Fussy eating in toddlers and children

Key facts

Fussy eating in children is normal, but it can be frustrating.
Children may need to try a new food 10 or more times before they accept it.
Creating positive food experiences can help your child try new foods — let them have some control over food choices and explore food with all their senses.
You can help your child eat well by having a routine for mealtimes and having your own positive attitude towards eating.

What is fussy eating?

Fussy eating is a normal part of development. Many children, especially toddlers, are picky eaters.

Fussy or picky eating is when your child:

only wants to eat from a small selection of foods
wants to eat the same thing every day
likes a food one day, and avoids it the next
has a different appetite at every meal

Your child may also avoid new foods based on their:

shapes
textures
colours
flavours

This is known as food neophobia (fear of new foods).

At first, all your baby’s nutrition will come from breastmilk or formula, which usually tastes sweet. This leads to young children often preferring sweet foods. They may avoid bitter foods. This is one reason why your child may not want to eat vegetables.

These behaviours are normal for young children, but they can be frustrating. There are things you can do to encourage your child to try at least a few bites of nutritious food at each meal. This can help keep them healthy and build a positive relationship with food.

How much food should my child eat?

How much food your child needs depends on their age.

It’s important to offer food from the 5 food groups in your child’s daily routine. Each day, children aged 1 to 13 should have:

½ to 2 serves of fruit
2 to 5½ serves of vegetables
4 to 6 serves of grain
1 to 2½ serves of protein
1 to 3½ serves of dairy

When they reach adolescence, your child should aim to eat:

2 serves of fruit a day
5 to 5½ serves of vegetables a day
7 serves of grain a day
2½ serves of protein a day
3½ serves of dairy a day

You can read more about healthy eating for your child.

What should I do if my child is a fussy eater?

If your child is a fussy eater, there are strategies you can use to help them get the nutrients they need to grow and develop.

Serve a variety of foods

No single food is essential to a child's diet. Giving your child a variety of foods can help meet their nutritional needs even if they are a picky eater. If they refuse to eat a food, a substitute can often be found that provides the nutrients they need.

If your child will not drink milk, you can offer them cheese and yoghurt.

If your child will not eat cooked vegetables for dinner, you can offer more fruits or try raw vegetables like:

celery
snow peas
beans
carrots
cucumber

If your child will not eat red meat, they can get the iron and protein (Opens in new tab) they need from:

beans, lentils and tofu
iron-fortified breakfast cereals
dairy foods like cheese, milk and yoghurt
eggs
peanut butter or hummus
wholemeal bread

You can also serve the same food in different ways. Try:

serving food cooled instead of warm
serving vegetables in a different form or shape, such as by grating them
cooking mince instead of pieces of meat that need to be chewed

Choose healthy foods and snacks

If your child is a fussy eater, try to give them the most nutritious food options. This way, fruits and vegetables are not replaced by ‘sometimes’ foods.

Here are some tips:

Make it easy for your child to choose healthy snacks. Keep fruit, vegetables, yoghurt, nuts, wholegrain crackers and cheese on hand.
Choose healthy recipes that include good sources of protein and fibre.
Use healthier cooking methods. These include grilling, roasting and steaming instead of frying.
Avoid relying on fast food, chips, sweets, biscuits, soft drinks and juices.

Don’t ban your child’s favourite snacks if they are sometimes foods. Instead, enjoy them 'once in a while' or occasionally. This way, your child doesn’t have to feel that they’re missing out.

Have a mealtime routine

Having a routine can help your child build good eating habits.

Family meals can be a comforting ritual for you and your child.

Try to have family meals at the same time every night. A regular routine can help your child :

know when it’s time to eat
prepare for meals
feel more secure
avoid spoiling their appetite
learn about food with you

Family meals are a very important chance for you, your child and your family members to talk together. This can help you create positive eating experiences.

It’s best for your child to eat with the television and any other screens switched off. This can help your child to focus on their food and avoid distractions.

Family meals also provide an opportunity to introduce your child to new foods. If your child sees family members eating a food, they may be encouraged to try it.

Try to offer snacks at set times that are not close to mealtimes. This can help your child to keep their appetite for meals. It is also important to avoid milk or juice before meals.

Be a good role model

Children will learn from and imitate the adults they see every day. So, the best way for you to encourage good eating habits is to eat well yourself. You can be a good role model if you:

eat fruits and vegetables
keep a positive attitude towards food and your body image
don’t overindulge in less nutritious foods
serve yourself healthy portions of food

It is also important to teach your child to recognise when they are full. This is especially important with younger children. You can try saying 'this is delicious, but I am full, so I am going to stop eating’.

Make food fun

Food should be enjoyed, even if it’s not all eaten. Making food fun can encourage your child to eat their food. You can try:

cutting sandwiches into shapes
making meals with different colourful healthy foods
letting your child pick their favourite plate, bowl or cup

For a toddler, enjoying food often means feeling and playing with it. They experience food with all their senses. Let children feed themselves as soon as they are interested. Hands are as good as spoons, even if they are messier!

Avoid conflict over food

It’s easy for food to become a source of conflict. Try and avoid things like:

rewarding or bribing your child with snacks if they eat the healthy food in front of them
punishing your child if they do not finish what’s on their plate
force feeding your child

It is important to avoid these behaviours. Doing these things can make your child:

think that snacks are better than their healthy food
ignore their body’s hunger cues
develop unhealthy ideas about food

Conflict over food can also cause stress, which can affect your child’s appetite.

Instead, you can:

keep rejected food safely in the fridge — it can be offered again later
reward your child with things other than food — these could include hugs, praise, a visit to the park or playing their favourite game
give your child some choice and control in what they eat

Making choices is an important part of social development. While you can control what foods are served to your child, let your child decide:

if they’re hungry
what they will eat from the foods served
in what order they will eat the foods served
when they’re full

You can keep control and still give your child choice. You can try asking questions like:

Which morning tea snack would you like — a piece of fruit or a sandwich?
Should we buy red or green apples this week?
Which cup would you like to drink your water from — the blue one or the red one?

Involve your child in food

You can help your child develop an enthusiasm for food by including them in the process of:

meal planning
grocery shopping
cooking
serving food
cleaning up after meals

Most children will enjoy helping with meals, including dinners and school lunches. Planning a meal together is a good chance to talk to your child about making healthy choices. This can help teach your child to make healthy eating decisions later in their life.

You can:

look for recipes that contain ingredients your child likes — you can bring your child shopping with you and pick healthy ingredients together
give your child age-appropriate tasks to help prepare the meal — help them so they don’t injure themselves or feel overwhelmed
after the meal, praise them for trying new foods and thank them for their help

How do I get my child to try new foods?

Introducing new food to young children requires patience. It can take more than 10 tries for a child to accept and enjoy new foods. If your child refuses a new food, keep offering it to them.

When your child accepts a new food to try, they might not actually eat it at first. They might investigate it in other ways, such as through:

touch
smell
sight

It’s good to let them engage their senses and “play with their food”. You can talk with them about it.

It can also be helpful to:

reassure your child that it’s okay to not like something
introduce a new food alongside a food your child likes
introduce one new food at a time

If you want to try making a new meal, you might introduce each of the ingredients to your child first.

When should I get help for fussy eating?

It can be helpful to remember that fussy eating is a normal behaviour in children.

Try not to worry if your child doesn’t eat or only eats a small amount. It’s best to stay calm and positive. Children can sense if their parents are worried — this can affect their appetite.

If your child is healthy and growing well, they’re probably eating enough food. A healthy child who refuses to eat often isn’t hungry and doesn’t need food right now.

Fussy eating can sometimes be linked to:

digestive problems
dental issues
sensory concerns like autism
eating disorders

It’s a good idea to seek advice if you are worried about your child's growth or overall nutrition. Check with your doctor, child health nurse or a dietitian if your child:

is not growing normally
only eats a very small range of foods
will not eat entire food groups (such as vegetables or protein)
consistently refuses food
shows physical discomfort or pain when eating

Resources and Support

You can learn more about:

fussy eating (Opens in new tab) from the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network
guidelines for fussy eating (Opens in new tab) on the Queensland Health website
nutrition for babies, toddlers (Opens in new tab) and school age children (Opens in new tab) from The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne

Languages other than English

The Raising Children Network has information about getting your child to eat breakfast in multiple languages including:

You can also read about positive eating practices from the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing in:

Information for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples

You can read Get Up & Grow (Opens in new tab) resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples including:

Speak to a maternal child health nurse

Call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby to speak to a maternal child health nurse on 1800 882 436 (Opens in new tab) or video call. Available 7am to midnight (AET), 7 days a week.