Picky eating can be incredibly frustrating for parents, but understanding that it’s a behavior that can evolve brings relief. By applying thoughtful strategies, you can help your child develop a lifelong, healthy relationship with food, which sets them up for success in all aspects of well-being.
Give your child language to describe the foods they eat. Help them identify flavors, textures, and temperatures, and encourage them to express what they like and dislike about certain foods. Set clear expectations around what they might experience with new foods.
Why it helps:
Imagine being handed a dish you've never seen before and being told it's good for you—would you immediately want to try it? Probably not. Similarly, children are more hesitant to try new foods when they don't know what to expect. By helping them articulate specific characteristics like "it's too mushy" or "too spicy," you're giving them control over the experience and building their confidence to try new things.
When introducing a new food, avoid overwhelming your child by serving an entire dish of it. Instead, offer a tiny portion—just a small floret of broccoli, for example, next to their favorite pasta.
Why it helps:
Children can feel pressure when faced with a large serving of unfamiliar food, leading to outright rejection. By starting with small amounts, you give them the freedom to explore without the expectation of finishing a full portion. The next time you offer the food, they'll likely feel less resistant.
Use a separate plate or designated space for new or unfamiliar foods. You could try a “no thank you” plate or a specific spot on their regular plate for tasting new foods. Specialized dishes like Kizingo plates work well for this.
Why it helps:
Putting new foods in a separate space reduces their "scary power." When children see that the new food isn't touching their other favorites, they feel more comfortable and less likely to reject the entire meal. It also helps them approach the new food as something they’re learning about, rather than something they must eat immediately.
If you don’t like a particular food, try to serve and taste it in front of your children anyway. Even if you're not a fan of mushrooms, for instance, be willing to model positive food exploration for your kids.
Why it helps:
Children learn from observing us. Studies show that the most effective way to promote healthier eating habits in children is to let them see you practice those habits. If you want them to try a new food, join them in tasting it—even if you don’t love it. Your reaction and openness can encourage them to do the same.
Bring your kids into the kitchen when preparing meals, especially when the pressure is low. Whether it's helping pick out ingredients at the grocery store or stirring a pot at home, the act of engaging in the food preparation process can make them more open to trying new foods.
Why it helps:
Children who are involved in food preparation—washing veggies, measuring ingredients, or even growing produce—are more likely to taste new foods and adopt healthier eating habits over time. Research shows that when kids take part in making their meals, they’re naturally more curious and adventurous about tasting them.
Ellyn Satter’s Division of Responsibility model suggests that parents decide what is offered, where, and when, while the child decides how much to eat. This approach empowers children to listen to their own hunger and fullness cues.
Why it helps:
Repeated exposure to the same foods—offered in a low-pressure setting—helps children become more familiar with them over time. This familiarity often leads to acceptance, even after initial refusal. Additionally, letting children control how much they eat.
Instead of focusing solely on the specific food your child doesn’t like, look at broader patterns—like the textures, flavors, or colors—they consistently avoid. (and the ones they are consistently drawn to.) Adjust how you present food to match these preferences while gently nudging them toward new experiences. (Google: food chaining for more info.)
Why it helps:
For many children, raw vegetables are more appealing than cooked ones, or crunchy textures may be preferred over soft. By understanding these preferences, you can offer foods in forms they are more likely to enjoy, such as raw carrots instead of steamed, or lightly frozen peas instead of cooked. Over time, they’ll become more confident in trying new preparations.
Avoid the temptation to make a second, separate meal if your child refuses the one you’ve prepared. Let them know that the current meal is their option, and no alternatives are coming.
Why it helps:
Making a separate meal can reinforce picky eating by giving your child an out. By sticking to one meal and reassuring them that they won’t go hungry, you’re helping them build trust and encouraging them to eventually try new foods. They’ll learn that mealtime is a family experience, and participation is important even if they aren’t eating much.
Serve meals and snacks at about the same times each day. Consistent meal schedules provide a sense of security and predictability for children, which can reduce mealtime resistance.
Why it helps:
Children thrive on routines, and knowing that food will be available at regular times reduces their anxiety. This consistency helps them learn to trust that food will always be there, making them more likely to try new things. Regular schedules also teach them to recognize their body’s hunger and fullness cues.
Patience is the most crucial strategy of all. Building a positive relationship with food takes time, often requiring multiple exposures—sometimes more than 15—before a child will willingly try something new.
Why it helps:
Your child might need to touch, smell, or play with a food many times before they actually eat it. The key is to keep offering it in a low-pressure environment. Repeated exposure increases familiarity and comfort, eventually leading to acceptance. Remember, this process takes time—so be patient, and trust that it will pay off in the long run.
