Western opinions on giving kids spicy food heavily leans towards “Are you crazy!?” I know new moms who have been told they should not eat it while breastfeeding and doctors who insist children not even try it until somewhere between the ages of 8 and 10. But in other parts of the world, Yunnan for example, spicy food is part of the culture, and children have been ingesting and enjoying it as toddlers for millennia. New research also shows that, in moderation, capsaicin – the chemical compound that causes the burn so many people love – can actually have some pretty amazing health benefits. Those include potentially longer life spans, aiding in digestion, promoting healthy metabolism, helping to stabilize blood sugar, neutralizing free radicals…the list goes on and on.
Beyond the science, however, there is the cultural element. One of the best ways to dive into a country’s history and traditions is through its food. We are lucky enough to live in a country with a diverse and nuanced culinary legacy. Do you want your children to miss out on a big portion of the expat experience because they can’t try half of the delicacies on offer?
Let me be clear, I’m not suggesting you have your 5-year-old chomp down on a Sichuan peppercorn, and I certainly don’t think adding ghost peppers to their morning oatmeal is a good idea. But there is a way to gently introduce a wider variety of foods to your kids’ palate, and we know that children who try and enjoy varied but balanced diets early in life have a much healthier relationship to food as adults. So, if you’re interested in testing the spicy waters, here are a few suggestions to help navigate them.
Start easy: Not all spices burn; cinnamon, cloves, ginger, cumin, or black pepper for example. Sprinkle a little cinnamon on their avocado toast or put some horseradish in the potato salad. Trying different things is the only way to see what they like and their preferences might surprise you. If they hate black pepper on their pasta but really liked the wasabi ketchup on their hot dog, that tells you what direction to lean in.
Don’t tell them: This is a top chef trick I read about years ago. James Beard Award winner Ed Lee claims it worked with his kids. Pick something they already love and spice it up, albeit very mildly. Add a tiny amount of red pepper flakes to their favorite pasta sauce and serve as normal. Don’t tell them you added something to it, just see their reaction. Once they try it they may like it, and then it’s a staple at the dinner table. Using something familiar as a gateway to something new is a tried and true early childhood technique.
Turn up the heat: But very, very slowly. Having curry for dinner? Great, don’t start with vindaloo! Palak paneer or very mild tikka masala is a better starting point. If that’s still a little too much, mix a bit of curry in with their ketchup and dip French fries into it.
Sprinkle don’t chunk: Everyone has bitten into a full peppercorn or gnashed down on a jalapeño seed and it’s not fun. Try and stick with powders instead of full or diced peppers until they get a little older to avoid capsaicin-induced tears.
Avoid spicy junk food: While some people swear by flaming hot Cheetos it’s easy for kids to overindulge in them and that can cause health problems. Small doses of spices in healthy foods as part of a balanced diet will serve them much better.
Don’t push: Just because you like spicy food doesn’t mean they will, and that’s okay. People have different likes and dislikes, and kids are people too! Personally, I only recently developed a taste for capsaicin-riddled delicacies and I’m still hanging out in the shallow end of that pool. If they give something a try but don’t like it, applaud them for being brave enough to try something new and move on.
Give it time: Kids change fast and so do their taste buds. They might wake up a week, month, year, or decade from now and suddenly discover that Sichuan hot pot or Louisiana gumbo is the greatest culinary invention in history. It’s their food journey, you just get to be their sherpa.
Try new tastes in a fun environment: That’s where our Hot & Spicy Fest this weekend comes in! Bring the kids along and see what they gravitate towards. For tickets and more info, scan the QR code below.
KEEP READING: Picking Your Battles With Picky Eaters
Photo: Pexels
