask local families for tips. Once you’re out, try a taster menu so children get the opportunity to try a wide variety of flavours.
Having young children try new foods can be the trickiest part of a family holiday. here’s how to help them explore their tastes while they’re exploring the world