Some children eat everything put in front of them, while others require a bit more encouragement. It’s completely normal for children to go through phases of being picky about what they eat but I understand how frustrating picky eating can be for parents and carers. If your child is only eating certain foods, there are several strategies you can try to help form new, healthier habits. Here are some tips to help your child try more foods and cooperate at mealtimes.
(If your child isn’t eating at all, this could be linked to illness or additional needs, and you may need to approach it differently. Please refer to the last section for more guidance.)
Create a Positive Environment
The setting where you eat can make a big difference. Consider these tips to create a positive atmosphere at mealtimes:
- Sit together as a family and role model the behaviors you’d like to see. Mealtime is a great opportunity to spend time together and create positive associations with food.
- Avoid distractions like TV during mealtimes. Distractions can interfere with your child’s ability to recognise their hunger and fullness cues.
- Set realistic expectations for how long your child should sit at the table, keeping their age and developmental stage in mind.
- Encourage self-feeding, which helps foster independence and positive food relationships.
- Make sure your child feels comfortable and included at the table, and avoid rushing them.
Don’t Force Food
It’s important not to force food on children. While you may want them to try new things, pressuring them can have the opposite effect, causing distress and creating negative associations with eating. As long as your pediatrician says your child is healthy and eating a variety of foods, try not to worry too much about their current food preferences.
Gently Expand the Menu
You can be a great role model by being an adventurous eater yourself and showing your child how to have a positive food relationship. Try creating a list of new foods to try as a family and make it fun—ask, “What new food should we try tonight?” You can even turn it into a game, like Food Bingo, to make exploring new foods exciting.
Offer Foods More Than Once
If your child refuses a new food, try offering it again another day. Repeated exposure can help them become more comfortable with unfamiliar foods. It may take multiple attempts (often over ten tries) for a child to accept a new food. You can also encourage your child by showing them that you’re eating the food yourself. This can help normalise it.
Provide Lots of Praise (Without Pressure)
Avoid pressuring or bribing your child to eat a certain food, as this can create negative feelings and associations about/around food. Instead, offer new foods in a relaxed, low-pressure way. Praise your child when they’re brave enough to try something new. Some children may also appreciate knowing what they’re eating, so showing them the whole food before chopping or cooking it can help them understand what’s on their plate.
Avoid Using Food as a Reward
Using food as a reward can inadvertently create a negative association between certain foods and rewards. For example, children may start to see sweets as “good” and vegetables as “bad.” Instead, try rewarding them with activities such as a trip to the park or playing a game together. It’s also helpful to avoid referring to foods as “treats” for the same reasons.
Don’t Make a Second Meal
Rather than preparing a separate meal for your child, always try incorporating “safe foods” alongside new or unfamiliar ones. For example, if your child enjoys certain fruits or vegetables, include those on the plate along with new foods like pasta or chicken. This can make the meal more appealing and less overwhelming.
Stay Calm with Unwanted Food
If your child refuses to eat something, try not to react with frustration. Children can pick up on your anxiety, which could make the situation worse. Instead, calmly remove the plate without comment. Teach your child that just because they don’t like a particular food doesn’t mean the whole meal is ruined. For example, if they don’t like a pickle on their burger, encourage them to push it to the side.
Get Little Ones Involved and Make Food Fun
Involving children in food preparation can make them more open to trying new foods. Let them help make the shopping list, and turn food shopping into a game- perhaps trying to find certain colours or creating a “rainbow” of foods. Exploring new varieties of foods may also help your child discover preferences they didn’t know they had. For example, they might find they enjoy foods with smoky flavours or prefer sour apples over sweet ones.
Reading stories that include food or engaging in role-playing cooking games can also help children feel more comfortable with food. Cooking together is another great way to get children interested in new foods. Look through family-friendly recipes and pick one that excites both you and your child, then prepare it together.
What is a Food Aversion and ARFID?
A food aversion is a strong dislike or fear of a particular food. The sight, smell, or taste of the food may cause a child to feel nauseous, gag, or even vomit. Food aversions can affect both children and adults.
Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is an eating disorder characterized by the avoidance of certain foods or food groups. Children with ARFID may restrict their food intake due to sensitivities to taste, texture, smell, or appearance. This condition can develop after a distressing experience, such as choking or vomiting, which affects their relationship with food. ARFID is also common among children with Autism Spectrum Disorder due to sensory sensitivities.
When to Seek Professional Support
If you’re struggling to get your child to eat a more varied diet or if you’re concerned about their health, it may be helpful to seek support from healthcare professionals such as a GP, health visitor or early intervention team. If your child is losing weight, feeling weak or lethargic or exhibiting other concerning symptoms, contact your doctor immediately. Remember, my door is always open to offer support and guidance, so don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need additional help.
Here is the NHS link for further information and guidance –
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/weaning-and-feeding/fussy-eaters/
Guiding The Young Ones 
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