How to Raise a Bub Who Loves Different Foods

8 ways to encourage your child to try new tastes, from first foods on.

No parent ever gazes lovingly at their child and thinks, “I hope one day you’re a picky eater.” And yet, we all know kids—maybe you have one at home already—who fit that description, saying no to anything chunky, refusing anything green, or shutting down at the slightest whiff of a new food.

A child’s palate is influenced by many things—their age, their personality, even evolution drives the instinct to avoid anything bitter (for early humans, bitter = poison). But there are ways you can encourage a love of different foods and an adventurous spirit in your child, so that they learn to approach new foods with curiosity, rather than disdain.

Pair Favorites with New Foods

Spinach tastes sweeter when mixed with apple, carrots go down easier when mixed with blueberry. Try customizing puree pairings at home, serving one new—or previously rejected—food along with your baby’s favorite. If your little one turns their head at avocado, try mashing it with the banana they love. Not a fan of peas? Stir in peaches. As they get used to the flavor, slowly cut back on the old favorite.

Grow a Garden

Planting an edible garden helps kids get excited. They can choose plants, dig in the dirt, plant seeds, water daily, and taste-test herbs, vegetables, and fruits. When the food reaches their plate, pride and ownership make them more willing to eat it.

Have Them Help in the Kitchen

Helping prepare food sparks curiosity. Small children can rinse vegetables or choose fruits; older kids can help pick recipes, stir, season, and prep. They also learn foods taste different depending on preparation. Roasted brussels sprouts might be rejected, but shaved sprouts with parmesan could be a hit.

Make it Colorful

A fun, visually appealing plate matters. Offer a rainbow of fruits and vegetables. Try soups with multiple beans or dip platters with different hummus flavors. Use cookie cutters to make playful shapes out of pancakes, sandwiches, or cheese.

Lead by Example

Caregivers are role models. The more varied foods you eat, the more kids will copy. Describe tastes and textures: “These mashed potatoes are creamy,” “this lettuce is crunchy,” “this watermelon is juicy.” This builds vocabulary and helps kids express preferences.

Try Again and Again

Infants may need 8–15 tries before liking a food. Don’t give up if avocado is refused at first. Some experts suggest letting kids taste and spit out food to adjust to flavor and texture. Next time, they may accept it.

Play to Their Interests

If your kid prefers beige foods, offer options in that palette: white beans, chickpea pasta, brown rice, cauliflower, mushrooms, white corn. If dino-obsessed, brainstorm what a vegetarian stegosaurus would eat and prepare a themed meal.

Encourage Choices

Let kids feel control. Allow them to decide where food goes on their plate, how much to take, or which of two healthy options they want. You control the choices, but small decisions empower them to be adventurous. If formula is part of their diet, you can take our baby formula quiz to find the best match and use our store locator to find toddler nutritional drinks and infant formula near you.