Children's dietitian explains what to do if your kids won't eat dinner
A paediatric dietitian and nutritionist has shared advice for the parents of young children, explaining why kids often say they don't like a food before they've tried it
Parents often face challenges during mealtimes with young children, especially when trying to introduce their palates to new foods to work out what they like and don't like. However, it is not uncommon for kids to claim they "don't like" something before even trying it, making things complicated for parents.
But according to a child nutrition expert, there's a straightforward reason why children might reject a food without tasting it, or even if they ate it the day before. What's more, there are strategies parents can implement to encourage their little ones to explore new flavours without sparking dinnertime upsets.
Lucy Upton, a paediatric dietitian and nutritionist from the UK who offers guidance on TikTok, addressed this issue in one of her recent videos. She provided insights to parents dealing with fussy eaters at mealtime.
In her message to parents, she said: "I know in these scenarios it can be intensely frustrating when a child immediately declares something is disliked, and it can be really annoying as parents when you think, 'Well, hold on a minute. You haven't even tried it. How can you possibly know that you don't like it?' or, 'You ate it yesterday. What do you mean you don't like it?'
"The thing to remember is that this is rationalisation and logic that we are using with our adult brains. Not only do young children not have the ability to use nuance, logic, and reasoning, but they are also just turning to the language skills that they have.
"The reason they may not want that food can be completely nuanced, but the easiest way to make that clear is to say that they don't like it."
Lucy elaborated on the issue, noting that a child might express distaste for certain foods for reasons beyond taste, including their smell, appearance, or even because they looked different the last time they were presented.
She pointed out that young children might lack the vocabulary to precisely articulate their aversion to a food, so they simplify it to "don't like" when explaining to parents, which can lead to misunderstandings.
The nutrition expert advised against bargaining with your child over food choices or insisting they try just one bite, warning that such tactics often backfire due to children's resistance to "pressure" and "over-encouragement".
Instead, she recommends allowing the child's natural curiosity to guide them, serving up new foods alongside favourites and letting them approach the unfamiliar options at their own pace.
Lucy shared a personal anecdote involving her own daughter, recounting: "When my daughter said this to me last night, my response was simply, 'That's okay, you don't have to eat it'.
"As always, we try not to make the mealtime a battleground, and we try not to get into negotiations. I know that there's other food on the table that my child will eat if she wants to.
"Remember that, as adults, it's really good to try and put ourselves in the shoes of our children. Remember where they're at developmentally with their experience with food and the fact that they are very much still learning to eat. Even when they're into their school years."
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