General Information:

• Eating a variety of healthy foods is important for your child's health. But it's not always easy to get kids to try new and different foods. 
• Their appetites vary and they eat much smaller portions than adults. 
• If your child struggles with change and transition, trying different foods maybe harder for them. 
• If your child dislikes bitter, spicy or foods that are hard to chew, this is normal.    
• The good news is there's a lot you can do to help your child get comfortable trying a variety of foods.  
• The peak time for picky eating is the toddler or preschool years.
  • This is when children develop a fear of trying new things.  
  • It is normal for children at this age to refuse foods and: 
    • complain or whine about what is served.
    • refuse certain foods, especially vegetables and meats.
    • push foods around the plate.
    • hide foods or give them to a pet under the table.
    • throw temper tantrums. (Helpful tips below.)
• The good news is that most children, even those who are picky eaters, eat enough total foods and calories per day for normal growth.
• Picky eating usually improves with age and most children grow out of it.  
  • Peer pressure to try new things when at school, camps or away from home can often help.

Healthy habits start early:

• Offer a variety of fruits and vegetables when your infant starts to eat solid foods. 
• Infants are generally very open to trying a variety of tastes and textures. 
  • Take advantage of this and offer your baby different flavors and textures every few days once solids are introduced around 6 months of age.
  • Before 9 months, baby’s tastebuds are still developing which makes them more likely to try and like most foods.

Provide balanced meals:

• Offer infants and toddlers vegetables and meat in addition to fruits.  
• Share a meal together as a family as often as you can. 
• Use this time to model healthy eating.  
• Serve one meal for the whole family. 
• Resist the urge to make another meal if your child refuses what you've served.  
• Try to include at least one food your child likes with each meal and continue to provide a balanced meal, whether they eat it or not.  
• Aim for distraction-free mealtimes without TV, cell phones or other media use.

Helpful tips for trying new foods:

• Offer foods you’d most like your child to eat when they are most hungry. 
• Scheduled meals and limiting snacks can help ensure your child is hungry when a new food is introduced.
• Let your child feed themselves if possible. 
  • This helps them feel in control of what they’re eating.  
• Give children a choice between 2 healthy options. 
  • They may be more likely to try something new when they get to choose it.  
• Make food fun by:  
  • arranging them in fun, colorful shapes kids can recognize.  
  • adding dips like yogurt, hummus, or peanut butter (toddlers are big fans of dip).
• Let your child choose a healthy new food at the grocery store. 
  • They’ll be more likely to try it if they help pick it out.  
• Have them help with meal prep.
  •  Get them interested in meals by having them prepare a new food to try.  
• Talk about where food comes from.
  •  If possible, try planting herbs or vegetables.  
• Keep trying! 
  • Just because a child refuses a food once, don't give up. 
  • Keep offering new foods and those your child didn't like before. 
  • It can take as many as 15 or more times tasting a food before a child’s taste buds accept it.

Helpful tips for food related temper tantrums:

• Stay strong and don’t give in.
• Do your best to stay calm, the best reaction is no reaction. 
• Avoid talking about what your children are eating or not eating.
• Try your best to continue with your family’s meal.
• Avoid using food as a punishment or reward, it could make picky eating worse.
• If your child refuses, avoid making another meal for them, but kindly tell them you will put it away for their next mealtime. 
• Parents worry about their child starving, when your child is hungry enough, they will eat what you made.   
• When eating out, while you are still calm, take your child to a place to allow them to cool down.  
  • Sometimes this does mean leaving the restaurant to allow for more space and time for your child and yourself to relax.

Contact your healthcare team:

• If your child is losing weight or not growing well.
• If your child gags or vomits with certain foods.  
• You have other questions or concerns.

This publication was adapted from information within American Academy of Pediatrics Patient Education Handouts

Reviewed by:  NM M.D., AR D.O., TT D.O.  | 10/2024