🥦Yummy Adventures
They prod it with their fork. They smell it. They declare they don't like it — without tasting it. Dinner becomes a standoff nobody wins.
What's actually happening
Food neophobia — the reluctance to eat unfamiliar foods — peaks between ages 2 and 6 and is present in some degree in virtually all children (Dovey et al., 2008). It's an evolutionary protection mechanism: young children who were cautious about unknown foods were less likely to eat something toxic. Research by Wardle et al. (2003) found that a child may need 10–15 exposures to a new food before accepting it, but most parents give up after 3–5 attempts. Pressure to eat consistently backfires: Galloway et al. (2006) found that children who were pressured ate less of the target food, not more.
What parents usually try
"Just try one bite"
Even gentle pressure increases resistance. Galloway et al. (2006) found that pressured children rated target foods as less pleasant than unpressured children eating the same food.
Hiding vegetables in other foods
Works nutritionally but doesn't build the child's relationship with the food itself. They don't learn to accept it — they just don't know it's there.
Rewards for eating ("Eat your broccoli, then you can have pudding")
Elevates dessert and diminishes vegetables. Birch et al. (1984) found that using foods as rewards decreased children's preference for the contingent food.
What actually helps
Bibliotherapy aligns with Satter's Division of Responsibility: the parent decides what, when, and where to eat; the child decides whether and how much. The story models a curious, pressure-free approach to food — the character explores through senses (looking, smelling, touching) before tasting. This mirrors the 'food chain' approach used by feeding therapists: each step up the sensory ladder builds tolerance naturally. The story normalises not liking something ('That's okay, your tongue is learning') and celebrates every step, not just the bite.
How this story works
Aligned with Ellyn Satter's Division of Responsibility, this story takes the pressure off eating and puts curiosity in its place. No 'just try it' — just exploration at the child's pace.
What your child hears
A story where food is an adventure, not a rule. Your child's character discovers that looking, smelling, and touching new food counts as progress. Tasting is the last step, not the first.
When to use this story
Before a meal where a new food will be served
When mealtime battles are becoming a pattern
As a general story unconnected to specific meals (reduces pressure)
When starting a new food introduction plan
When the child expresses anxiety about eating at someone else's house
After the story
The story is the beginning. Here's how to keep it going:
“What new food could we explore together?”
“What does your tongue like — crunchy or smooth?”
“Can you think of a food that used to be scary but isn't anymore?”
Try this
Let them help prepare a meal, or do a "taste test" with eyes closed
The research behind this approach(show)
Therapeutic stories for life transitions like potty training, school anxiety, and new siblings.
- Shechtman, Z. (2009). Treating Child and Adolescent Aggression Through Bibliotherapy. Springer.
- Pardeck, J. T. (1994). Using literature to help adolescents cope with problems. Adolescence.
- Heath, M. A., et al. (2005). Bibliotherapy: A resource to facilitate emotional healing. School Psychology International.