Brianna, age 4, eats only pasta, bread, and chicken. Which of the following would you suggest to Brianna's parents to encourage their daughter to eat new foods?
A) Serve her only new foods so that she has no other choices.
B) Repeatedly expose her to new foods without any direct pressure to eat them.
C) Add sugar or butter to new foods, and offer dessert if she eats them.
D) Refuse to serve pasta until she tries at least one new food.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Repeated exposure to new foods without any pressure is the best approach to encourage a picky eater to broaden their food choices. It may take several attempts for a child to accept a new food, so patience is important. Serving only new foods or adding sugar/butter to them undermines the goal of teaching healthy eating habits. Withholding preferred foods, such as pasta, can cause negative associations with new foods and create a power struggle at meal times.

Brianna, Age 4, Eats Only Pasta, Bread, and Chicken