07/09/2025
This is your reminder to keep trying. And that exposure to new foods, even if your child is not eating the new foods, makes a huge impact over time. You never know when they will surprise you ✨
My littlest is just about to turn 3 and he has become pretty particular about food over the past year or so. This morning he was having one of his favorite breakfasts (a mini bagel with cream cheese, fruit and yogurt). I was sitting next to him enjoying avocado toast loaded with chia seeds and pepitas. Out of not where he asked “can I try that mama?” He hasn’t eaten avocado in nearly 6 months but it’s something he is exposed to on a regular basis. As he took a bite his eyes lit up and he immediately said “Yummmm!”
I asked him how it felt in his mouth. He said “mushy and crunchy and kind of like jelly”. He proceeded to eat almost the entire piece and laughed every time a pepita fell off saying “this is messy mama!” There was no pressure to try it. I stayed curious about his experience as an eater and asked him questions to get him to tune into what he was experiencing with his senses.
It can take 15-20 exposures of a new food for a child to learn to eat it. So many clients come to me and their kids are only eating a small list of their “preferred foods”. But oftentimes those are the only foods they are being offered. If we want our kids to be eating a bigger variety of foods, we have to keep serving it to them. I recommend serving 1-2 small pieces, along side some of those preferred foods as a great starting point.
If you’re in the thick of it navigating picky eating, I see you. Feeding our kids is hard work, even for a nutrition professional. You’re doing great ✨
