Mystery Bite Tasting Game

What you need

• Soft veggies (peppers, cucumber), a few small bites of cucumber (optional)
• Shredded cheese, a few small bites (optional)
• Berries, a few small bites of strawberry (optional)
• Plate or tray, 1
• Apple, a few small bites (optional)
• Crackers, a few small bites (optional)
• Lemon, 1 tiny sliver (optional)
• Napkins, 1 per player
• Knife, 1, for the grown-up

How to do it

Grown-up prep: Cut four or five foods into small, soft, bite-sized pieces and set them out on a plate. Check for allergies first, and skip any food that is a choking risk for your child's age. Keep a napkin handy for every taster.

1. A grown-up cuts tiny, soft bites and puts them on the plate. A grown-up does this
2. Look at all the foods together before the game starts.
3. Close your eyes tight, or cover them with your hands.
4. The helper picks one bite and holds it out for the taster.
   Ask: Can you smell anything before you taste it?
5. Sniff the bite, then touch it with your tongue or take a small nibble.
6. Describe how it feels and tastes.
7. Guess what the food is, then open your eyes to check.
   Ask: Were you surprised? Which clue helped most?
8. If you don't like a bite, spit it into your napkin. That's totally okay!
9. Repeat with the rest of the bites, then switch roles.
10. Now fool your friends, or play again! What mystery bite will you hide next?
    Ask: Who else could be your next taster?

Play it again

• Clue round: the helper gives one clue, like crunchy, before each bite.
• Sniff only: guess the food by smell alone, no tasting.
• Trick the detective: the taster picks a favorite food and the helper guesses it.