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Using Non-Food Rewards to Encourage Eating in Children
A structured overview of what credible sources and parent perspectives commonly say about this topic.
Quick answer
Non-food rewards are alternative incentives like stickers, praise, or extra playtime used to encourage eating without involving food. Common options include verbal praise, small toys, or privileges, which help avoid linking food with reward or punishment.
At a glance
Things to try now
What to do now
- 1Offer a small non-food reward such as a sticker immediately after the child tries a new food.
- 2Serve a familiar favorite food alongside new or less-preferred foods to reduce mealtime stress.
- 3Involve your child in simple food prep tasks like washing vegetables or stirring ingredients.
What to say
- “I’m proud of you for trying that new food! Here’s a sticker for your chart.”
- “Let’s wash these carrots together before dinner!”
- “It’s okay if you don’t want to eat all of it now; you can decide how much you want.”
What to practice consistently
- Repeatedly offering new foods without pressure, aiming for 10 to 15 exposures.
- Maintaining calm, pleasant mealtimes without battles or pressure.
- Modeling healthy eating by eating a variety of foods with your child.
What to avoid
- Using food as a reward or withholding food as punishment.
- Pressuring or forcing the child to eat.
- Creating stressful or battle-filled mealtimes.
These are common approaches mentioned in sources and by parents. They are informational, not prescriptive.
What this usually involves
- Offering a variety of healthy foods repeatedly without pressure
- Using non-food rewards such as stickers, praise, or extra playtime to encourage trying new foods
- Creating a pleasant, stress-free mealtime environment
- Modeling healthy eating behaviors as a family by eating together and trying new foods
- Allowing the child to decide how much and whether to eat (division of responsibility approach)
- Avoiding food-based rewards or punishments to prevent unhealthy food associations
Related questions
Experts recommend avoiding food as a reward to prevent unhealthy associations with eating.
Research suggests offering a new food 10 to 15 times before expecting a child to try it.
Parents decide what, when, and where food is served; children decide whether and how much to eat.
Related articles on Parent.wiki
Using Rewards to Encourage Toddlers to Try New Foods
Using rewards to get toddlers to try new foods is generally discouraged by pediatric experts because it can create unhealthy associations with eating. Instead, repeated low-pressure exposure to new foods, modeling healthy eating, and offering a variety of choices without pressure are recommended strategies.
Using Rewards to Encourage Children to Eat Vegetables: What Parents Should Know
Using rewards to get children to eat vegetables is generally discouraged by pediatric experts because it can create unhealthy associations with food. Instead, repeated low-pressure exposure to a variety of healthy foods, modeling family eating habits, and involving children in food preparation are recommended strategies to encourage vegetable consumption.
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Involving children in cooking can positively influence their eating habits by increasing their interest in trying new foods and reducing mealtime stress. Research and expert guidance suggest that age-appropriate food preparation tasks help children become more willing to taste a variety of healthy foods.
From around the web
Picky Eating and How to Handle It
Discusses common picky eating behaviors and strategies to encourage healthy eating.
American Academy of Pediatrics
Tips to Help Your Child Eat Healthy Foods
Provides guidance on encouraging healthy eating habits in young children.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Feeding Your Child: Division of Responsibility
Explains the division of responsibility approach to feeding children.
American Academy of Pediatrics
Making Mealtimes Pleasant
Offers advice on reducing mealtime battles and creating positive eating experiences.
Nemours KidsHealth