How to Get Your Picky Eater to Try New Foods—Without Tears, Tantrums, or Tension!

You set the plate down, hoping today will be different.

Today they will eat the broccoli, fish, and sweet potato.

Your fussy eater stares at it, eyes narrowing. The food isn’t new—you’ve served it before, countless times—but the reaction is the same.

A turned-up nose. A dramatic sigh. Maybe even a full-body recoil, as if you’ve placed something utterly inedible in front of them.

Frustration creeps in. You’ve read that kids need to taste a new food 15–20 times before they might actually eat it with enjoyment—but when you’re actually living through it, that number feels impossible.

Inside, you’re screaming—“How many more times do I have to do this?!”

Trust me, you’re not alone. I’ve been exactly where you are.

How can they taste a food when they won’t even make eye contact with it?

At one point, my son Alex was eating only 10 foods, and I was desperate for him to expand his diet. His limited food choices were affecting his health and filling me with worry. But no matter how many times I tried, every new food I offered was met with the same rejection.

And here’s the twist:

For 18 years, I was in front of the camera, presenting the hit television cookery show, The Restaurant. I worked alongside culinary legend Marco Pierre White and the incredibly talented Rachel Allen, serving up dishes to be critiqued by some of the world’s most respected chefs.

On-screen, I felt like my old self—confident, passionate, and completely in my element. I was doing what I loved: cooking, creating new dishes, and feeding people. Filming the show was exhilarating—I was surrounded by an incredible crew, having fun, experimenting, and bringing dishes to life.

But off-screen? I was struggling.

The moment I stepped through my front door after wrapping the show, reality hit me like a tidal wave.

Waiting for me in the kitchen wasn’t a panel of top chefs—it was my toughest food critic.

My confidence vanished as I nervously placed a meal in front of my son, already bracing for his reaction.

Despite my years of experience cooking for Michelin-starred palates, I couldn’t get my own son to eat anything beyond his limited diet. Every meal was a battle, every new food met with rejection. I felt like a fraud.

But if you’re feeling the same way, here’s the good news: repetition is one of the most powerful tools for getting your child to accept new foods. The trick? Consistency, variety, and zero pressure.

How Many Times Should You Offer a New Food?

Most children need to see, touch, and smell a food multiple times before they even consider trying it.

This is why giving up too soon can make fussy eating even harder to overcome—even when it feels like you’re getting nowhere. But here’s the catch…

Why Repetition Alone Isn’t Enough

Simply plonking broccoli on a plate over and over again won’t magically make your child eat it.

How you introduce new foods matters just as much as how often.

If mealtimes feel like a high-pressure situation, your child will resist—even if they’ve seen the food 100 times.

Why Forcing Food Doesn’t Work

Like many parents, I thought, “If I keep putting broccoli on the plate, he’ll eventually eat it.”

Wrong.

I served Alex broccoli so many times I half-expected it to start sprouting roots in the dining room. But he did not cave.

Why? Because repetition doesn’t work if it feels like pressure.

Think about it this way: imagine I served you stir-fried crunchy grasshoppers at every meal and said, “Eat it, it’s good for you!”

Even if I made it look delicious, your brain would still scream: “This is new. It looks scary. It might poison me!”

Would you suddenly embrace the experience?

That’s exactly how many children feel about unfamiliar foods. They stick to what feels safe and familiar.

So, yes—repetition works. But only when paired with variety, a relaxed environment, and allowing them to learn about the new food at their own pace and comfort level.

STEP 1.

Start Small and Manage Expectations

Just because your child doesn’t eat a new food right away doesn’t mean your effort was wasted.

Eating is a learned skill, and like any skill, it takes time, practice, and patience.

The key? Stay patient and celebrate small wins. But keep your excitement low-key—otherwise, your child may feel pressured.

I call this “dancing on the inside.”

The first time Alex ate the tiniest bite of a prawn, I wanted to jump for joy. I had waited two years for this moment. I wanted to take a photo, send it to everyone I knew—because prawns are my favourite food, and I desperately wanted to share them with him.

But I knew that if I reacted too much, he’d pick up on it.

So, on the outside, I stayed cool.

On the inside? Cartwheels. Confetti. A full-blown dance party.

STEP 2.

Persistence Pays Off—But Give It Time

Don’t give up too soon. Repetition works—but it takes time.

Keep offering the food in different forms, and don’t worry if it’s not a hit right away. Progress happens gradually.

Want some perspective?

It took Alex years to learn how to eat—and love—prawns.

If you’re thinking, “Are you crazy?” Here’s the maths:

I didn’t serve prawns every day.
Let’s say I cooked prawns once a month—that’s 12 exposures in a full year.
It took him two years to get used to them.
That’s only 24 exposures total.

So the transition from “Get that alien food away from me!” to “Mum, can I make prawn pasta?” was a process.

And yes, you heard that right—my 11-year-old now loves making prawn pasta. He deveins, cuts raw prawns, whips up a delicious dinner, and even brings the leftovers to school for lunch.

I’m telling you this because picky eating isn’t “cured” overnight. It’s about building a lifelong relationship with food.

And one day, when your child eats that food you never thought they’d touch—you, too, will be dancing on the inside.

STEP 3.

Try This With Your Child

Switch Up the Preparation:

If your child rejects steamed broccoli, try roasting it for a sweeter, nutty flavour, blending it into pasta sauce, or serving it raw with a dip for added crunch.

Stay Consistent:

If your child rejects steamed broccoli, try roasting it for a sweeter, nutty flavour, blending it into pasta sauce, or serving it raw with a dip for added crunch.

Offer Without Pressure:

Place the food on the table without expectation. No bribing, forcing, or “just one bite” rules. Let your child explore it at their own pace.

Need a Step-by-Step Plan to Help Your Picky Eater?

If mealtimes feel frustrating, stressful, and exhausting, you’re not alone.

But the good news? Picky eating doesn’t have to control your family’s life.

That’s exactly why I created the Picky Eaters Mealtime Makeover—a live, interactive coaching course designed for parents who are tired of mealtime battles and need a clear, step-by-step plan to help their child try new foods—without pressure, bribes, or tears.

I developed this course because it’s exactly what I wish I had when my son stopped eating.

I know what it’s like to feel stuck, frustrated, and unsure what to do next—desperate for real solutions that actually work.

This isn’t theory—every strategy inside is evidence-backed and science-stacked for real-world success.

BOOK NOW

Let’s turn mealtime stress into mealtime success—together!

Discover Full Course Details Here

You’ve got this. One step at a time.
Here’s to happier, stress-free mealtimes!