5 parenting hacks to make picky eaters try new foods

Does mealtime at your home feel like a standoff with your child refusing broccoli, pushing away carrots, or only wanting pasta? Welcome to the world of parenting where you are not alone.

Picky eating is common, especially in early childhood, when kids are developing independence and taste preferences. The challenge for parents is to make new foods less intimidating and more appealing. Fortunately, research offers creative hacks that actually work.Picky eating is not about stubbornness, it is a part of how children explore independence and learn about food. Parents can gently guide them by using certain hacks like repeat exposure, pair with familiar foods, make meals playful, involve them in cooking and model healthy eating. Here are five strategies to help picky eaters open up to new flavours -

Keep offering without pressure

Introduce the same food multiple times, even if it is rejected at first. Stay patient, keep portions small and celebrate tiny tastes as kids may need 8–15 exposures before they accept a new food. According to a 2003 study published in Appetite, “Repeated exposure significantly increased children’s liking and intake of a target vegetable.”

Pair new foods with familiar favourites

Serve new veggies with familiar dips, sauces or alongside foods that your child already enjoys. Pairing carrots with hummus or cucumbers with the kid's favourite sandwich makes the new food less daunting. A 2005 research paper, Specific social influences on the acceptance of novel foods in 2–5-year-old children, revealed that children were more likely to accept new foods when combined with familiar ones or modelled by peers.

Linking the unfamiliar with the familiar reduces anxiety.

Make food fun and playful

Turn meals into colourful plates, use cookie cutters for shapes, or create food art faces. Presentation sparks curiosity, making them more likely to take that first bite. This is backed by a 2018 study, Visual presentation of vegetables promotes enjoyment and consumption in preschool children, which established that fun and visually appealing presentations increased children’s willingness to try vegetables as kids eat with their eyes first.

Involve kids in cooking and food prep

Let kids wash veggies, stir batter or choose recipes. Hands-on involvement makes kids feel ownership over their food choices, making them more likely to eat what they helped create. As per a 2014 study, Involving children in meal preparation: Effects on food intake, “Children ate significantly more salad when they helped prepare it.”

Be a role model at the table

Eat the same food you want your child to try, showing genuine enjoyment. When they see you happily eating spinach or peppers, they are more likely to follow as kids copy adults especially parents. A 1975 study in Journal of Experimental Child Psychology established that children were more likely to try and accept foods modelled by adults.With patience and consistency, those dinnertime battles can transform into opportunities for discovery and maybe even a love for veggies.