Helping a Picky Eater Try New Foods

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Good nutrition helps young children grow healthy and strong. They need a variety of nutrient-dense foods every day for growth and brain development, and what they eat early can shape how they eat as they grow up. That is why it matters to introduce them to healthy foods, including many kinds of fruits and vegetables.

Picky eating is normal

As children get older, they may start refusing foods they used to like or show other signs of picky eating. Sticking to a couple of favorite foods, or not wanting foods to touch on the plate, is normal, and these habits often fade by about age 5. Children may not like a food the first time, so keep offering it, even after it has been turned down. It may take 8 to 10 tries before a young child is willing to try a new food.

Ways to encourage a new food

Eat the food yourself first to show you like it, then let your child try it.
Offer a choice of new foods and let your child pick which to try today.
Serve a new food alongside foods your child already likes.
Wait a couple of days before offering a refused food again.
Freeze small bites of leftovers to thaw and offer later, so food is not wasted.

Tastes and textures

Offering foods with different tastes and textures helps children learn to accept and enjoy a wide range of foods. Textures range from smooth (strained or puréed), to mashed or lumpy, to finely chopped or ground. Start with smooth or mashed foods and move toward finely chopped or ground foods as your child grows. This builds chewing skills and fine motor skills, like pinching and picking up food with the fingers. Always serve food in a size, consistency and shape suited to your child's age and development to help prevent choking.

Make it fun

Eye spy: keep fruits and vegetables on the counter, at your child's eye level, as a reminder of healthy snacks.
Five senses: let your child touch and smell new foods, and ask how a new fruit or vegetable looks, feels, smells, sounds and tastes.
Funny face: arrange fruits and vegetables into a funny face on the plate.
Rainbow: offer fruits and vegetables in many colors at meals and snacks.
Tie-dye water: serve water instead of sugary drinks, and add berries, lemon, lime or cucumber for color and flavor.
Tiny chef: let children help make snacks and meals. Even the youngest can wash and sort foods, using their senses of smell, touch and taste as you cook. Try preparing the same fruit or vegetable in different ways.