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It is normal for children not to love every new food they try, but sometimes picky eating becomes a problem which leads to mealtime battles, thus creating severe tension between the child and the caregiver.
If you notice that your child is picky and avoids new foods, there are some strategies you can take to increase his acceptance to new items on his plate.
1- Introduce only 1 food at a time 4
- When introducing a new food, put a tiny amount (pea size) on your child’s plate and don’t let it touch other items. They will get used to the new item with time and be ready to try it later 1
- Encourage your child to smell the new food, touch it with their fingers, then pick it up with their hand. When you engage more of your child’s senses, they tend to like things much more. 1
- Have your child touch the food to their cheek, then to their lips, then to their tongue. Do this at your child’s pace, as some kids take long to accept new things. 1
- Encourage your child to lick the new food and put it in their mouth. It is okay if they don’t chew it and swallow it. 1
- Have your child take a small bite, chew it, and swallow it. Then, gradually increase the amount of the new food until your child eats a normal portion. Be patient and remember that it may take up to 12-30 exposure of a new food for your child to accept it. 1,3,4
2- Identify a preferred food for your child
At mealtime, break the new food into small bite-size pieces. Tell your child to eat one piece of the new food before getting his favorite food. Over time, you can increase the number of bites of the new food while keeping the one bite of the preferred food. Eventually, the child will be able to eat an entire meal of the new food without having to have the preferred bite till the end.2
3- Be a role model for your kids
Children like to imitate their parents, so if you eat the new food and enjoy it, you are more likely to succeed with your child.3
4- Disguise the new food
For example, you can add mashed vegetables to stews or to spaghetti, add a sweet dip to slices of new fruit, etc.3
5- Get your child involved in shopping for groceries and preparing meals. Your kid is more likely to like and enjoy a new food if they helped prepare it or if it was associated with positive feelings.
6- Make the new food fun, cut it into unusual shapes, create a collage, ex Broccoli for trees, cauliflower for clouds, yellow squash for sun, arrange food in a happy face pattern, etc.
If you tried all the above strategies and your child still refuses to try new foods, consult your pediatrician for more tips or referral to a behavioral specialist.
Dr. Rima Halat
MD Pediatrician
