As we learned in J is for Journey, children are very rarely happy to dive straight in to eating new foods. It can take a multitude of offerings before they’re comfortable enough to take a bite.

Children need to see a new food and explore it before they’ll eat and so offering foods over and over again, despite them not eating them, is supporting them to become familiar with the food and build up that comfort that they need to start exploring and ultimately tasting it.

If we stop offering foods they don’t yet like or have so far refused to eat, we’re taking away this opportunity to go on their journey of exploration.

By continually offering new foods alongside familiar and favourite foods, we can support them to develop a love of a greater variety of foods whilst still eating well at mealtimes.

If your child doesn’t like a food you serve, what do you do?