Want to win over a kid? Play a game.

If you want your child to try new foods, try making a game out of it. Games, fun, laughter, and new foods—these can be a winning combination.

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7 ways to make food fun

1. Name That Food

Eating “Boris” Broccoli is a lot more fun that eating plain old broccoli.

  • Come up with fun, silly names for foods and encourage your kids to do the same
  • Try building a story around the “food characters” you create

2. Dining room manager

If your child is not into being a chef, make him dining room manager. He can:

  • Fold the napkins into animals or shapes
  • Set the table
  • Call the family to dinner
  • Announce tonight's "specials"
  • Compliment the "chef"
  • Help put away the leftovers
  • Clean up the table

3. Play with your food

Warning: This might get messy.

Up for some friendly competition? Make a meal with colorful foods and have your family make works of art on their plates. Then vote for:

  • Best use of color
  • Most creative
  • Funniest, etc.

4. Kid’s choice (with a little supervision)

Let your kids create the dinner menu every once in a while.

  • Have them pick out the ingredients
  • Let them help prepare the meal for the family
  • Eat enthusiastically, whatever it is

5. I bet you can’t

Play a game of “I Bet You Can’t” with your kids. They’ll want to prove they can, so when they try the food, be sure to act amazed that they did. Enjoy a laugh.

6. Pizza, everyone?

Get your kids to eat their veggies by letting them make their own mini-pizzas.

  • Set up an assembly line with a variety of veggies
  • Cut them into shapes they can use for decorations
  • Watch them eat every bite
  • For a more specific idea, find easy recipes for kids to make, including tortilla pizzas.

7. Grow a garden

Then watch your kids gobble up the fruits and veggies when they’ve had a hand in growing and harvesting.