At Sing to Say, we truly believe that music is a wonderful tool to use when you want to introduce something new to your child. Many parents want their children to eat a more varied diet, so why not use Sing to Say to introduce new foods? Sing to Say has a wide variety of food words available in the meal theme packs, and we’ll be adding more words and songs in the future.
It often takes children several tries before they enjoy a new food, so using our app to associate a song with a particular food can help to make it more familiar and fun. You can show your child the picture of the food, sing the song about the food, and then show your child the food in real life.
Here are some more great tips to help add new foods to your child’s menu:
- Introduce tasty new foods alongside foods you know your child already loves. Sometimes having a familiar food on the plate will encourage your child to taste a new snack. Introducing new foods during a non-stressful time (like snack time instead of dinner) is also a great idea.
- Encourage your child to handle, sniff or lick the food, even if they’re not super-excited to actually eat it yet. It might take many exposures to the food before your child gives it a try, so keep offering it up.
- Eat with a friend or favorite person. If your child sees someone they really like (especially if it’s a peer or sibling) eating something new, there’s a better chance they might be willing to give it a go as well.
- Try different textures. Many children have preferences for certain textures (crunchy, chewy, crumbly, etc.). See if you can figure out which ones appeal to your child and try adding new foods with a similar texture. Also, consider the flavors your child prefers. Savory over sweet? Salty over sour? Try to add foods that fit the same flavor profile as well. And don’t forget the magic of a dip! Sometimes adding a little bit of extra (or different) flavor really helps.
- Try to make food fun! Maybe that means having your child help you in the kitchen (even if that’s just arranging food on a plate, spreading sauce or tossing a salad). Perhaps your child can come shopping with you and help pick out some produce. You can serve food on fun plates or with interesting cups or cutlery. Try to make mealtime as enjoyable as you can.
And when your child is successful, be sure to sing their praises!
