What is food play and how can it help my fussy eater?

If you have a fussy eater between 3-8 years of age, we want to show you a different way of encouraging them to try new foods through the magic of food play.

Food play engages all the senses (sight, smell, sound, touch and taste) to make new or rejected foods fun and familiar. This approach has been shown in many studies to be effective in increasing acceptance of fruit and vegetables. 

Our “Veggie explorer food play kit” will guide you through a series of prompts to help your child explore a new food by getting hands on and engaging all their senses. This will take away the fear (yes, this is the emotion your child feels when faced with a new or disliked food) and replace it with curiosity and fun – and we all know no child can resist fun!

We have done all the research and thinking for you, so that you don’t have to think of what to say or how to engage your child in food play. Simply take out the food play cards and watch the magic happen! SEE OUR FOOD PLAY KIT HERE. Have a look at our instagram account for some fun food play ideas to get you started! (SEE OUR INSTAGRAM PAGE).

Where do I start?

A good place to start is to make the victories easy -  if your child doesn’t eat any vegetables you may choose to initiate food play using a fruit or favourite food paired with an easy veggie for example corn or carrot.

Research shows that for every new veggie a child learns to like, the next one becomes easier.

What if my child refuses to engage in food play?

It is important to move at your child’s pace and not place any pressure on your child. Read this blog post on how to engage your child in food play (CLICK HERE).

If you have concerns about your child’s reluctance to try or engage with new foods it is best to discuss this with a healthcare professional. 

How long does it take before I will see progress?

Slow and steady wins the race! Fussy eaters may need up to 20 positive exposures to a single food before they will willingly choose to eat it. Food play creates opportunities for these positive food exposures so the more often your child engages in food play the more confident they will become to try the food.

Why should food play happen outside of mealtimes?

This removes the pressure that children may feel at mealtimes. When children are presented with an opportunity to discover a food in a new way, away from the dinner table, they are more likely to engage and give it a go!

How can I minimise food waste?

Choose 1-3 foods at a time and use only small amounts. Use the food that is left over in stir fries or freeze to use later. We see this in perspective. When food is refused at the table it is also wasted. By using food play as a tool to help your child to learn to like new foods, there will be less food waste at dinner.