A few pro-tips to using Little Food Passport
- When starting the Little Food Passport, make sure to dedicate your undivided attention.
- Get them excited about the meal that's coming before it's at the table. Little Food Passports lets you get creative. You can prepare a meal with Asian influences and say "today, we're going to China at dinner! Get your passport!"
- Let them participate in the meal preparation process and taste foods as they cook.
- Once you have your meal ready, sit down and take them through what's on the plate and ask them to write in the food items in the booklet.
- Let them choose what they eat first! It's up to them. They are the food adventurer.
- Get silly! Ask them if the food may taste like a color. Does it taste like water? The more you can get them thinking about what they are eating, the better! Head here for more tips on talking about food.
- Encourage experimentation! Challenge them to think through what different flavor combinations would taste like.
- Incorporate their favorite foods with new foods prepared a different way: If they find new foods they like, SUCCESS. You have have a new favorite food to incorporate into your meal planning. The possibilities are endless.
- Incorporate their favorite foods prepared a different way and in new dishes. When you discover a new food, replicate it!
- The reward is achieving the Visa. You can include deserts we've found that children don't need that added incentive but you know your child best.
- For meal ideas from around the globe, see here
Other pro-tips that aren't related to the activity include:
- Eating time is screen free time: Turn off the TV and focus on the meal and ask them to describe the food tastes.
- Let them eat from the garden: If you have a garden of any sort (herbs, vegetables) let them try food directly off the bush! This makes them curious and it's a very different way to do things than they are used to!
- Don’t offer substitutions. Why would they try something new when their tried and true is just a few minutes away?
- Children learn by watching their parents. Eat healthy and be adventurous yourself!