Aoife Hearne: My child refuses to try new foods
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Food refusal is a familiar challenge parents face up and down the country. Between the ages of 15 months and five years, children go through a phase called neophobia or ‘fear of new things’.
This developmental stage had an important protective function for our ancestors. Avoiding new foods protected them from eating berries or other foods that could be poisonous.
Unfortunately, this hardwired developmental stage has persisted, even when foods don’t pose the same threat.
For many children, new foods resemble a bush tucker trial on , where participants must eat cockroaches and witchetty grubs. While neophobia is normal, it’s not easy to deal with.
Children will often need support moving beyond this phase. The well-intentioned ‘coaxing’ that parents employ with good intentions can backfire and make the situation worse.
The single most important approach is to take all the pressure off. Though it may sound counterintuitive, any new food should be offered without expecting the child will eat it.
I have long encouraged my children to leave new foods on their plates, which has helped build familiarity and acceptance.
Keeping it fun can help, too. I have been known to play the ‘Guess the vegetable’ game in foods like omelettes and the ‘Who can crunch the loudest’ game for raw vegetables with my children.
Even if children spit out the food after, this engagement increases familiarity and, eventually, acceptance of new foods.
It can help to get your child involved in food preparation.
Perhaps they could peel a cucumber with a safety food peeler and play with it away from the table — maybe as ‘a meal’ for a soft toy.
Or encourage them to use their five senses. For example, ask about a tomato’s touch, smell, sound, and appearance before tasting it.
The chicken, peas, carrots, and potatoes your daughter eats daily meet the requirements for a balanced plate. Continuing to offer these foods will provide familiarity and comfort.
Adding a small amount of a new food to these familiar foods will make the experience easier and is less likely to overwhelm her.
Finally, children tend to do what they see their parents do rather than listen to what they say. Therefore, make sure you eat a variety of foods with your child at mealtimes.
You must play the long game if you want your child to grow in to an adult who eats a healthy, balanced diet. Persistence without any pressure with new foods is an important strategy to support children’s acceptance. Remember: Don’t give up!
If you have a question for dietitian Aoife Hearne, please send it to parenting@examiner.ie