Spice up your life

[Tweakster]

How to introduce your toddler to spice?  We have tried on a few occasions with chili or salsa, didn't go over too well lol
He was like a cartoon where the character eats something spicy and their head blows off.  Yep that was Finn.  All red in the face and gasping, wasn't pretty.

How do you do it? 

[MLK]

Well I can tell you how they do it in Thailand but I don't think you'll like it! Involves putting a bit of chilli on the end of a chopstick and dabbing it on toddler's tongue. You can guess the reaction. Repeat everyday until they are used to it!

Obviously we never did this, my 6 year still won't touch spicy food, if I make I curry I give him, rice, a boiled egg and pappadums. I hoeping he mgiht change his mind when he's a teenager!

[anna*]

Gradually! Since having Stan I make very mild chillis and currys and serve with hot sauce on the table so that grownups can add more!

[~*Nicole*~]

We can use mild salsa mixed INTO things. but nothing straight up spicy. She doesn't like it. But I have a feeling over the next couple of years we'll slowly try to increase the spice. So, I'd say add a tiny bit at a time and go from really mild, slowly to moderate and eventually to spicy if at all possible. Or make what you want and try adding something to neutralize his portion (sour cream, cream cheese, milk--can sort of take the sting out of too spicy things so if you make a taco or rice dish you can mix some of that into his to ease the spice)

[Tweakster]

Hmm very good tips.  We could always make a plain chili and then add spice as we wish and leave Finn's unspiced.  DH makes a big batch and we freeze it for quick meals.  He likes hot cause so he could have it really hot, and I can spice mine up that way as well if I need to.  I enjoy a good spice but really I can live without it.

Or yes, could make it spicy as we like but then add sour cream or something to reduce Finn's to a level he can handle.

Boo to Thailand lol  Don't think I could do it to my kid!  And if someone did it to him - look out.  They'd be getting a chili in the eye lol

[anna*]

Nicole makes a great point! Dairy really takes the heat out of chilli (the chemical is soluble in fat rather than water), so mixing in some milk/cream/plain yoghurt/soft cheese still leave some spicy taste but takes out the red-face making steam-out-the-ears effect.

[~*Nicole*~]

Hope you find ways to enjoy more flavors heheh

[koe2moe]

I make thai green curry with 1/3 of the amount of curry paste I would normally use and DS seems to enjoy it.  I grew up eating lots of spicy food but I just wonder if it's necessary to expose LOs to it so early?  Spices don't always mean firey hot, it can be just flavoursome, right?  If they get scared too early, they would be less adventurous with trying out new flavours perhaps.

I know Koreans have kimchi (hot spicy pickles) everyday and they would introduce it to kids by rinsing it in water.  I do know Koreans who wouldn't eat kimchi, though.  Very rare but they do exist hahaha