Are you craving sushi but not the idea of bringing your picky kids or significant other to a good sushi bar? No worries, I’ll show you how to introduce sushi for picky eaters, no matter their age.
If you know the person well, or its you looking at where to start, the easiest thing to do is look at what you or your other eats on a regular basis and go from there.
How to Choose Which Sushi for Picky Eaters?
For example, most people like tuna fish sandwiches, I do. And that’s why something like a spicy tuna roll is usually recommended to people that have either never eaten sushi before, or are simply super picky eaters.
Tuna is “recognizable” to almost everyone. And to have fresh tuna usually opens everyone’s mind to what sushi can be. So my very first recommendation for which sushi to try for picky eaters would be a spicy tuna roll.
It’s familiar and just so yummy. And if they don’t like spicy foods, then just go with a regular tuna roll. Heck, you can even get a tuna roll with tuna from a can, or make the sushi roll yourself, but why would you want to!
Are they even picker than that, well, my next suggestion is to go with something warm or cooked. Raw fish freak some people out. So why not tell them it isn’t raw and choose something cooked. Then as they start realizing the wonderful world of sushi, they can gradually make their way to raw sushi, or even sashimi someday.
One of the most popular sushi rolls, the California Roll, is made with cooked imitation crab meat, cucumber, avocado, rice and a nori seaweed wrap. Again, most people like shellfish, and this is a super simple roll that tastes good and looks appetizing. Nothing to make someone question what they’re placing in their mouths.
The next safe choice would be something with shrimp. Again, most people like shrimp, so it’s not a stretch to get them to try a shrimp sushi roll like Volcano Sushi or a Boston Roll. The shrimp is even cooked, so no raw phobia here.
Allergic or don’t like shellfish? Try a Philadelphia Roll (Smoked Salmon Sushi). Salmon is popular, and with a dash of cream cheese in this roll and some cucumber all in a soy paper wrap, it’s usually a safe bet if you’re a salmon lover.
Does your picky eater love fried foods? Try Deep Fried Sushi Rolls. These are more similar to Tempura, they’re basically a roll of your choice with Tempura topping and then deep fried. If you crave deep fried chicken and sushi, then this might be the perfect starting point to your sushi journey. Just never freeze your sushi rolls.
Still not sure? How about something vegan to get you into the textures of sushi. There’s no raw seafood or meat in these rolls. You can use anything from carrots to bell peppers, and cucumbers. I’d definitely add a bit of pickled ginger to these to give them some flavor. Or even a dash of wasabi if they like spicy foods.
One other thing you can do to get picky eaters to give sushi a try is to show them all of the great sides and sauces that go with sushi. Things like wasabi, soy and eel sauces, picked ginger and so on. These can really make the difference for some people.
Personally I don’t use soy sauce on my sushi. I like to actually taste my food with no condiments. But if you like things a little spicy, try taking a little wasabi and mixing it with some soy sauce. This will help balance out the fishy flavor of sushi if it’s a little too much for you. Just don’t add too much wasabi or you’ll have wasabi burn.
And don’t forget what you drink with sushi matters as well. Make sure to pair the right drink by using our guide.
And the last tip I can offer here is, if you’re trying to get a kid that’s a picky eater to try sushi, why not try to make it fun for them. I mean, teach them to use chopsticks. Kids think they’re cool because they can eat their food with chopsticks.
Just be patient, as using chopsticks correctly takes a bit of practice. But it might get your child interested enough that they’re no longer focused on what they are eating, and focusing on the fun of it all.
If you have any recommendations, I’d love to hear from you. Drop me a comment below and let me know how you got a few picky eaters to eat sushi.