Tonight with your 5 to 8 year old
The prompt
“Is there a food you love that feels like nobody else in the family loves it quite like you do?”
What to listen for
If they name something specific and defend it with enthusiasm, they're comfortably owning a preference that's just theirs, separate from what everyone else likes, a small but real piece of identity.
If they seem unsure or say they like whatever everyone else likes, gently ask "but if you could only pick for yourself, what would it be?" to help them notice their own taste.
If they say "I don't know," that's completely normal at this age, food preferences are still forming, so treat it lightly.
What this tells you
Owning a taste that's just theirs shows how comfortable they are having preferences that don't need to match everyone else's.