How to handle 4 common “picky” eating challenges

When you first introduced solid foods, your baby willingly tried almost anything you offered. But now that they’re 2, they’re suddenly refusing to eat certain foods. Sound familiar? The Lovevery Ask & Learn expert team gets a lot of questions about this issue. Here’s a roundup of the most common ones—and our best advice: 

1. My toddler used to eat everything. Now mealtime is a huge struggle. Why is this happening?

Here are a few reasons why they may be less open to new foods: 

Their tastes are changing

Your toddler is likely starting to express strong opinions and preferences—in all areas of their life 🙃 As their palate evolves, they may push harder against carrots when they want to eat blueberries instead.

Rejection of new food is peaking

Your child is at the prime age for food neophobia, or an unwillingness to try new foods. According to research, most children become less selective by around age 6, though they still may have some strong preferences. There’s evidence some resistance can be attributed to certain genes that govern taste—but this can sometimes be overcome through time and exposure.  

Your child’s growth rate has slowed

Your 2-year-old isn’t growing as rapidly as when they first started solids. This can make it appear like they are less hungry or less interested in food. In reality, they might just be adjusting to their new growth trajectory. Keep in mind that toddler food intake can also fluctuate a lot from meal to meal or day to day. 

2. My child won’t eat vegetables. What can I do?

It’s common for toddlers to reject certain foods or food groups—whether that’s vegetables or meat or dairy. Your child’s consumption is considered within a typical range if they regularly eat at least 15 to 20 different foods, will accept at least a couple foods from each food group, and are maintaining their individual growth curve. You can try these simple strategies to slowly expand their palate: 

Keep offering new—or rejected—foods

When you’re desperate for your child to eat, it’s easy to find yourself going back to the kitchen to get them a preferred food, preparing separate meals, or allowing them to snack frequently. Keep in mind that children often need to see and touch a food many times before accepting it. Squishing or smelling a new food can get them one step closer tasting it—and if they aren’t ready to even touch it yet, that’s okay, too ♥️ 

Include your child in meal prep

Spark your child’s interest in new foods by inviting them to help you in the kitchen. Encourage them to touch, smell, and explore new foods along the way. At this age, they may enjoy pouring ingredients into a bowl, stirring with a spoon, tearing greens for a salad, or arranging vegetables like carrot sticks on a platter.

Read books about fruits and veggies

It may sound far fetched, but research shows toddlers are more likely to look at, taste, and eat unfamiliar fruits and vegetables after repeatedly seeing them in picture books. The “Colorful Foods” Board Book in The Babbler Play Kit Book Bundle is a great book to start with. 

Give your child (reasonable) mealtime choices

Encourage your child to pick out their plate and utensils or ask them to choose a side: “Should we have peas or green beans with dinner?” When you sit down for a meal, let your toddler decide what and how much they eat, and in what order.

Add vegetables to favorite foods

If your child loves pizza, have them try a slice with fresh tomatoes on top. Have a spaghetti fan? Add in a few chopped, cooked carrots. 

Avoid rewards and bribes

Promising your toddler ice cream if they finish their peas may work in the moment, but ultimately, research shows it can decrease—rather than increase—a child’s preference for certain foods. And rewards are unsustainable—you can’t give ice cream every time they eat peas 🙂 Instead, treat all foods equally and use neutral language to help your child learn to enjoy vegetables when they’re ready. 

3. What should I do about the constant demand for snacks?

To cut down on filling up on snacks in between meals, stick to a routine. Setting up regular meal and snack times helps your child develop consistent expectations about when food is—and isn’t—offered, which may also limit power struggles: “It isn’t snack time right now. We’ll have a snack when we get home from the park.”

4. When should I talk to a pediatrician about picky eating?

Consider reaching out to your family doctor if your 2-year-old: 

• Eats fewer than 15 foods
• Excludes entire food groups
• Becomes very distressed or gags at the sight or smell of non-preferred foods 
• Is losing weight or falling off their individual growth curve. 

Learn more about the research:

Cardona Cano, S., Tiemeier, H., Van Hoeken, D., Tharner, A., Jaddoe, V. W., Hofman, A., … & Hoek, H. W. (2015). Trajectories of picky eating during childhood: a general population study. International journal of eating disorders, 48(6), 570-579.

Cole, N. C., Wang, A. A., Donovan, S. M., Lee, S. Y., Teran-Garcia, M., & STRONG Kids Team. (2017). Variants in chemosensory genes are associated with picky eating behavior in preschool-age children. Lifestyle Genomics, 10(3-4), 84-92.

Montessori Placemat & Utensils

Have your child set the table on their own with Lovevery’s Montessori Placemat & Utensils. The colorful guide will help them know where everything goes. See inside the Montessori Placemat Set.

Learn more

The Play Kits

The Play Kits by Lovevery are thoroughly tested, baby safe, eco-friendly and Montessori inspired. Give your child the best start with our stage-based play toy subscription boxes.

Learn more

Book Bundles for The Play Kits

Having the right books at the right time makes all the difference during your child’s early years. Enjoy even more stage-based books—featuring real stories and families—when you add our Book Bundles to your Play Kits Subscription.

Learn more