Introducing Children To Thai Food

[pinksquid]

My son is four and a tad adventurous in the department of eating food, meaning he will try just about anything but whether he likes it is another matter entirely!

He is used to the typical American food, and he likes many European dishes. He is not big on meat (I do not know why as my husband and I enjoy it), but he will usually eat some chicken and the occasional hamburger. He loves vegetables: tomatoes, broccoli, and potatoes being his favourites.

While in Japan he would not eat much (he takes after me and just does not like any seafood) but he loves rice. He only drinks milk and water, and gets protein from the milk, beans, and nuts when he's not eating chicken. And like most children he enjoys sweets (mostly dark chocolate).

We have been exploring Thai food with him (as Thai as food can be outside of Thailand) and he likes satay, rice, coconut milk soup, panang, and a few of the salads. He does not have a tongue for the spicey stuff though.

What are some Thai dishes that we can introduce him to that will get him more used to it. I won't force him to eat what he does not like (as I said, he already eats quite a healthy diet), but I would like to get him used to more Thai-ish flavours and dishes.

I thank you in advance!

[lomuamart]

A couple that immediately spring to mind are tom kha gai - chicken and coconut soup - and gaeng ped gai - curried chicken, also with a lot of coconut. You can just ask for the chilli to be left out if eating in a restaurant. Your son will get the flavours of Thai food, without the heat.
In my experience, kids quite often don't get a liking for chilli till later on in life - including the Thais.

[Bamboo Grove]

Anything fried with garlic and white pepper (krathiam phrik thai), fried rice (khao phat), duck (pet), grilled chicken (kai yang), mixed vegetables (phak phat ruam mit), clear soup (kaeng juet). This to start with.

[pinksquid]

Anything fried with garlic and white pepper (krathiam phrik thai), fried rice (khao phat), duck (pet), grilled chicken (kai yang), mixed vegetables (phak phat ruam mit), clear soup (kaeng juet). This to start with.

These are all wonderful suggestions, thank you for suggesting them (and making me hungry!).

[pinksquid]

A couple that immediately spring to mind are tom kha gai - chicken and coconut soup - and gaeng ped gai - curried chicken, also with a lot of coconut.

Thank you very much for the suggestions! He absolutely loves tom kha gai, I think it is one of his favourites.

You can just ask for the chilli to be left out if eating in a restaurant. Your son will get the flavours of Thai food, without the heat.
In my experience, kids quite often don't get a liking for chilli till later on in life - including the Thais.

That is nice to know. I used to be able to handle very spicey food (my father and I would eat very spicey peppers from the jar) but I seem to have lost the taste. I need to build it up again!

[Guess]

Some people will eat anything. I have eaten insects, worms, cows, sheep, goats, ostriches, crocodiles, snakes and many more. I would never consider children no matter how they were cooked and how much coconut milk and chillies the chef uses.

[pinksquid]

Some people will eat anything. I have eaten insects, worms, cows, sheep, goats, ostriches, crocodiles, snakes and many more.

I found ostrich and emu to be bland; cows, sheeps, and goats are good in the right hands; snake is ok; but I just cannot eat insects-- they're too cute.

I would never consider children no matter how they were cooked and how much coconut milk and chillies the chef uses.

I think it would depend on the kid.

[DawnHRD]

Lomu is right that even Thai children sometimes have problems with chillies. My little boy is Thai & loves Thai food, but won't eat anything "pedt". It's actually a great way to stop him stealing my food, as he usually finds my food far more interesting than his own. Unfortunately for him, Mummy loves chillies!

[Bas]

The guys named a few nice ones, but dont forget to try Pat Thai and Gai pat met ma muang, my son loves it so much.

[pinksquid]

Lomu is right that even Thai children sometimes have problems with chillies. My little boy is Thai & loves Thai food, but won't eat anything "pedt". It's actually a great way to stop him stealing my food, as he usually finds my food far more interesting than his own. Unfortunately for him, Mummy loves chillies!

Haha, I should try to start getting used to hot stuff again. Right now my husband and son fight over the tom kha!

[pinksquid]

The guys named a few nice ones, but dont forget to try Pat Thai and Gai pat met ma muang, my son loves it so much.

Thank you very much for the suggestion!

[Jaime]

Our kids love the noodle soups:

Baa-mee nam moo daeng - Egg noodle soup with 'red pork'

Also ask for 'gee-o' with this - kind of dumplings with minced pork inside.

There is a good Sino-Thai rice & egg noodle place on Petchkasem Road not far from the post office, on the same side of the road heading south. They usually have ducks hanging up in one of those glass cases outside. We eat there often when in Hua Hin.

Kway tee-o nam moo-sup - Rice noodle soup with minced pork - Noodle stalls everywhere will usually have this.

Kway tee-o nam tok - Rice noodle soup with a kind of blood gravy (sounds worse than it is!)

Our fave places to eat the last two are at the noodle stalls on the junction of Sra Song Road and Damnoen Kasem Road, near the train station. You can't miss them - they both have stuff piled up on little sampan boats outside the shops.

The beauty of the noodle soups is that you add your own flavourings - sugar, chilli, fish sauce etc, so its a good way to acclimatise to the different tastes. And if the kids don't like it, well it's only 15 baht a bowl so you haven't lost much money or time, as it only takes a few seconds to deliver the dish.