Talk about food with your toddler and then make a meal together.
Part one…
Pick up a cooking magazine and look through the pictures with your toddler. Talk to them about the different foods that you see. Ask them what they like. Have them look for ingredients in the pictures of dishes.
“This stew has carrots. Do you see the orange carrots?”
“Oh! This pizza has peanuts in it. How do you think that would taste?”
Talking about foods with your toddler can peak their curiosity and make them more open to trying new tastes.
Part two…
Pay attention as your toddler gets excited about certain pictures. Help them choose a favorite dish. Then, cut out the picture and the recipe and make it!
Involve them in as much of the process as possible. At the store, reference the picture as you find the ingredients you will need. In the kitchen, let them help you set out the ingredients on the counter. As you cook, make sure they can watch from a safe place and give them little activities to help; stirring, pouring, etc.
When the dish is complete, look at the meal and the picture from the magazine and talk about how you made it together.
“Do you like it? Should we make this dish again?”
“Is that how you thought it would taste?”