What do you do when they ask for things that you know they won't eat?

[PrettyCandles]

In this particular case, guacamole. 3yo ds2 always asks for some when he sees me eating it, but he hates it. Always spits it out, even when I accidentally gave him some for his nursery pack lunch (ie away from my influence). I think he is attracted by the colour, and by the way it squeezes out of the pouch.

So, give it to him and watch it being wasted?

I'd give him a little bit on a spoon or on the tip of a finger to taste, with the promise that he can have more if he likes it. At least it's only a little bit wasted, and you have still encouraged him to keep trying new foods.

Give him a taster. Best ot let them have a tiny bit of anything then they can see they hate it!

Yes. IMHO it's good for them to keep trying things so they can get used to a wide range of textures and flavours. Don't they say that children have to try things an average of 10 times (or something) before they'll accept a new food?

It's great that he's open to trying new things.

Give them some. They might surprise you. Dd1 hated onions and mushrooms for years. But after several tates because we were eating them she now likes them. SO long as you don't tell her they are onions.

Last time we went to the fish mongers she was adamant she wanted some muscles [bleurgh]. I let her buy them and after a panicky phone call to my dad when I was informed they were raw , we cooked them togther and she ate the lot. She likes them better than Prawns apparently.

I just don't get the having to try new things 10 times before they like them notion. My dc don't automatically dislike new things - they'll generally taste and either like, dislike, or eat a bit and then decide they dislike.

I'm quite happy to let them have a taste and make up their own minds, it's when he insists that it must be a sandwich, just like mine, and a tiny taster won't do. Then he's disappointed by disliking it, and gets moody, which mucks up the whole meal.

PrettyCandles you don't have to try something ten times befoer liking it, but if you don't instantly like it it takes about ten to 15 exposures to that taste for it to become familiar enough to the brain that they will eat it, even if they may not love it.

It takes that many exposures for it to no longer be a novel unfamiliar taste.

Does that explain it better to you?

and with regards to him insisting on a whole sandwitch, not just a taster, well you are the parent and the one in charge, just say no, you can try a bit, if you like it I will give you more.

Duh! I was being a bit thick about the 10x thing.

Are you sure I'm the parent? Sometimes I think I'm the tantrumming toddler.

keep giving it to him - eventually he will stop spitting it out and eat it if you keep trying something you will eat it and like it eventually, it took me 31 years with swede...but I like it now