Picky eating usually improves with gradual, low-pressure exposure: offering a new food again and again in small amounts, next to foods you already like, until it becomes familiar. Research in children shows that repeated tasting increases liking, and the same steps work well for adults who want to widen a narrow list of foods.
Why new foods feel hard
Being wary of unfamiliar foods is normal, especially in young children. The NHS advice on fussy eaters notes that it’s perfectly normal for toddlers to refuse to eat or even taste new foods. Many adults carry some of that caution, often around specific textures, bitter vegetables or foods that had a bad first impression. The good news is that liking is learned, and familiarity is one of the strongest teachers.
What the research shows about exposure
Two well-known trials from the UK tested this directly. In one, children were offered a taste of sweet red pepper in eight daily sessions and told they could eat as much as they liked. Liking and consumption rose significantly compared with a control group. A group offered sticker rewards for eating the pepper landed in between, without a significant difference from either the exposure group or the control group.
In the other, parents gave their 2- to 6-year-olds a taste of a previously disliked vegetable every day for 14 days. Only that exposure group showed significant increases in liking, ranking and amount eaten, compared with groups that received nutrition information or nothing.
The takeaway: small, repeated, pressure-free tastes work better than persuading, bribing or giving up after a couple of tries.
A step-by-step exposure ladder
For a very hesitant eater, tasting can be the last step rather than the first. Move up one rung at a time, and stay on a rung as long as you need.
- See it. The food is on the table or on a shared plate.
- Serve it. Put a small amount on your own plate, even if you don’t eat it.
- Touch and smell it. Pick it up, notice its texture and smell.
- Lick or kiss it. This sounds silly, but it’s a real step for some people.
- Take a tiny taste. A pea-sized bite. Spitting it into a napkin is allowed.
- Eat a small portion alongside familiar foods.
Aim to repeat the step several times over a week or two before moving up, and expect setbacks. A “no thanks” today is still an exposure.
Pair the unfamiliar with the familiar
New foods go down more easily next to old favourites. Some ways to do this:
- Use a “bridge” food. If someone likes corn, try corn with a few peas mixed in. If they like apples, try pears.
- Bring a favourite dip. Hummus, yogurt-herb dip, salsa, guacamole or a mild cheese sauce makes vegetables more approachable.
- Add a little to a favourite dish. Grated zucchini in pasta sauce, a few black beans in quesadillas, spinach in a smoothie.
- Change one thing at a time. Keep the familiar seasoning and change the vegetable, or keep the vegetable and change the cooking method.
Play with preparation and texture
Texture is often the real issue. The same vegetable can be a completely different food depending on how it’s cooked:
| If you dislike | Try it |
|---|---|
| Soft, mushy vegetables | Raw with dip, or roasted until crispy at the edges |
| Bitter greens | Sautéed with garlic and lemon, or blended into soup |
| Stringy or chewy textures | Finely chopped, grated or puréed |
| Strong-tasting fish | Mild white fish in a crunchy coating, or salmon in fish cakes |
| Beans and lentils | Blended into hummus, soup or pasta sauce |
Make it fun and low-pressure
- Arrange food playfully. Shapes, faces or a rainbow of colours on the plate make trying something feel like a game rather than a test.
- Use fun names. “Dinosaur trees” for broccoli works for kids, and adults may find “tasting flight” a more appealing frame for trying three new things.
- Serve family-style. Letting people serve themselves gives them control, which lowers resistance.
- Grow, shop or cook together. Choosing a new vegetable at the store or helping prepare it builds curiosity.
Model it and eat together
The NHS notes that the best way for a child to learn to eat and enjoy new foods is to copy you, and suggests eating with them as often as you can. For adults, the same principle applies: eating with people who enjoy a wider range of foods, at a potluck or a friend’s table, makes new dishes feel normal. Describe what you notice (“this is crunchy and a little sweet”) rather than pushing (“you’ll love it”).
Go easy on rewards
In the red pepper trial, rewards didn’t beat simple exposure. Using dessert as a reward for eating vegetables can also send the message that vegetables are a chore and dessert is the prize. Praise for trying is fine. If you use a chart or small non-food reward for a child, phase it out as the food becomes familiar.
For adults: widen your list on purpose
- Pick one target food per week, ideally one close to something you already like.
- Try it three ways during the week: raw, roasted and in a mixed dish.
- Keep a short tasting log. Note how it was prepared and a rating out of five. Ratings often creep up over repeated tries.
- Order the unfamiliar side when eating out, while keeping a main you know you’ll enjoy.
For packed-lunch ideas that suit both kids and grown-ups, see kid lunch upgrades adults love too. If you’re feeding a family with different tastes, our guide to family dinners without short-order cooking pairs well with this one.
When to check with a professional
Some picky eating is more than a preference. Talk to your doctor if a child or adult eats a very small number of foods, is losing weight or not growing as expected, gags or becomes very distressed around new foods, or avoids whole food groups. These can be signs of sensory feeding difficulties or avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), and a doctor can refer you to a dietitian, occupational therapist or feeding specialist. For support around eating disorders, NEDIC offers a helpline and resources.
Quick takeaways
- Offer new foods repeatedly in small amounts. Many tries are normal.
- Work up a ladder: see, serve, touch, smell, taste, eat.
- Pair new foods with favourites and dips.
- Change the preparation, especially if texture is the problem.
- Keep it calm, model enjoying the food, and go easy on rewards.
FAQ
How many times should I offer a new food?
In the studies above, children tasted the food daily for 8 or 14 days. In everyday life, keep offering a small amount regularly over weeks, rather than giving up after two or three refusals.
Should I hide vegetables in other foods?
Blending vegetables into sauces adds nutrition, but it doesn’t teach anyone to like the vegetable. Do both: add them to familiar dishes and also serve them where they can be seen and tasted.