Cracking the “Cod”: How to Get Your Kids Eating Fish

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Fish is one of those things that, for so many people, is an acquired taste. If you are trying to get your kids to eat more nutritiously and they won’t touch a vegetable, fish is undoubtedly one of the better options out there. Crammed full of protein and Omega-3, fish can be a fantastic staple for your child’s diet, but what does it really take to make sure that your kids eat more fish and seafood? 

Putting in the Right Setting

As with any type of food that your child may not like the look of, it’s about making sure that you present it in the right way. Something like fish tacos could make your kids more inclined to eat it due to the variety of colours. This way, you could also put different types of fish in there that are more palatable, for example, rather than a chunky fish like cod, you could put something like. Cornish crab meat UK-sourced in a taco or a wrap that is far easier to chew. 

Providing More Sauces

When it comes to giving more flavour to your food if you want your children to eat more of it, you’ve got to make sure that they have the opportunity to disguise the flavour if necessary. If you want to get your children into any type of food, giving them a variety of sauces (yes, even tomato sauce!) can ensure that they are getting more of the benefits of fish. After a while, you can start to make the swap to more nutritious sauces, or you could even make your own tomato ketchup that is chock full of vegetables!

Changing the Flavours

We’ve already talked about adding sauces, but it’s also a good idea to ensure that any type of food can be paired up with something your child already knows and loves. When it comes to younger children, flavour exploration is so important. You can add grated apple to your child’s fish, or have a dipping sauce on the side. When your children start to have more flavours, whether it’s through sauces or different herbs and spices, this stimulates their palate and should set them up for life when it comes to making a wider variety of choices. A lot of children only like what they like, which is why it’s vital to expose them to more flavours. 

Try Them with Less Potent Flavours

If your children are more into chicken dippers, the fact is that giving them a plate of cod or something like salmon is not going to be very beneficial in helping them explore more nutritious foods. This is why (in combination with perseverance) giving them less fishy flavours can be the best way to begin. Something like fish fingers is the perfect place to start because it’s very mild in terms of flavour, plus it’s also disguised in breadcrumbs!

Fish can be a major challenge, but there are ways around it. In terms of your child’s diet and food preferences, it’s important to keep trying. These things don’t happen overnight. Keep at it!