Food Acceptance: Helping Your Family Explore New Foods

We are all born with certain taste preferences. Most people naturally like sweet foods and dislike bitter or sour foods. As we grow, our experiences and culture also shape what foods we enjoy. Some people are more open to trying new foods, while others prefer to stick with the foods they know. This difference is called food acceptance versus food avoidance.

Food acceptance means being willing to try and appreciate different textures, flavors, and combinations of food. Food avoidance means cutting out or avoiding certain foods or food groups. While food avoidance can lead to nutritional imbalance or disordered eating, food acceptance is associated with better overall health and a positive relationship with food and eating.

So, how do you foster food acceptance in your family? First, let’s look at a few factors that influence food acceptance.

What factors influence food acceptance?

Our willingness to try and enjoy different foods is influenced by a variety of factors, including:

Familiarity

In addition to our innate preference for sweet and fatty foods, we often prefer foods that we know well or that bring back happy memories, like a favorite holiday dish or something we ate as kids. 

How Foods Feel and Taste

Some people are more sensitive to certain tastes, textures, smells, and other sensory characteristics of food. This can impact how willing they are to try different foods. 

Culture and Media

Our culture and perceived social norms can also influence the foods we choose to eat. Advertisements and other media push diets and food trends, and some religions or cultures encourage eating certain foods and avoiding others. These influences can affect what foods we consider acceptable or desirable.

Mealtime Setting

The setting matters too – where, when, and with whom we eat can affect our willingness to try new foods. A positive, relaxed mealtime environment can promote openness to new foods, as can peer and familial modeling. 

How Your Body Feels

Hunger cues, nutritional needs, and physiological state also impact food acceptance. For example, when we’re sick, tired, or stressed, we’re more likely to want familiar, comfort foods.

How do you encourage food acceptance?

As a caregiver, you have the power to create an environment that encourages exploration of new foods. Here are a few strategies for fostering food acceptance in your family.

1. Create positive mealtime routines.

Planning and preparing meals that everyone will eat can be stressful. However, the more pleasant the mealtime environment, the more likely your loved ones are to experiment with new foods. Registered dietitian Kate Giles says how you approach mealtime matters more than what’s on the plate: “We have to let go of the idea that all meals have to be perfectly nutritionally balanced,” she says, “and instead focus on the structure in which we provide those meals.” 

Giles advises creating consistent mealtimes with a relaxed, inviting atmosphere. Set the table, dim the lights, and/or use music to set the mood. Use mealtimes to talk about the highs and lows of the day or engage in other light-hearted conversation. Try to avoid using mealtimes to check in about homework or “to-do” lists. Similarly, watch out for power struggles around food. Your job is to offer a variety of nutritional options, not to force your loved ones to eat them. 

2. Avoid being a short-order cook.

On the other hand, sometimes we go too far in trying to please. We want our loved ones to be happy and well-fed, so we offer to make them whatever they want, even if it’s not on the original menu. This turns us into short-order cooks, making different meals on demand. This can discourage food acceptance. 

Instead, try serving meals “family style” and include options like fruit, bread, and cheese so that your loved one doesn’t feel stressed that there is nothing for them to eat. Research shows that people who are exposed to a variety of foods on a regular basis are more likely to try new ones. 

3. Don’t call foods “good” or “bad.” 

With all the media hype about “superfoods” and warnings about “unhealthy” ingredients, it’s easy to develop the misconception that there are “good” and “bad” foods. But food is just food, and a healthy diet includes both variety and moderation. Labeling foods as only good or only bad creates guilt and shame around eating, which can negatively impact your loved one’s willingness to try new foods. Similarly, using food as a reward or punishment can create unhelpful associations that discourage food acceptance. 

While it’s tempting to limit or even forbid our kids from eating “junk” foods, pediatric dietician Jill Castle cautions against this. Like adults, kids want what they can’t have, and forbidding certain foods can lead to food obsession and other unhealthy eating practices. In sum, by treating all foods as neutral and making a variety of foods available, you can help your loved one develop lifelong healthy eating habits.

4. Be a positive role model.

Above all, your loved ones look to you for what and how to eat. Thus, to foster food acceptance, it’s important to be a positive role model. Avoid discussing dieting and weight in front of your loved ones, as these conversations can create pressure and distorted perceptions around eating. Listen to your body’s hunger and fullness cues instead of following strict “rules” about what to eat. Model a balanced approach towards eating that includes eating for pleasure, celebration, and social connection as well as nutrition. By modeling these behaviors, you can promote a positive mindset toward eating.

Fostering Food Acceptance in Your Family, One Meal at a Time

As a caregiver, there are few things more frustrating than cooking a meal only to have your loved one refuse to eat what you’ve made. Remember:  healthy eating happens over time, not in a single meal. By creating positive mealtime routines, offering a variety of food options, and modeling balance and moderation, you can help foster food acceptance in your family.

Keep learning about mental health and eating habits with us. Watch our webinar, “Supporting Your Teen: Addressing Depression and Eating Disorders Together.”

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Author

Lindsay Schwartz is a psychotherapist in private practice in Acton, MA, where she specializes in the treatment of depressive and anxiety disorders. She has a background in school counseling and a special interest in mindfulness-based treatments. Lindsay earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and English from Williams College, and her Master’s degree in Social Work from Simmons College. In her free time, Lindsay enjoys writing, reading, running, and spending time with her husband and 2 children.

 

Copy Editor

Nicole Tirone is a social worker turned adult learning expert with a passion for digital accessibility and plain language. She volunteers as an editor to help FFDA equip people with tools to support their loved ones. In her free time, Nicole enjoys podcasts, reading, painting, volunteering, and photography.