What Foods and Flavors Do You Taste? I’m going to share two of our recent taste tests below, plus a handful more ideas to get your wheels turning. First, here are a few handy taste test tips:
Small pieces and a pretty presentation make the food more appealing to young tasters. Make things official with secret ballots or food report cards. (This doesn’t have to be complicated! A little fill-in-the-blank on an index card works just fine.) Mystery taste tests (eyes closed) require a lot of trust, so we always promised to do familiar, well-liked foods for that type of activity.
Taste Test #1: Strawberries 3 Ways
This one would be perfect for Valentine’s Day! We sampled fresh, dried, and freeze-dried strawberries, comparing their sweetness, texture, and flavor. You could do this taste test with apples, too.
Taste Test #2: Vanilla Ice Cream Blind Taste Test
Okay, no one needed convincing to join in this taste test! We bought three different brands of vanilla ice cream and I prepared the sample scoops in secret. The whole family tasted each one, and discussed creaminess, sweetness, and strength of vanilla flavor. Then, everyone voted for a favorite. We were pretty much split among the three brands we tried. Yum! Even more taste test ideas:
Sample different kinds of bread, such as sourdough, rye, naan, brioche, and ciabatta. Taste a variety of cheeses. Keep it simple for less-adventurous eaters (Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Swiss, mozzarella) or try feta, blue cheese, or Brie. Gather foods for a single-color taste test. For example, a green taste test might include kiwi, green grapes, pesto, cucumber, basil, and avocado. Take a trip to the grocery store and have each person choose a new food to try. The produce department and ethnic food aisles are a great place to start. Try a vegetable three ways – raw, steamed, and roasted. This works great with carrots, broccoli, or zucchini.
Set-up a taste test at home, and you might be surprised at all the foods your kids will try. Have fun!
