My child eats only five foods. Where do I start?
Don't be strict, because pressure makes mealtimes messier and harder. Keep your child's safe foods, and bring in one new food slowly: first it just sits on the plate, then you eat it in front of them, then they play with it, lick it and taste it.
When a child eats only a handful of foods, it's natural to want to push. But being strict usually makes mealtimes messier and more difficult for everyone. A slower, calmer way works better.
Keep the safe foods
Your child's safe foods, the ones they reliably eat, stay on the plate at every meal. They make the table feel safe.
Bring in one new food, one step at a time
- Week 1: it sits on the plate.Put a little of the new food on your child's plate, next to their safe foods. They don't have to eat it. The goal is simply to get used to it being there.
- Week 2: you eat it.Eat the same food yourself, in front of your child, so they can see how it's eaten.
- Week 3: they play with it.Help your child play with the food: touching it, licking it, tasting it or chewing it.
From there, the exposure slowly grows. Some children move faster and some need longer on a step, and that's fine.
General information only, not medical advice. Talk to your child's doctor before making big changes to their diet or medicines.