16–26 monthsManaging SelfPersonal, Social and Emotional Development: Self-confidence and self-awareness
Develops own likes and dislikes in food and drink.
Observe whether the child: develops own likes and dislikes in food and drink.
What it looks like
Three ways this behaviour shows up as a child grows. Each level includes everyday moments to watch for.
Emerging
Just starting
The child shows some early preferences (accepts one item more readily than another) but signals are inconsistent and can change quickly. Refusal may be general (pushes everything away) rather than clearly tied to a specific taste/texture.
What you might see
Across different meals, the child’s acceptance/refusal varies widely with no consistent pattern for any particular food or drink.
The child pushes away all foods regardless of type, making it unclear what is liked vs disliked.
When offered two drinks, the child does not indicate a preference and may refuse both or accept either without difference.
The child clearly prefers one familiar food on some days (reaches for it) but rejects it on other days without a stable pattern.
The child accepts smooth textures but sometimes rejects lumpier textures, though not consistently meal-to-meal.
When offered a new food, the child refuses immediately, but occasionally accepts after adult feeding, without a stable preference signal.
Expected
On track
The child has recognisable likes and dislikes and communicates them through consistent acceptance/refusal (e.g., reaches for preferred foods, pushes away disliked ones). Preferences are most stable in familiar routines and foods.
What you might see
When offered two options, the child consistently points to/reaches for the same preferred item (e.g., water over milk, banana over cracker).
The child pushes away or turns head from a specific disliked item while accepting other foods in the same meal.
The child shows excitement for a liked food (leans forward, opens mouth, says ‘more’) and shows clear refusal for a disliked one.
Exceeding
Going further
The child reliably communicates likes/dislikes across contexts and can make choices between options, showing stable preferences while still eating a reasonable range. They can tolerate disliked items being present without major upset and can be guided to ‘try a bit’.
What you might see
The child chooses preferred foods/drinks in different settings (home/out) and communicates the choice reliably.
The child tolerates disliked foods on the plate without meltdown and can be encouraged to take a small taste.
The child can eat a range of accepted foods while still having stable favourites and clear dislikes.
The child requests a preferred food/drink using words/gestures (points, signs, says the item) before it is offered.
After several exposures, the child begins to accept a previously disliked food (e.g., takes a bite without immediate refusal).
The child communicates preference with comparison (e.g., pushes one cup away and pulls the other closer) without adult guessing.
Try this at home
Small everyday moments where you can notice this behaviour without setting up anything special.
Offer two small choices at snack time (two fruits or two drinks); observe whether your child clearly selects one and rejects the other in a consistent way.
Notice what happens when a less-preferred food is on the plate alongside a favourite: do they tolerate it, move it aside, or melt down?
Over 5–10 exposures, re-offer a previously disliked food in tiny portions; observe whether your child’s reaction changes over time.
At mealtime, watch for clear acceptance signals (reaching, ‘more’, opening mouth) vs clear refusal (turning head, pushing away) tied to specific foods.
On an outing (café/picnic), observe whether your child’s preferences stay similar away from home and with different cups/plates.
Connected behaviours
Behaviours that scaffold, follow, or co-emerge with this one.
The framework source and supporting developmental research.
Framework source
Department for Education (DfE). (2012). Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).
EYFS treats emerging food and drink preferences as an observable part of health and self-care in toddlerhood.
Developmental research
Birch, L. L. (1999). Development of food preferences. Annual Review of Nutrition, 19, 41–62. doi:10.1146/annurev.nutr.19.1.41
Developmental nutrition research describes how children’s food preferences and neophobia are shaped through experience and repeated exposure, supporting stable likes/dislikes as developmentally meaningful.
Five-level rubric (detailed)ShowHide
The full progression underlying the three levels above. Used by the platform’s reasoning agent when planning activities and observations.
Not Yet
The child shows limited or unclear preferences in food/drink and does not consistently accept or refuse specific items; responses appear random or mainly based on fatigue/hunger. They may eat/drink only with heavy adult prompting, making likes/dislikes hard to observe.
Across different meals, the child’s acceptance/refusal varies widely with no consistent pattern for any particular food or drink.
The child pushes away all foods regardless of type, making it unclear what is liked vs disliked.
When offered two drinks, the child does not indicate a preference and may refuse both or accept either without difference.
Emerging
The child shows some early preferences (accepts one item more readily than another) but signals are inconsistent and can change quickly. Refusal may be general (pushes everything away) rather than clearly tied to a specific taste/texture.
The child clearly prefers one familiar food on some days (reaches for it) but rejects it on other days without a stable pattern.
The child accepts smooth textures but sometimes rejects lumpier textures, though not consistently meal-to-meal.
When offered a new food, the child refuses immediately, but occasionally accepts after adult feeding, without a stable preference signal.
Developing
The child has recognisable likes and dislikes and communicates them through consistent acceptance/refusal (e.g., reaches for preferred foods, pushes away disliked ones). Preferences are most stable in familiar routines and foods.
When offered two options, the child consistently points to/reaches for the same preferred item (e.g., water over milk, banana over cracker).
The child pushes away or turns head from a specific disliked item while accepting other foods in the same meal.
The child shows excitement for a liked food (leans forward, opens mouth, says ‘more’) and shows clear refusal for a disliked one.
Secure
The child reliably communicates likes/dislikes across contexts and can make choices between options, showing stable preferences while still eating a reasonable range. They can tolerate disliked items being present without major upset and can be guided to ‘try a bit’.
The child chooses preferred foods/drinks in different settings (home/out) and communicates the choice reliably.
The child tolerates disliked foods on the plate without meltdown and can be encouraged to take a small taste.
The child can eat a range of accepted foods while still having stable favourites and clear dislikes.
Reflexive
The child expresses preferences with nuance and flexibility: they can request favourites, tolerate small changes, and sometimes accept a previously disliked item after repeated exposure. They may comment or gesture clearly to guide adults (‘more’, ‘no’, pointing to chosen drink).
The child requests a preferred food/drink using words/gestures (points, signs, says the item) before it is offered.
After several exposures, the child begins to accept a previously disliked food (e.g., takes a bite without immediate refusal).
The child communicates preference with comparison (e.g., pushes one cup away and pulls the other closer) without adult guessing.
