Seasoning Chili for Young Children
We have a 3 year old toddler who is not a fan of spicy foods. She doesn't like heat of any type, and doesn't like strong flavors. How can we season a turkey chili to keep her happy, and still make it tasty for adults?
Best Answer
You have four immediate options as I see it:
- Lightly season the chili, remove a portion for your child, then season the rest to your liking
- Lightly season the chili, then serve it with additional accompaniments to adjust it to your liking (eg, hot sauces)
- Season the chili to your liking, but serve it with something to help cut the flavor for the child (cheese, sour cream, mix in crumbled cornbread, rice, extra beans, honey or sugar)
- A blend of 2 & 3.
I generally go with either #2 or #4 if I'm cooking for a large crowd.
... the long term solution is to try to slowly adjust the flavoring of the chili until the child's more accepting of the flavor. But remember, everyone has different tastes, and our taste buds change over time ... the child might be more sensitive to bitter or spicy foods right now, but could learn to enjoy them in the future. (I personally now love spicy foods, when I didn't as a kid ... but I still hate bitter)
You might try making a few varients, and see if there might be a specific taste that your child objects to, so that you can adjust. I assume you have the 'you must try at least one bite' rule, and don't accept the 'I don't like (whatever)' temper-trantrums.
Pictures about "Seasoning Chili for Young Children"
How do you make chili for kids?
IngredientsHow do you make picky eater chili?
Ground beef - Instead of ground beef, use ground turkey for a leaner chili. Dark and light beans - Use any kind of bean you prefer. Besides kidney beans, black beans are a great choice for chili. Onion powder - We made this recipe for picky eaters but you can use a medium diced onion instead of onion powder.What can I add to my chili to give it flavor?
Spices: While cumin, chile powder, and cayenne pepper tend to be common additions to many chili recipes, there's a broad world of flavor out there to experiment with. Try a little fenugreek, turmeric, garam masala, or sumac to layer in more complex flavors. Smoky paprika is my own personal favorite.How do I serve chili for my baby?
Offer plain yogurt to offset any spiciness. The lactose in the yogurt is sweet and creamy enough to counteract the heat. Crackers, bread, cornbread, and rice are baby-friendly accompaniments to chili.Kids' Cooking: Chili Con Carne
More answers regarding seasoning Chili for Young Children
Answer 2
Chili flavor doesn't necessarily mean heat, there are varieties that are mild but won't add heat. What is sold as chili powder in most places is medium heat variety, but you can use any ground chili. Paprika is a chili powder, as are ground chillis of any variety such as ancho, chipotle, tabasco, hungarian wax pepper, etc. So you can make chili with whatever one you like. You can also add chilis whole and then pull them out without breaking the skin, which gives you the flavor without the heat
I have a 3 1/2 year old as well, same problem. But he loves chili! I use a small amount of paprika or another mild chili and add other flavor layers like lots of cumin and my secret ingredient which is a teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa powder. These make for a flavorful chili without the heat.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Orione Conceição, Matheus Bertelli, Tatiana Syrikova, cottonbro