6 Food Exposure Activities That Can Get Your Picky Toddler To Try New Foods

The absolute best setting to expose picky toddlers to new foods has been during story time and play time. 

ALL but one toddler (out of more than 20) would taste the foods in these settings, almost immediately. 

No way! WAY! Because they are super calm, super relaxed, their curiosity is piqued and they are having a blast playing naturally. They are feeling comfortable and that is the optimal state to have them in to be open to new foods.

They would do this on their own, with no suggestions from me about ‘trying’ anything. I would simply put them in the setting, make it fun for them, and keep them playing by reading to them or playing with them.

‘The best way is through regular play!’

THIS ^ is ‘exposure’ in an ideal, low-pressure, happy setting. (This is where the pickiest of picky eaters I’ve worked with have tried zucchini, cucumber, carrot, beef, beans – SO many things they never touched on their lunch plates!)

Getting them hands on with new foods is acceptance and one HUGE step closer to getting your toddler to eventually taste them!

Here are 5 food activities to add into your play routine:

1. Scrub scrub scrub! Get a large mixing bowl and put some water about halfway up. Grab another bowl and fill with produce. Place on the floor or toddler table with a towel below and invite your toddler to come scrub with you. “Let’s scrub these clean! Get alllll the dirt off and ready for mom to take to the kitchen!”

2. Stack or sort. Fill a large mixing bow with produce. Tape construction paper with corresponding colors to the floor or your toddler table and invite your toddler to help you sort them. “Which color is this!? Let’s stack in the paper that is the same color. Is it yellow?? Is it green??” You can see a reel I did on Instagram about food activities. here.

3. Break it! Fill a mixing bowl or large pot with asparagus, celery, carrots, bell peppers – anything your toddler can break apart – and invite them to break them! “Mommy needs these asparagus for dinner, come help me prep them. We have to break off allllll the ends! Are you strong? Let’s see if you can snap the ends off like this!”

4. Make it! Simple meal prep is the name of the game here, so they get the exposure and it is easy for you. Get your toddler into their high chair if you still use one, or get them onto their learning tower or at their toddler table, then have them do one or two simple tasks like: sprinkling broccoli or carrot ‘sprinkles’ into a tortilla for burritos or quesadillas, or have them stir some cooked quinoa into cooked rice, or have them add shredded zucchini to the brownie batter. When toddlers help make the foods they eat, they feel proud and eager to try their creation.

5. Feed your baby. This pretend play is fun for many toddlers. Set out some real foods for them to pretend cook in their own kitchen. Help them set their little babies and dollies at their toddler table and work together to make them a plate for each baby! For this, use 2 foods your toddler already loves to eat and maybe 2-3 they don’t eat yet. Maybe try – pancakes, some chopped sausage, strawberries, chopped cucumber, sliced bell peppers and a new cheese they haven’t tried, for a colorful meal for the dolls!

6. Read & explore! This is super simple and as I mentioned, has been one of my highly successful go-to activities with picky eaters. I add this into our weekly routine whenever we have a picky eater join the daycare/preschool crew. Place a bowl of produce on the floor with the stack of the books you will be reading for story time and let the toddlers grab and do what they will with the foods (just like they grab at the books). I like to include books about foods, like farmer’s market type books, a picky eater book, and a couple of their favorite books, too. Usually we read around 4 stories.

Tips on how to play to get the best results:

• No need to make a big fuss about setting the foods out. It’s not about eating. It’s about playing. So, bring your toddler’s attention to the food, and how to incorporate the foods into their play. Change will come with time, so don’t freak out or stop if after 2x playing your toddler is still refusing new foods at the dinner table.

• Switch it up if they aren’t interested. Depending on the day, the time of day and the personality of your toddler, they may be interested in a game one day and not want to play it the next. Try all of the above and see which your toddler takes to and wants to do often!

• Model what to do. This is why I like to say “invite”, instead of asking “do you want to cook for your dolls”, which might get a no just because they like to say no a lot (most toddlers), setting up a food activity, play a little yourself, then inviting them to join is much more effective for getting toddlers to join in.

• Do food activities at least 3 times a week to make the most change in picky eating habits. Practice makes progress! And with picky eating, it is no different than practicing their ABCs, the more they are exposed to new foods, the more they will know them, accept them and eat them.

Add food activities like this into your weekly play routine, at least 3x per week, and see what happens!

Here are some helpful supplies for picky eater play times: