Toddler with spicy food

[NumbsMet]

I'll make very clear from the start that I DO NOT prepare spicy food for my toddlers.

DP and I love extremely spicy food. Think naga and beyond. Jalapeños are basically apples to us. DS really doesn't like spice at all.

23 month DD, however, can't seem to get enough of it.

Occasionally, if it's calm, I will prepare myself an easy to pick at snack to eat whilst my DCs eat their lunch. My snack will normally have a shot of West Indian pepper sauce or hot Indian pickle, previously with some bread to dip but now with cucumber sticks or similar. These things are VERY spicy. DS knows to stay away. DD will take her toast, and zip up to the bowl in a split second, dip her toast and start munching.

She coughs and her eyes start watering. The first time this happened I felt awful, but I was hopeful and thought 'that'll learn ya'. It hasn't learned 'er. She now knows what to expect, and insists on dipping. I try to stop her, she screams, she refuses to eat unless I give her access to the chili dip.

So my solution at the moment is simply not to eat my spicy snacks around her, and so I don't. But is this necessary? Is it fundamentally cruel to allow DD to have a tiny bit of (extra hot) spice on her toast if she actually wants it? It doesn't seem to affect her beyond the initial cough, no sore bum, no runny nappies, no tummy aches, no distress. Genuinely pure contentment. Could this just be a genetic preference? As I mentioned before, DS made a similar move once before and he has never tried it again. He hates spice and I will never prepare spicy foods specifically for them until they're a 'reasonable age' to cope with it and request it. DP used to be 'punished' with English mustard so I am very very wary of causing discomfort with food.

WWMND?

She sounds awesome! I remember my nephew many years ago loved Madras when he was a toddler... my mum was all pearl-clutching and horrified... I used to get a lot of amusement watching her reaction as my nephew would toddle over to his dad eating a lamb madras and get stuck in - he didn't even blink - no reaction - other than wanting more. I love spicy food myself - it's not even always about how hot it is, it's the flavours - just very enjoyable to eat.

My near 3 yr old eats all my husbands spicy African food, I see no issue!

Thanks for all the lovely responses! I'm glad that a thread I started out of daft concern has become a snapshot into different kids' tastes and different cultures. We have some very hardy and impressive kids! If DS grows to not like spice as an adult then he's definitely taken after FIL. But that would also mean he would love liver and onions 🤢

Both my kids were weaned on rice and dal, with a pinch of cumin powder and garam masala. They are 8 and 3. I now add whole red chillies but not chilli powder. And yes add yoghurt/cream to temper it.

My GP is admittedly a bit odd, I love spicy food but when I was pregnant there was no such thing as too hot. GP told me that would mean my child would enjoy spicy food... I brushed it off made super mild curries, chillies etc for family eating, he grabbed a jalapeno off DHs plate and ate it at seventeen months, he said 'oh wow' then 'ooh' then 'yipleese mummy', it had no adverse affect on him and my DF told me he gave me a spoonful of his hot curry when I was about two to stop me nagging for it, it backfired because I loved it! I now make family meals with an average level of spice and he's fine. He enjoys other strong flavours too grapefruit, lemons, extra garlicky homemade hummous, can't abide ketchup though 🤷‍♀️

My son loves spicy food. He would take a curry over children nuggets anyway! He pinched a really spicy crisp the other day and threw a fuss when I tried to take it back. Thought the same about him leaving them alone in future...Nope, he was back for more 😂

Chicken nuggets **😂😂😂

Gochujang is a korean chilli paste tht's pleasantly but not painfully hot, and sweet, too. I use it in a marinade for chicken thighs and DS2 loves it, even though he does end up drinking a lot of water with it!

Yup. I was the same from being a toddler. Extended family remember too and always ensured they had chilli / spicy pickles. I pack fresh chillis, pickles etc if traveling; even within the UK - particularly Wales. Before all this crap, I still had mini bottles of Tobasco in my work locker and always in my handbag.