Do You Have Picky Eaters? Try This Fun Family Activity!

I recently traveled and brought back several varieties of chocolate for my family as a treat. When my daughter saw them she exclaimed, “We should do a blind taste test! Can you go buy a few more types so we can score them?” And so I did.

I mean, she’s had less delicious ideas so this was one I didn’t mind indulging.

We did our first blind taste test over a year ago when we tried different types of coffee. It turned into a fun family afternoon and apparently made an impression on my kids. But as we were doing this chocolate taste test, I had an epiphany: Why can’t we do this with foods that are a little less-than-desirable in their eyes?

Because that’s the whole premise of a taste test. It’s expected that you’re going to come across things you don’t like. And as I watched my kids cringe and grimace at a few of the chocolates they tried, it was like a light bulb went on. There’s no pressure to love anything like there can be at the dinner table. They slow down and process things with all of their senses rather than just trying to choke down a new food because they think that’s what’s expected.

So I proposed something new. I asked my family if they’d be willing to branch out in our taste-testing adventures and try different types of mushrooms (which are a serious “nope” at our dinner table). And the response wasn’t exactly enthusiastic, but they were willing. And I offered an olive branch and said I’d be willing to try a taste test with a type of food that they love and I don’t like.

So we taste-tested 8 types of mushrooms (both raw and cooked) to see what everyone thought. I paired the activity with another food that I knew they’d be totally on board with so it wasn’t all drudgery (types of Asian noodles). And while ultimately nobody discovered a surprise love of mushrooms, it’s still a win because they tried something new.

Next time we do a blind taste test we’ll probably go back to something fun like potato chips or different types of hot dogs. But even that is helpful because we get so stuck in our habits and preferences that being open to trying new types in a blind taste test expands their palate just a little bit.

So if you’ve got picky eaters and want to help them try new things, make it a family activity. No pressure, all fun. {But maybe don’t start with mushrooms.}

What foods do you want to taste-test with your family?