Skip to content
en English
am Amharicar Arabiczh-CN Chinese (Simplified)nl Dutchen Englishfr Frenchde Germanel Greekgu Gujaratiht Haitian Creoleiw Hebrewhi Hindiig Igboit Italianja Japaneseko Koreanml Malayalammy Myanmar (Burmese)ps Pashtopl Polishpt Portuguesepa Punjabiru Russianes Spanishsw Swahilivi Vietnameseyo Yoruba
Child Care Answers Logo
  • News & Stories
  • Events
  • Contact
  • Resource Center
    Featured Resource
    Choosing Care
    Learn more
    • All Resources
    • Family Help Guide
    • Child Care Program Help Guide
    • Employer Help Guide
    • Community Help Guide
  • Our Focus
    Featured Article
    Effects of Child Care on Businesses and the Economy
    Learn more
    • Families
    • Child Care Programs
    • Community Partners
    • Employers
    • Additional Reports and Data
  • Team
    • Our Expertise
    • Our Staff
    • Our Board
    • Careers
  • Get Involved
    • Partner with Us
    • Advocate
    • Volunteer
  • Find Child Care
  • Donate
  • Resource Center
    • All Resources
    • Family Help Guide
    • Child Care Program Help Guide
    • Employer Help Guide
    • Community Help Guide
  • Our Focus
    • Families
    • Child Care Programs
    • Community Partners
    • Employers
    • Additional Reports and Data
  • Team
    • Our Expertise
    • Our Staff
    • Our Board
    • Careers
  • Get Involved
    • Partner with Us
    • Advocate
    • Volunteer
  • Find Child Care
  • Donate
  • News & Stories
  • Events
  • Contact
arrow back All News & Stories
Food and Nutrition Providers

Dealing with a picky eater

Child Care Answers
May 5, 2015

Do you have a child in your care that refuses to try something new? Many providers comment that they have children that just won’t eat anything but chicken nuggets and french fries. Or,  they say they would like to try new foods but don’t think their children will eat them. Don’t let the fear of new foods stop you from introducing them. Children need multiple exposures to new foods to develop a taste for them.

Make trying new foods a learning experience. Let the children touch it, smell it, and taste it. Talk about how it looks. Is it smooth? Does it have bumps? What color is it? Does it smell sweet? Try just a small tasting to start with. You might find that cooking it different ways will help a picky eater find a way they like it. Take apples for example: a child may not like a raw apple slice but if you take the apple slices, add a little cinnamon and microwave it till its soft they may like it. You could create a food tasting chart for each child. Give them a sticker to add to the chart when they try a new food.

You, as the provider, have the ability to help the children in your care create healthy eating habits for the rest of their life. 

Cover image by Flickr user Aikawa Ke, Creative Commons license.

Related News & Stories

Find new ways to grow.

immigrant kids
Activity Ideas Community Families Family Engagement Inclusion Providers

We are all immigrants – learning about ourselves and our neighbors

June 16, 2022
megan day swahili presentation
Community Families Family Engagement General Providers

Building connections in many languages

December 10, 2021
Families Food and Nutrition Health & Safety Infant and Toddler

The ABCs of Toddler Nutrition

November 15, 2020
Newsletter

Early care and education news to your inbox

Count on our newsletters to get you the most important early care and education news, when you need it. We send a different newsletter each month to either families, child care professionals, or communities/employers. Sign up for one or all today!
CCA Logo White

Contact Us

info@childcareanswers.org
Phone: 317.636.5727 Toll Free: 800.272.2937
1776 N. Meridian St., Suite 101
Indianapolis, IN 46202

Our Partners

FSSA Logo

© 2022 Child Care Answers. All Rights Reserved.

Subscribe Privacy Policy
Twitter Logo
Facebook Logo
Instagram Logo
LinkedIn Logo
YouTube Logo
tiktok logo

What are you looking for?

Activity Ideas Businesses Community Families Family Engagement Food and Nutrition General Health & Safety Inclusion Infant and Toddler Last Day Q&A Pre-K Preschool Providers School Age