Taste Adventure: Fun Ways to Try New Foods With Your Family

Eat Outside the Box: Make Trying New Foods a Family Tradition

When my kids were little, I wanted them to grow up curious about food—not just chicken nugget connoisseurs. So we started a fun little ritual:
Every Saturday, after our walk to the farmers market, we’d pick out a new food to try.

Sometimes it was love at first bite (hello, sunflower shoots and cheese curds), and sometimes we took one bite and politely said, “No thank you!” But either way, it was fun—and it got them excited to try new things.

Foods We Still Love Thanks to That Tradition:

• Sunflower shoots

• Poblano peppers

• Ground cherries

• Patty pan squash

• Moon grapes

• And yes… Wisconsin cheese curds forever

We didn’t love everything, but even the flops made great memories.

Take the Taste Adventure to Restaurants

We also like to keep the food fun going when we eat out. One of our favorite things is to order something we wouldn’t normally pick, especially at restaurants with cuisine we don’t eat every day—like Indian, Mexican, or Chinese food.

Here’s a fun tip:
Order a few dishes for the whole table to share. It takes the pressure off and makes it feel more like an adventure.

Try-This-at-Home Vacation Tip

Another way we like to shake things up is by bringing home fun ingredients from our vacations. Instead of buying souvenirs that just take up space, we grab something local and tasty—like fruit preserves, spice blends, fancy popcorn, or regional sauces.

Every time we cook with it later, it reminds us of that trip. Bonus: It doesn’t clutter up the house!

The A to Z Restaurant Challenge

Looking for a fun foodie adventure with friends, family, or your partner?
Try the A to Z Restaurant Challenge!
Here’s how it works:

• Visit restaurants in alphabetical order—start with an A-named spot, then B, then C… all the way to Z!

• Support local when you can and try new dishes along the way.

• Great for date nights, family outings, or a girls’ night out.

Want to track your progress? I made a cute printable to help you remember where you’ve been and what you loved (or didn’t). [Download Printable Here]

Final Thought

Trying new foods doesn’t have to be hard or fancy. Whether it’s picking a funky veggie at the farmers market, sampling sauces from your travels, or playing restaurant roulette with the alphabet—it’s all about making memories, one bite at a time.