Help, my baby is neophobic!

He's 24 months old and refuses to eat anything but pasta! Don't worry, your baby has just caught "neophobia," a common phenomenon in children entering their third year, but one that leaves us parents feeling quite helpless... here are a few practical tips...

Help, my baby is neophobic!

After the age of 2, it's a classic scenario: your baby suddenly starts refusing all new foods you offer. Even worse, they carefully avoid all the vegetables they used to eat so easily! Why?

When autonomy rhymes with neophobia

At two years old, learning about taste becomes more delicate. Your child is growing up, eating independently, and with a spoon no less. They need to assert themselves and express their independence from their parents . They discover the power of "no" and use it and abuse it like a little tyrant! It's not uncommon for them to eat without any fuss at daycare and with friends the very foods they stubbornly refuse in front of you! This is the famous "oppositional" phase, which in culinary terms is called " food neophobia ." What to do? How can you get them to eat balanced meals and, above all, good vegetables?

Rest assured, introducing new foods is still possible, but it largely depends on our parenting methods . Here are 7 practical tips we gathered from experienced parents and child behavior specialists.

1. Let him taste everything without forcing him to finish!

Try to distinguish between a principled "no," a "fear" of a new food, and a rejection of a food that displeases them. In the third case, there's no point in forcing it; this risks creating irreversible aversions. In the first two cases, don't hesitate to insist, always calmly, that your child taste the food, explaining that if they don't like it, they won't have to eat it all.

Above all, there's no point in shouting or getting upset; mealtimes should remain a pleasant experience as much as possible. If a child is testing their personality by refusing food, it 's essential that you also demonstrate your own personality through the consistency of your response . If you consistently give in and offer something else, they might take advantage of this to impose their food choices on you. Therefore, you must be firm: if a child refuses to try a food, they won't get anything instead. If they're hungry, they can make up for it at the next meal; it's not the end of the world... a sensible recommendation, but so difficult for us parents to follow.

2. Don't dramatize mealtimes if he has a little tantrum, it's almost a necessary stage.

Take a deep breath, stay calm and firm in your positions!

3. Don't lose patience and present food at mealtimes as many times as necessary for him to accept it.

If he continues to refuse a food, offer it to him regularly. He will eventually agree to taste it and should ultimately learn to enjoy it. Here too, scientists have highlighted the positive effects of repeatedly presenting a food on a child's acceptance of it!

4. Give him/her the right to have one or two dislikes and respect them.

It's important to talk to your child and create a democratic atmosphere. For example, it's not counterproductive to make a "deal" with your child. They have the right to choose one or two foods that you promise not to give them anymore, and in return, they have to stop making a fuss about trying everything... and it works!

If the refusal involves many foods, and especially an entire category (like all vegetables) , it's sometimes a good idea to try offering them these foods in all possible forms (including hidden ones) to prevent nutritional deficiencies. You can add cheese to vegetable purée, create sweet and savory combinations, mix carrots with clementine juice, Good Goût-style, make an attractive presentation on the plate... all these tricks can help the child eat foods they initially disliked.

5. Talk to him/her about the health benefits of vegetables and fruits.

Introduce vegetables to your child, awaken their appreciation for their beauty, explain how they grow in nature and the wealth of benefits they offer their little body. Researchers have also shown that an approach focused on dialogue and natural foods makes children "less fussy" to feed.

6. Never force him to finish his plate if he is no longer hungry.

If you're anti-waste, composting is the best option! Forcing a child to finish their plate only makes them more resistant and makes food even more unappealing to them. Of course, if it's not a food they dislike, they might make an effort not to waste it.

7. Show him/her that the food is good and that adults enjoy eating it.

At two years old, it's time for your little one to sit down at the table with their parents, contrary to what the big baby food brands would have us believe. Of course, you're not going to give them fries at every meal, and you're going to avoid a 200g portion of steak! But you are your child's role model! If you enjoy eating vegetables in front of them (without overdoing it), it should seem natural for them to eat them too. Feeding them like grown-ups (smaller portions) also helps them grow up. And that's perfect, because that's exactly what our little "neophobes" aspire to: growing up!

Good Taste