I grew up on hot peppers. have been eating chiles all my life. my step dad got me started by eating different pickled chiles that were always in our fridge. id have to say i was 5-6 when i realized how much i love the heat. Now im grown and have kids of my own. My 8 year old has started getting into different sauces and im finding her asking for hot sauce for things most kids or even most people would put hot sauce on. As a chilehead i welcome the experiments by my daughter. and will encourage her at every step. and of course supervise so she doesn't over do it. So, what are your thoughts THP?
What age is too young for hot peppers?
- Thread starter Jerret
- Start date
My opinion on the matter is the age of 7 or 8 would be fine to introduce (somewhat) spicy things to children. Before that age is a little to young IMO. You want them to like it, not be afraid of it, lol That was the approach I took with my little niece and nephew. You have to gauge what they are feeling as well. In other words if they dont seem to like it, then dont try to force it on them. If they like it or kind of like it, then take it up a gradual notch after a bit and see how they react to it. Thats my thoughts on it!
salsalady
Business Member
Never too young! But always with watching to make sure they don't overdo it.
We had an unfortunate experience with Salsakid when he was about 3. Salsakid's always eaten medium heat salsa since he was old enough to eat chips. On one occasion, he was dipping into the HOT salsa with chips and chowing away. I kept trying to take it away, but he wanted it....so I let him eat it. The next day...the poor little dude was doing his "bizness" on the pot....and we had to set him in the tub with cold water.....
This was WAAAAYYYY before THP, and the knowledge of the path that chiles take......or "tales from the loo"..... But he survived the episode and it didn't ruin his taste for spicy.
A couple years ago, he and I were tasting fresh pods of all kinds of regular and superhots. We've had several occasions to have other kids here for tastings. Some kids can handle it, some kids can't, and only the parents or adults there in the situation can make that call. He says he's not a chilehead. I bought some Chipotle Stix snacks recently, he tasted one, looked at me and said...."those aren't hot"... and I had to agree....they weren't hot.
If the kid is already eating hot sauce and chiles....let them taste what's next on the heat scale or what you and they think they can handle.
We had an unfortunate experience with Salsakid when he was about 3. Salsakid's always eaten medium heat salsa since he was old enough to eat chips. On one occasion, he was dipping into the HOT salsa with chips and chowing away. I kept trying to take it away, but he wanted it....so I let him eat it. The next day...the poor little dude was doing his "bizness" on the pot....and we had to set him in the tub with cold water.....
This was WAAAAYYYY before THP, and the knowledge of the path that chiles take......or "tales from the loo"..... But he survived the episode and it didn't ruin his taste for spicy.
A couple years ago, he and I were tasting fresh pods of all kinds of regular and superhots. We've had several occasions to have other kids here for tastings. Some kids can handle it, some kids can't, and only the parents or adults there in the situation can make that call. He says he's not a chilehead. I bought some Chipotle Stix snacks recently, he tasted one, looked at me and said...."those aren't hot"... and I had to agree....they weren't hot.
If the kid is already eating hot sauce and chiles....let them taste what's next on the heat scale or what you and they think they can handle.
4. Although there is no magic age, like saying they DAY you turn 18, you're ready to have children.
Or the DAY you turn 21 you're ready to drink. As I've said before, and I stick by it,
TOLERANCE TO CAPSCAICIN DOES NOT MATURE WITH AGE.
I know 40 something year olds that think ketchup is too spicy,
I also know of some 4 year olds who loooove Tobasco sauce.
My family is Mexican, 100% (I was adopted), grandma always made two pots of chili.
One for my aunts, uncles, and 14 grandchildren, and another for grandpa.
As far back as I can remember, I always ate out of Grandpa's pot.
:flame:
So... ???
Just like everything elase in this world, it should be up to the individual/parent.
Obviously I wouldn't give an unsuspecting 4 year old an entire 7pot, but a tiny piece? Sure.
If it were my child, and he wanted to try it.
Or the DAY you turn 21 you're ready to drink. As I've said before, and I stick by it,
TOLERANCE TO CAPSCAICIN DOES NOT MATURE WITH AGE.
I know 40 something year olds that think ketchup is too spicy,
I also know of some 4 year olds who loooove Tobasco sauce.
My family is Mexican, 100% (I was adopted), grandma always made two pots of chili.
One for my aunts, uncles, and 14 grandchildren, and another for grandpa.
As far back as I can remember, I always ate out of Grandpa's pot.
:flame:
So... ???
Just like everything elase in this world, it should be up to the individual/parent.
Obviously I wouldn't give an unsuspecting 4 year old an entire 7pot, but a tiny piece? Sure.
If it were my child, and he wanted to try it.
I really think it depends upon each individual child - just like some develop reading before others, some will develop a taste for hot things before others. Yes, start with mild things - tomatoe and/or tomatillo salsa is a good start, since it's got other things to "cut" the heat. Let them decide if/when they want to bump the heat up - let them know something is hotter than what they've tried before, then let them sample just a small amount then decide for themselves. They might surprise you.
I grew up in Houston and can't tell you when I developed a taste for hot stuff. But I can tell you that as soon as my kids were interested in chips with salsa, they got it. I am thinking 3-4 was actually when that started. Mom tried a pickled jalapeno and they wanted to try some, too, go for it - just small quantities as a taste, then they figured out for themselves if they wanted more or not.
I grew up in Houston and can't tell you when I developed a taste for hot stuff. But I can tell you that as soon as my kids were interested in chips with salsa, they got it. I am thinking 3-4 was actually when that started. Mom tried a pickled jalapeno and they wanted to try some, too, go for it - just small quantities as a taste, then they figured out for themselves if they wanted more or not.
salsalady
Business Member
And Scovie said one key word..."unsuspecting"....
I would NEVER EVER condone tricking a child into eating a hot sauce, chile or other hot thing if they did not know what they were getting in to. Our kids are around hot products of all shapes and sizes. Evan knows what the Scoville scale is and he understood where the chiles we were tasting were at on the Scoville scale.
I would NEVER EVER condone tricking a child into eating a hot sauce, chile or other hot thing if they did not know what they were getting in to. Our kids are around hot products of all shapes and sizes. Evan knows what the Scoville scale is and he understood where the chiles we were tasting were at on the Scoville scale.
My cousin is 8 ns hw locwa hot sauce like Tabasco, Chulula Chipotle, and noow i got him hooked on tapatio.. HE loves it!! Wants to eat hot stuff with me now lol..
I dunno...but I have had a couple twelve year olds begging me for pods on my youtube account. They posted a couple sauce reviews and kept dropping f bombs and acting like idiots. Tried to explain there's no way I'm sending primos and brains to a 12 yo and they don't understand why...
My 11yo has eaten a few goat's weeds(which he regreted) and loves Jalapeno Poppers and homemade Chipotle Mayo along with some of my powders in moderation. My 14 yo daughter loves spicy and has drowned her food in Franks since she was 10 or 11. She's eaten a Caribbean Red (little too hot) and will sit and drain a full jar of pickled Jals. I suppose its up to the kid...as long as its YOUR kid!
My 11yo has eaten a few goat's weeds(which he regreted) and loves Jalapeno Poppers and homemade Chipotle Mayo along with some of my powders in moderation. My 14 yo daughter loves spicy and has drowned her food in Franks since she was 10 or 11. She's eaten a Caribbean Red (little too hot) and will sit and drain a full jar of pickled Jals. I suppose its up to the kid...as long as its YOUR kid!
BenVanned
Banned
My son is almost 23 months old and loves wasabi peas, sriracha peas, and my jalapeno jelly. He has always had an Iron stomach he was eating cerial at 2 months old and baby food by 4 months. He always wants some of what we are eating so I let him try it. The day I gave him jalapeno Jelly I was eating it on toast and he wanted a bite, he got his bite and started to do the "inward blow" and asked for more. Tomorrow he will get to try Hot rotel in cheese dip.
Not having children, I am having to do some role-play here, but I would say that 2-6 is fine for introductory spice levels (jals-serranos) for most children. For certain exceptional children, controlled amounts of higher heat level items (as seen above) should be perfectly fine.
Thats awesome!
My youngest loves hot stuff too and she just turned 2. She always wants bites of my food which is usually loaded with my hot pepper powder. I give her some, she will make a weird noise, tell me its hot, wants a drink of water or milk and then she'll go back for more. She is definitely her mama's child!