How do parents get their kids to eat spicy foods?

@keety We offered our kids all kinds of different foods, right from the beginning. They both grew up eating everything we were eating. Kimchi, spicy noodles, whatever. They weren't forced to eat it, but regularly tried bits and bites. Now both of them love spice, cooking, and trying different cuisines.
 
@keety I just want to note that there is a difference between spiced and spicy. My comment is for spicy, not spiced, with which I have never had any issue. I think that ensuring that they're comfortable trying new things is far more important than force feeding parental preferences, especially if they're too you to express and explain themselves well.

I inherited a Geographical Tongue and was/am allergic to several foods and couldn't tolerate spicy food at all until I was 19. I hated all attempts to feed me spicy food, resulting in my mother having to make separate, small batches of spicy foods. I now eat spicy food and whole peppers, have wonel hot sauce eating competitions, and keep a plethora of hit sauces ranging in heat level and flavor. That being said, I usually see hot sauce as an introduction for kids because you can control how much you give them and it can be more fleeting than a whole meal.
 
@keety We enjoy things like noodles and dumplings with chili oil & things like rice with salsa and absolutely love spicy curry both Indian and Asian so it’s (for us at least) just adding it to our regular food and she’s grown to love the spice. And yes there’s a few spicy chips in there too haha. I also make homemade bread but I add fresh jalapeno which gives it a nice kick so it’s something she’s grown up with and has come to enjoy it and want more.
 
@keety Hub and I love spicy food, I'm much like you my family is so.... British and bland in their food ( sorry ) my husband is from SA and got me more into it. We. Just give it to our kids ( 5 & 2 ).
 
@keety I would just start it slowly and mildly. We have a varying tolerance in our family. But please don't force it. Parenting has a lot of sacrifices.
 
@david1776 Definitely wouldn’t force it!! I just had no idea how to introduce it before reading these comments! I I understand that some people just aren’t able to tolerate spicy stuff, but I didn’t know how to give my child a chance without traumatizing her!! 😂❤️
 
@keety So once our baby could eat solids we just gave her tastes of what we were eating and now her dinner is just a baby sized portion of our meals. We expose her to all kinds of different flavors, even if she doesn’t eat much of it, she’ll be more open to trying things if she’s exposed to it.
 
@keety My daughter loves spicy foods. I started giving it to her around a year old. She's nearly 4 and can eat a jalapeño with a straight face but her father would absolutely die. 😂
 
@keety You don't have to feed your kid bland "social-media-makes-fun-of-it-bland" food. But maybe remove the spice when serving to the kidlet. Have the spice in your serving, and let the kid taste it as they grow. If you're lucky, they'll eat spicy food with you. If you're less lucky, they will become a stereotype.

But just have it available, don't force it.
 
@keety That being said, sometimes you might want to keep a snack all to yourself, and the common excuse (as a stereotypical white person) is to tell your kids they won't like it because it's spicy. So do with that what you will.
 
@keety Feed your kids the same food that you eat. It really is that simple. Unless a child has allergies, sensory issues or other special needs, there is absolutely no reason to make different meals for children and adults. You may have to serve the food differently - e.g. smaller portions, cut differently, some things separated out into piles or individual bowls, condiments and some spices on the side, less salty etc.

If you model good eating habits, are patient, encourage curiosity with food and understand that what they like and dislike today and tomorrow are two very different things, they'll be fine.
 
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