need help to encourage 5 year old to eat new food

[morjaluzi]

I am concerned about my 5 year old who is going to start to the kindergarden in September. He has never eaten any bread and never eaten any lunch meat. I can make some home made lunch with some fresh vegetables and fruits for him for school. Any suggestions for encourage him to try new foods? Thanks.

[hatshetsut]

Below are some ideas:
1. Let him pick out the new food to try
2. Have a taste testing chart. Every day that he tastes a new food he gets a sticker. When the chart is full he gets a prize or gets to choose to do something special. This works really well for my DD1.
3. Put one new food on his plate every week. He has to at least taste it.
4. Make rainbows of food. He has to eat every color before he gets up from the table.

HTH.

[We Three]

Pay attention to what he likes and then try to capitalize on that. If he likes crunchy things, then maybe he would like a "sandwich" made on crackers instead of bread.  Vegetables with dip....sometimes the dip is all it takes to get los to try.

Also..what if he could help you make a sandwich? For you, not for him.  If he helped you make a PB&J, and with no pressure you offered him a bite "Wow this is SO good! You make the BEST sandwich! Wanna try it?" 

Lastly...what does he say about it? If you said "I've been thinking that I really don't want you to be hungry at kindergarten in the fall!  Do you have any ideas about how we could make sure you bring enough to eat in your lunchbox?"  What does HE say?