As anyone who primarily cooks for their family will know, it’s a role that comes with a lot of responsibility. What you choose to cook can have a big implication on the health of everyone involved, and it’s important that you get things right.

Introducing fish can be a great way to go, but it’s also possible that you’ll find it trickier than something like chicken. If you’re looking to introduce more fish into your family’s diet, here’s where you should start.

Go with mild flavours

When people show resistance to eating fish – especially with younger kids – it’s normally because they have a strong, fishy smell and taste in mind. As a result, it’s important that you start introducing fish dishes that have a much milder flavour.

A good one to start with is tuna, sometimes called the chicken of the sea. Starting with a fattier, more flavourful fish like mackerel might not be such a good idea. Save that one for a few months further down the line.

Keep it simple

If you’re just dipping your toes into the culinary world of fish, then you should keep things simple at first. You don’t need to buy a whole fish and learn how to gut and prepare it, and you don’t need to get stuck into a salmon en croûte recipe.

Instead, a simple tin of tuna from John West will do the trick. Served as part of a salad or with a baked potato and heaps of melted cheddar – you’ll be the star of the kitchen. If it doesn’t go down quite so well, then at least you won’t have wasted too much time, money and effort on a complex recipe.

Introduce it with some family favourites

You don’t have to make some super fancy, out-there dish on your first night. To make the transition more enjoyable for everyone involved, try to introduce fish with some other family favourites.

Keeping at least one part of the meal familiar makes it easier to accept the less familiar parts, especially for kids who are fussy eaters.

Whether that’s a big bowl of peas, some curly fries or a dish of spicy rice, serving fish alongside this significantly increases your chances of successful integration.

Start slow, stay consistent

While fish is undoubtedly a healthy and convenient addition to your family’s diet, you don’t have to suddenly make it into a staple food. If you start too quickly, you’re likely going to face a lot of resistance and could end up with the opposite of your intended result.

It’s much better to start off slowly, with just one fish-oriented meal per week. Stay consistent, though; make Tuesday fish night, and once that habit is ingrained, it won’t seem so weird that Friday’s lunch also contains a big fillet of salmon.

Introducing fish into your family’s diet might be surprisingly difficult, but if equipped with the right tactics (like those listed above) you should be able to set yourself up for success

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