Green lentils… tasty? 🤔 Could they really help encourage fussy children to eat more fibre? 🌱👧👦

Solveig Curran
Apr 14
2 min read

At our family cooking and food tasting session at The Canalside on Wednesday, I showed the children a bowl of boiled green lentils and asked if anyone wanted to try them.

The response? A unanimous “No!”

One child even exclaimed, “That looks disgusting!” — and the others quickly agreed.

But here’s something fascinating...

Did you know that children are actually designed to reject new foods?

It’s a natural survival instinct — when they see something unfamiliar, their brain says: “That might be dangerous!”

Parents often feel embarrassed by these blunt comments, but this instinct dates back to early childhood development. Around age 2, children enter a cautious phase where they avoid unknown plants — to keep them from accidentally eating anything harmful. That’s when parents are meant to introduce them to safe, healthy plant foods like beetroot, kale, and yes… green lentils!

Unfortunately, many modern children grow up on breadsticks, crisps, and ultra-processed cereals — so they miss the chance to get used to these nourishing foods.

And when fussy eating continues into later childhood, it can lead to nutritional gaps, affecting both physical and mental wellbeing.

That’s why I was so proud to see so many children getting involved on the day — chopping, stirring, tasting and exploring new foods.

And the best part? When we sat down to enjoy our homemade, absolutely delicious lentil lasagna — the verdict changed!

“This is actually tastier than meat lasagna!”

And just like that, green lentils became a hit!

Families went home with lentils in their bags and smiles on their faces, ready to try the recipe again at home.

A huge thank you to SASP, Somerset Council, and the Hinkley Point Community Fund for funding our family cooking sessions. Your support helps us make small steps toward a healthier, happier world.