Child nutrition
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Eat the new food yourself in front of your child and make positive sounds to encourage them to mimic you.
Toddlers are likely to try foods they see their parents enjoying because they like to mimic adult behavior.
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- Expose toddlers to diverse flavors, including onions and salsa, early on while they are willing to mimic parents.1
If a child refuses to eat a nutritious food like oatmeal because of its texture, bake it into cookies to change the presentation.
Children may reject foods that look like gruel but will eat them if presented as treats.
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Lovingly slice fruits and arrange them on a plate for others.
It makes the food far more enticing to eat.
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Cut fruit into small bits rather than serving it whole.
Whole fruit may not be eaten; cutting it makes it more manageable and easier to finish without excessive jaw work.
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Avoid sending children to school with mason jars for lunch to prevent teasing from classmates.
It may lead to classmates making fun of them.
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Make vegetables more appealing by associating them with favorite cartoon characters through stickers or branded packaging.
Play a game where you charge a 'fruits and veggies tax' by handing kids extra slices of produce while cooking.
Kids may eventually start demanding to pay the tax themselves.
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Require only one small taste of a new or disliked food without forcing further consumption, repeating this exposure over time.
It can take multiple exposures for someone to develop a liking for a food.
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Avoid showing negative reactions or making a big deal when a child rejects a new food.
Negative reactions can sabotage the child's willingness to try the food.
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Retaste foods you dislike if you cannot clearly recall their actual flavor.
You may find you like them, as previous aversions might stem from poor preparation or changed tastes.
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- If you reject food based on appearance, try nibbling small amounts to discover your actual taste preferences.1
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Revisit disliked vegetables prepared with different textures, as aversion may stem from texture rather than taste.
One person realized they disliked mushy asparagus but enjoyed it when not cooked to a blob.
- Based on one personal experience.
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- Cook vegetables like asparagus so they retain texture rather than becoming mushy.1
Act as if you made a specific dish only for yourself when serving children.
Children may become more interested in trying it because it appears exclusive to the parent.
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Serve new or disliked foods as a side dish alongside familiar favorites when feeding children.
It avoids power struggles and the precedent of providing alternative meals if the main dish is rejected.
- One dissenting view suggests this sets a bad precedent by implying junk food is the standard.
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Involve children in choosing meals and preparing food to increase their interest in trying what they help make.
Involvement in the process makes children more interested in trying the food.
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Eat foods you dislike before the rest of your meal when you are hungriest.
Hunger enhances flavor perception.
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Soak produce in a solution of two teaspoons of baking soda per quart of water.
It removes surface pesticides.
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Introduce vegetables as some of the first solid foods before introducing sweet fruits.
Children will eat vegetables more readily if they do not have sweeter foods to compare them to.
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Introduce new foods when the child is extra hungry to increase the likelihood they will enjoy the taste.
Hunger can make new foods taste amazing and overcome initial resistance.
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Avoid implying that eating specific foods will transform children into super-powered beings.
Such claims can backfire.
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Avoid coercing children into eating specific foods, as they dislike being manipulated or controlled and may come to view the food as punishment.
Children resist feeling manipulated or having no other option.
- Forcing food can train the child to think the food is punishment.
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Serve raw vegetables with dips to make them appealing to children.
Raw veggies are crisp and crunchy, similar to potato chips.
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If your child consistently comes home from school hungry, start packing their lunch instead of relying on the cafeteria.
Public school cafeteria food can be unappealing or poor quality, leading children to skip meals.
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Cook raw tomatoes and mix them with other ingredients to make them more palatable if you dislike them raw.
Raw tomatoes may taste unpleasant to some, but cooking and mixing improves the flavor.
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Clean berries with running water and rubbing; use a little dish soap on other produce.
The CDC advises running water for agitating fruit, while some find dish soap effective for other items.
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Support your child's growth rather than forcing them to accept your food preferences.
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If your child reluctantly eats vegetables with sweet or savory sauces, gradually reduce the amount of sugar and salt each time to help their body adjust to the vegetable's natural taste.
The body starts to expect the vegetable to trigger the right taste response without the extra additives.
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Teach children vocabulary to distinguish whether they dislike a food due to taste, texture, or potential allergies.
It helps rule out mild allergies, genetic taste aversions (like cilantro tasting like soap), or texture aversions.
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Offer children a choice between two pre-approved options rather than asking open-ended questions.
This gives them a limited sense of control while ensuring the outcome is acceptable to the adult.
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Frequently offer young children a variety of foods to prevent them from limiting themselves to only a few favorites, leveraging their short memories.
Young children have short memories and may forget dislikes if exposed often.
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Frame desired foods as 'expensive' or 'for adults only' to increase children's desire for them.
Restricting access or labeling items as too costly for children makes them want the food instantly.
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Gradually introduce disliked foods by starting with simple preparations and slowly reducing masking ingredients over time.
Taste acceptance is often gradual.
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Roast broccoli and cauliflower to make them more appealing to children.
One person reported their kids loved roasted broccoli and cauliflower.
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Season vegetables with butter and salt to improve palatability.
They're veggies not penance.
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Make vegetables more appealing by associating them with favorite cartoon characters through stickers or branded packaging.
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Roast, sauté, or char-broil vegetables instead of boiling or steaming them to improve flavor and texture.
Blend vegetables into shakes, smoothies, or soups to hide their appearance and taste.
You cannot see or really taste the veggies.
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Roast, sauté, or char-broil vegetables instead of boiling or steaming them to improve flavor and texture.
Boiled vegetables are often unseasoned, mushy, and unpleasant, while roasted or stir-fried versions can be delicious and crunchy.
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Pack chopped vegetables into soup and blend it.
Most people enjoy soup.
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Chop spinach very thinly and mix it into omelets or egg muffins.
It tastes really good.
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Add frozen spinach to dishes like macaroni and cheese, lasagna, soup, or spaghetti sauce.
It adds great taste.
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Cook Indian vegetarian recipes to make vegetables more enjoyable.
The spices and flavors are widely liked.
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