I often wonder if my issues relating to food are rubbing off on my teen.  We tend to shop for and stock our kitchen cabinets and refrigerators with foods we enjoy and consumed in our earlier years.  How will our teens learn which meats to buy, what types of potatoes are available and to try new fruits and vegetables? 

I grew up in New Jersey having never tried seafood or various condiments like Mustard, Mayonnaise and salad dressings.  My parents had salad often but never shared it with us kids.  At holiday gatherings at restaurants we loaded up on bread and butter.  For dessert, there was ice cream or cake.  To this day I have yet to try any type of pie - no apple, pecan, pumpkin, etc.   

Another oddity is that I have no idea what tea or coffee tastes like, but I am familiar with their scents.  At this late age, it is hard to change the tastebuds or get me interested in a food item I have not tried previously.   

Luckily my son enjoys watching Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on Food Network.  This show makes exploring new foods fun with a hip host who dives into the cooking and tasting of these dishes.  I loved watching the Reality shows on Food Network with my son interested in them as well.

I do not want to taint his experience in trying new foods, but after watching this CBS News report from 2006 on teens drinking coffee, I am glad that he has not expressed an interest in coffee.  His friend up the street was drinking coffee in the fifth grade.   

I try to get my almost fourteen-year-old interested in what choices he has for his breakfast and lunch.  He has experimented with trying fruits at monthly meetings I attend since he is homeschooled.  I coax him into going by reminding him of the food trays of melons he likes so much.  He is not fond of tomatoes but does like lettuce on his In' N' Out Burgers. 

In the coming year I plan to have him more involved in the planning, shopping and cooking experience for our household.  We are going to start with choosing meats and visiting Trader Joe's more often so he can sample food while learning.  Stay tuned for our goals of 2009.  

Bonnie is a freelance writer/editor that has many Autism Family Adventures and writes about Autism Spectrum Disorders.