How to Help a Picky Eater Try New Foods (Without Pressure)

Picky eating can feel personal—like you’re failing a basic parenting task.

You’re not!!

Most toddlers go through a picky phase. The goal isn’t to “win” dinner—it’s to keep exposure going without turning food into a power struggle.

Here are five strategies that work in real life.

1) Reduce the Stakes: Small Portions, Low Attention

When a new food shows up as a giant serving, it’s threatening. When it shows up as one bite-sized piece, it’s just… there.

Try the “one tiny option” rule:

• 1 small piece of the new food
• 1–2 familiar foods
• no commentary

The magic is neutrality.

2) Use the “Same Food, Different Format” Trick

Toddlers reject texture before flavor.

If they won’t eat carrots as sticks, try:

• roasted coins
• shredded into rice
• blended into soup
• mixed into sauce
• included in a smooth pouch

This isn’t hiding. It’s building comfort.

3) Repeat Exposure Without Forcing the Bite

Most kids need repeated exposures to accept a new food. That doesn’t mean repeated fights.

Exposure can be:

• touching it
• smelling it
• licking it
• putting it on the tongue and spitting it out
• watching you eat it

All of that counts.

4) Give Them Control (Within a Boundary)

Power struggles happen when kids feel trapped.

Offer two acceptable choices:

• “Do you want peas or cucumbers?”
• “Dip or no dip?”“Crunchy or soft?”

You stay in charge of the options; they choose inside the box.

5) Keep a “Bridge Food” on the Plate

Bridge foods connect the new thing to something safe.

Examples:

• familiar pasta + new sauce
• familiar crackers + new dip
• familiar fruit + a savory side

And yes—savory veggie blends can act as bridge foods for families trying to increase veggie exposure without nightly warfare.

The Takeaway

Picky eating is a phase—but your approach can either make it shorter or make it louder.

Aim for:

• low pressure
• small exposures
• repeatable routines
• flexible formats
• calm neutrality

Petite Palates was designed for families in the “picky” season—savory, veggie-forward, plant-protein blends that make exposure easier on busy days (without turning food into a battle).