What age is too young for hot peppers?
- Thread starter Jerret
- Start date
My daughter is 6 and tried her first Ghost pepper last night. It was just a lick, followed by 3 glasses of milk, but she then tried it again. I cook with powders and sauces to "spice things up". The last time I made something for the kids without adding anything, they said that it was "blan" and "waterie". They have always leaned to the spicy side of things. I would much rather them eat a hot pepper or something spicy than sugar filled candy (which I do not keep in the house)
My oldest daughter first tried texas pete when she was learning to walk, putting her fingers on my plate and licking her fingers, repeated by a face and then back at is again. She's 11 now and she helps me make salsa because we were tired of the bland store bought stuff. First few times we used mild peppers and after a few batches started adding a habanero. After that she asked to cut it down to half a habanero. She's gradually building up the heat scale to suit her. I believe they learn by trying what works for them, they either like hot stuff or they don't. My younger daughter has tried texas pete, but, does not care for hot stuff at all.
salsalady
Business Member
Welcome, DragonsFire,
don't give up on the younger girl yet. It may not be the heat she doesn't like, she may not like the vinegar flavor of Texas Pete style sauces. I'm scheduled to do after-school projects this week with 7-8 year olds and 9-10 year olds making pico de gallo salsa. I've done it before, and MANY of the kids say the didn't used to like salsa, but now they do.
don't give up on the younger girl yet. It may not be the heat she doesn't like, she may not like the vinegar flavor of Texas Pete style sauces. I'm scheduled to do after-school projects this week with 7-8 year olds and 9-10 year olds making pico de gallo salsa. I've done it before, and MANY of the kids say the didn't used to like salsa, but now they do.
I don't know what it is about kids and Texas Pete but most kids usually like it if they are inclined to eat spicy foods. My son uses it like ketchup and puts it on everything from hamburgers to white rice and everything inbetween. He is a real fan of hot foods and I give him a regular diet of jalapenoes and habs and he loves the ghose pepper hot sauce we bought recently, but he always comes back to Texas Pete. Maybe its because it is mild enough that he can pour it on like ketchup, idk.
I agree, it's always been a staple in my house and i grew up with it the same way, like ketsup in the house. It goes great on anything. My oldest daughter is a daddys girl so, if i'm trying it, she's trying it. As for my younger daughter, she's 8 and i believe takes after her mother in the pickyness department. she's her mothers daughter and listens to everything her momma says. I would be in misery if i was limited to what the 2 of them eat, no peppers, onions, most green vegetables, it's a short list. The only thing she has from me is my temper,lol.
My folks used to put Tabasco on my fingers because I was chewing on my finger nails. It apparently didn't work to well as I now eat and grow my own hot / super hot peppers, order my sauce online as there is only 1 local place that makes anything even close to spicy, and I still have no finger nails.
salsalady
Business Member
to Ob1's fingernails....I did an afterschool program yesterday with 5 6th-graders. We made a pico de gallo style salsa and a black bean & corn salsa. They had total control of how much heat went into each salsa. One group put 4 jalapenos in with 4 cans of beans/corn plus the onion/garlic, the recipe called for 2-3 jalapenos. The other group put 2 jalapenos in with 2 pound of tomatoes (plus the onions etc) BUT!!!! I had some orange habaneros available if anyone wanted to use them. The pico kids took about 2 cups of their salsa and added 1 habanero.
The hab pico was totally eaten by those 5 kids (and a LITTLE for myself...I was letting them eat as much as they wanted). A couple kids started picking through the salsas for big chunks of jalapeno to eat. 2 girls put some of the extra salsa into tubs to take home and then chopped up another habanero to add to their (about 1.5 cups) of salsa.
Tomorrow- Salsa Class with 3rd and 4th graders!!!!!
Same scenario, sans the sharp knives. The younger kids will have to deal with serrated table knives to cut their tomatoes and onions.
My 18 month old loves the pepper jelly I made. It's got Japapeons and Texmex it in. My 5 year old loves jalapenos poppers and that's about it. My 4 year old won't go near the stuff and I think it's my fault because one day while I was making salsa. I told her the peppers would burn her.
But to answer the question, I'd say let them try what they want. There are ways to stop the burn and little slices never hurt.
But to answer the question, I'd say let them try what they want. There are ways to stop the burn and little slices never hurt.
There is a 9 year old kid on youtube eating some of a moruga.
I say thats a bit young but as long as he wasnt pressured into it i find it ok.
I say thats a bit young but as long as he wasnt pressured into it i find it ok.
salsalady
Business Member
I agree, Mike, as long as they understand. My son has tasted many superhots. I figure, after the first one, he knew what was up, and he chose to taste MANY fresh chiles with me.
but there's also a ton of vids on MeTube where the adults THOUGHT they understood the deathsauce, extract, etc.....
For the person who started this post, there were many other people there at the time the girl was introduces to Pure Evil, and we know she saw the effects of it , and she was well aware of what she was tasting.
but there's also a ton of vids on MeTube where the adults THOUGHT they understood the deathsauce, extract, etc.....
For the person who started this post, there were many other people there at the time the girl was introduces to Pure Evil, and we know she saw the effects of it , and she was well aware of what she was tasting.
I did an afterschool program yesterday with 5 6th-graders. We made a pico de gallo style salsa and a black bean & corn salsa. They had total control of how much heat went into each salsa. One group put 4 jalapenos in with 4 cans of beans/corn plus the onion/garlic, the recipe called for 2-3 jalapenos. The other group put 2 jalapenos in with 2 pound of tomatoes (plus the onions etc) BUT!!!! I had some orange habaneros available if anyone wanted to use them. The pico kids took about 2 cups of their salsa and added 1 habanero.
The hab pico was totally eaten by those 5 kids (and a LITTLE for myself...I was letting them eat as much as they wanted). A couple kids started picking through the salsas for big chunks of jalapeno to eat. 2 girls put some of the extra salsa into tubs to take home and then chopped up another habanero to add to their (about 1.5 cups) of salsa.
Tomorrow- Salsa Class with 3rd and 4th graders!!!!!
Same scenario, sans the sharp knives. The younger kids will have to deal with serrated table knives to cut their tomatoes and onions.
I love this, you are doing a great service teaching these kids about peppers! I hope one or two of the kiddos will get the bug and grow a plant or two and pass the love of peppers on to others. Peppers make the world a better place.
- my sweet late niece AMANDA was itroduced to spicy food when she was 9 years old(GENERAL TSO CHICKEN ), i thought at first a darn near killed her but she liked it!! as she grew she started liking it more and more, she was somewhat a chilihead before she left this life, i would say 8 to 9 years old is a safe age to let them try
ive been lurking since this thread was started. this is real cut and dry! if your kids want to try any of your food,and they know its hot then by all means let them try it. if you are some jerk off putting 3 scorpions in your 3 year olds mac and cheese because you want to see them cry,then youre a dick. ive read post about people talking about how its abuse to let your kids try heat,you people are stupid and go get a life and mind your own business and keep your own household in line. nice review jerret,tewll Nova she rules and give her a big high five from sicman!
ive been lurking since this thread was started. this is real cut and dry! if your kids want to try any of your food,and they know its hot then by all means let them try it. if you are some jerk off putting 3 scorpions in your 3 year olds mac and cheese because you want to see them cry,then youre a dick. ive read post about people talking about how its abuse to let your kids try heat,you people are stupid and go get a life and mind your own business and keep your own household in line. nice review jerret,tewll Nova she rules and give her a big high five from sicman!
Couldn't have put it any better