1Serve small portions.
Kids can become overwhelmed by a lot of food on their plates, especially unfamiliar foods. Delaware suggests starting with small, bite-sized pieces of new food. You can always offer more if your child likes it.
2Describe food.
Try to use phrases like, “This food is creamy” or “This food is crunchy” instead of words like “yucky” or “yummy.” The more descriptive you are, the more you may spark your child’s curiosity. Delaware says that using descriptive language can also help your child identify different textures and sensations.
3Let them explore.
Children are more likely to eat something new if they can examine it first. Encourage them to smell and touch new food before taking a bite.
When my kids are unsure of unfamiliar food, I turn to one of our favorite songs from “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood.” Together, we sing, “We gotta try new food because it might taste good!” It’s a good opportunity to talk about how food looks and smells and what it might taste like.
4Eat together.
Sharing meals as a family is a great way to encourage kids to try new foods. Even if they start out as picky eaters, they are more likely to experiment with new foods if a variety of healthy foods are seen as normal parts of a meal.
5Be a good role model.
"Kids watch you," Delaware said. "They want to see you enjoying the same food you are asking them to eat." Instead of telling them to eat their vegetables, let them see you eating and (and genuinely enjoying!) those vegetables. Soon enough they’ll want to try them too.
6Get kids involved in the kitchen.
Studies show kids are more likely to eat food they help prepare. Invite your child to help you grocery shop or cook. Young kids can mash bananas or avocados. Older kids can help prepare a fruit salad or stir pancake batter. You may spend extra time cleaning up, but your child may feel encouraged to try a food you prepared together.
7Celebrate family traditions.
Invite your child to join you when cooking for a holiday or using a family recipe passed down to you. Many PBS KIDS shows highlight different cultural food traditions. Watching these shows together can help you talk about the special foods in your family.
In “Lyla in the Loop,” Lyla’s mom, who is Jamaican, talks about her mother’s vegetable garden. In an episode of “Alma’s Way,” Alma sings along as her family prepares a traditional Puerto Rican dish called mofongo.
8Find fun ways to enjoy food.
Having fun with food can help open your child’s mind to trying something new. This can be as simple as introducing utensils (like Leo using chopsticks in the “A Chopsticky Situation” episode of “Let’s Go, Luna!”), or you can serve food in a unique way. Try using a muffin tin to serve different foods or let your child pick a new dip to scoop with their veggies.
9Keep meals light and fun.
It can be frustrating when your kids show little interest in a meal you made. But piling on the pressure — and pleading with kids to eat — can backfire in the long run. “When kids see you stressing or sense that it’s a big deal, their food refusal is more likely to continue,” said Jennifer Friedman, a pediatric dietitian.
10Avoid bribes.
It can be tempting to offer your kids a reward (like dessert) for trying a new food, but this isn’t the best way to develop healthy habits in the long run. The goal is for kids to try new foods because they want to and are curious about them, not to earn your approval or a sweet treat.
11Don't hide the good stuff.
While adding chopped spinach to brownie batter might seem like an easy way to give your child nutrients, this approach could send the wrong message that brownies are a complete meal.
12Practice patience.
Some kids need to see a new food as many as 10 to 15 times before trying it. This might feel like a lot, but remember that developing healthy eating habits is a lifelong journey. “Like any skill, learning to eat new food doesn’t happen overnight,” Delaware said. “It takes time to learn and develop.”
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