Tips on how to introduce a new meal to the family

Tips on how to introduce a new meal to the family

In the last post we discussed mobile apps for foodies that can help you find recipes, learn cooking techniques, create grocery lists, and more. At this point, you’re probably really inspired to start cooking up a storm. If you only had to worry about yourself, trying out new recipes wouldn’t be such a big deal. 

But what if you’re cooking for others?

In this post we are going to talk about how to introduce new dishes to the family as you expand your range of recipes.

Make Small Changes

The first thing to keep in mind is their tastes. Remember the movie Julie and Julia, where Amy Adams decides to cook her way through famous French chef Julia Child’s classic cookbook? If you have a young family and/or are overweight, chances are this would not be the best book to start with. 

Instead, think about what they like to eat and mix it up a little. Change the chicken, perk up the potatoes, vary the veggies. 

Restaurants Can Help

When going to restaurants, order strategically. Try dishes you’ve never had before. Get everyone in the family to order something different and taste each other’s. Rotate the plates clockwise around the table so everyone gets a taste, and let each person keep either their favorite, or their own.

Make notes on what you have that the kids really like, and then discover how to make it yourself. When serving the dishes, you can say, “Remember when we went to X restaurant and had Y dish? I’ve learned how to make it myself so we can enjoy it any time.”

Make It Attractive

Another way to get them excited to try your new experiments is to make them as pretty as possible. Studies have shown that we eat with our eyes long before we put a forkful in our mouths. Brown lentil stew is delicious, for example, but unfortunately looks like a pile of cow poo. 

One suggestion for getting our daily allowance of fruits and vegetables is to “eat a rainbow” - that is, one food for each of the seven colors of the rainbow. Lay out a pretty fruit platter with cheese, or vegetable platter with dip, or roasted vegetables, and you’re more than likely to see the food disappear.

But what can you do if you have to feed a picky child? We will discuss this headache in the next post.

Until next time!