Growing up, most of us probably got scolded for playing with our food. It's time to change our perspective on the subject. Playing with your food does have it's own boundaries so let's set them out to be clear. On one end of the spectrum is the curious toddler-inspecting, tasting, spitting out, touching, and staring at their food. On the opposite end is the person struggling with an eating disorder who is cutting up the food, strategically moving pieces on the plate so others think more is being consumed than what really is.
When I say, play with your food, I'm encouraging you to do just that! Set up mini-experiments, indulge in taste tests with your family, or copy Gordon Ramsey's blind taste test challenge from his TV show Hell's Kitchen.
Doing this serves an important purpose! It gets you & your family/friends together by introducing everyone to new foods in a fun, non-threatening way. It encourages food acceptance, reduces the risk of developing eating disorders(ED), and can help an person struggling with ED to challenge those feared foods in a supportive environment. For those of you just beginning to develop your kitchen skills, playing with your food will help you feel more comfortable in the kitchen and familiar with foods you don't have experience working with.
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