• Alyssa Fontaine, RD
• Nov 20, 2025

How to Get a Child to Eat When They Refuse

If you’re having difficulties getting your child to eat during mealtimes, you’re not alone. Refusing to eat new foods, or even foods that were once happily gobbled down, is a normal part of your child’s development. 

However, we understand that it can be incredibly stressful and frustrating. Especially since, as a parent, one of your primary responsibilities is to ensure that your child consumes enough safe and healthy foods to grow and thrive.

But fear not! As pediatric dietitians, we have plenty of tips and tricks to get you and your family through this difficult period.

Why Children Refuse to Eat

There are plenty of reasons why children refuse food that are not causes for alarm:

Normal Developmental Picky Eating

Children around the world go through picky eating phases, starting from as young as 18 months. It’s often not a reflection of poor parenting, so don’t blame yourself! There are a lot of picky eaters who have siblings who eat just fine.

Independence and Control

Many toddlers are picky eaters to assert their newfound independence. If they don’t like the food, they won’t eat it. Simple as that!

Nonetheless, that’s not to say that you should be serving them grilled cheese and chicken nuggets every day just so they will eat something. Kids won’t starve, but they will learn to be more flexible. Don’t stop serving a vegetable just because your kid refused to eat it the first time. 

Kids are slow to accept new tastes and textures, but slow doesn’t mean they’ll never come around!

Sensory Sensitivities

The following can dictate whether a child will refuse a food item:

• Textures
• Smells
• Colour
• Food temperature

We can help kids with sensory food aversions through purposeful play: Have your kids blow bubbles, suck through a straw, and make sounds that move their mouths to strengthen their mouth muscles!

Underlying Illness or Stress

Emotional stress and physical stress, like illnesses and teething, can also lower your child’s appetite. So, remember to remain calm and choose foods and textures that are appropriate for your child’s age and stage of physical development, like soft foods when teething.

As you can see, in most cases, food refusal is normal and nothing to stress too much about. Still, if you think your child’s eating difficulties may be linked to underlying disabilities, medical conditions, or developmental differences, it’s recommended to speak to your pediatrician and a dietitian!

How to Respond When Your Child Refuses Food

It’s easy to panic and stress as you watch your child refuse food item after food item, but it’s important to remember that children pick up on emotional cues from their parents. Here are several productive ways to respond to your child’s food refusal:

Stay Calm and Avoid Pressure

Pressure often worsens mealtime battles. Children are usually quick to link foods to the unpleasant experiences that accompany them, and that can counterproductively affect their preferences and willingness to eat the food.

Offer Structure and Routine

Try eating meals and snacks at the same time every day to build a routine. Make sure to avoid distractions such as TV or electronics. Instead, speak to your child about their interests to invoke positive emotions during mealtimes!

Model Positive Eating Habits

Be sure to set a good example! Kids tend to mimic what they see. 

Serve nutritious foods that you yourself enjoy, and have your kids watch you eat new foods, so they know you’re enjoying what you’re serving them.

Respect Appetite Cues

Listen to your child and be alert to their body language. A child who is playing with their food may indicate fullness. Pushing food on your child when they’re not hungry may dull the internal cues in their body that let them know when they’ve eaten enough, potentially leading to future overeating or obesity.

On the other hand, don’t fear your child’s hunger. Do not give in to the demands for snacks or juices before a meal. Make sure your child comes to the table hungry. They’re not starving, just looking forward to the next meal!

Practical Strategies to Encourage Eating

Now that we’ve established how you should react to your child, let’s get into the actions you can take to encourage eating:

Serve Small Portions First

Don’t overwhelm your children with large servings. Children need smaller portions than adults, so it may not be that your child doesn’t want to eat, just that they don’t want to eat it all.

When it comes to portions, it’s best to keep the following in mind:

• Offer a grain, a protein, and a vegetable/fruit at every meal.
• Offer at least a tablespoon of each food group mentioned above per year of age. If your child finishes the food and asks for more, give them more!

Involve Kids in Meal Preparation

Get your kids involved in activities like grocery shopping, menu planning, plating, and even the cooking process! Having them play a part in making their own food can increase their interest and desire to reap the rewards of their hard work.

Use Food Play and Exploration

Sometimes, picky eating stems from fear of the unknown. Encouraging touching, smelling, or licking before eating their food may drastically increase your child’s comfort level with the new offering.

Make Meals Fun and Engaging

Kids love to play, and you can use this to your advantage:

• Serve a variety of vegetables and add colour to your child’s plate. 
• Buy moulds and serve the rice in fun shapes.
• Put finger foods onto cute cartoon plates.
• Have family-style meals and give your children the autonomy to choose what and how much they put on their plates.

There are plenty of ways to get your kids interested in mealtime. These were just a few tips and tricks, but don’t be afraid to get creative!

Foods to Prioritize When Appetite Is Low

Regardless of the commonality of picky eating, it’s still important that your child receives all the nutrients they need, even when appetite is low. Focusing on nutrient-dense options is a great way to make every bite count.

Prioritize the following foods when appetite is low:

• Smoothies
• Soups
• Yogurt
• Nut butters
• Eggs
• Beans

Your child may also be more open to small, frequent offerings rather than large, overwhelming meals when they’re not hungry.

When to Seek Professional Support

Severe picky eaters may need professional intervention to improve their limited food choices, so don’t be afraid to seek help if you notice the following red flags:

• Weight loss
• Poor growth
• Frequent choking/gagging
• Extreme restrictions

As important as it is to support your kids and build routines during mealtimes at home, it’s equally important to remember that you’re not alone. A pediatric dietitian or feeding therapist is just one call away for personalized help!

FAQs About Children Refusing Food

The Bottom Line

All in all, though food refusal is frustrating, it’s common and manageable. Consistency, patience, and supportive feeding strategies go a long way in helping children develop healthy, sustainable eating habits. However, if you ever see signs of picky eating affecting growth or going on for too long, please seek help from a doctor or a dietitian!