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16–26 monthsManaging Self

Willing to try new food textures and tastes.

Observe whether the child: willing to try new food textures and tastes.

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

Will briefly explore a new food (touch, smell, lick) or accept a tiny taste with high support, but frequently spits out or refuses after one attempt. Responses vary day to day.

What you might see

  • Turns head away, blocks with hands, or throws the food when a new item is offered.
  • Gags/retches or cries immediately when a different texture touches lips (e.g., lumpy yoghurt).
  • Will only eat familiar foods and refuses to have a new item on the plate/tray.
  • Touches a new food with fingertips or taps it with a spoon but does not bring it to mouth.
  • Licks or takes a tiny nibble of a new food and then spits it out with a grimace.
  • Accepts one bite if offered by a trusted adult and then refuses further bites.

Expected

On track

Tries small bites of new tastes/textures when offered alongside familiar foods and with calm encouragement. May need repeated offers and may accept one new item per meal/snack.

What you might see

  • Takes 1–3 small bites of a new food when paired with a favourite (e.g., new fruit with crackers).
  • Chews a new texture (soft/lumpy/crunchy) and swallows at least one mouthful without distress.
  • Allows a small 'taste plate' item to remain nearby and may return to taste again later.

Exceeding

Going further

Regularly tastes unfamiliar foods and tolerates a range of textures, even if they do not end up liking them. Can recover from a 'surprise' texture without distress and continue eating.

What you might see

  • Tries a new food at snack without needing to be fed; self-initiates a taste after seeing it.
  • Accepts mixed textures (e.g., stew pieces, fruit chunks) and continues the meal calmly.
  • If unsure, takes a sip of water and continues eating rather than refusing the whole meal.
  • Points to an unfamiliar food and says/gestures to try it ('bite'/'try').
  • After initial rejection, later takes another taste on a different day without pressure.
  • Offers a new food to an adult/peer and watches their reaction, then tastes it themselves.

Try this at home

Small everyday moments where you can notice this behaviour without setting up anything special.

  • At snack time, offer one 'learning bite' of a new taste/texture next to a familiar favourite; notice whether your child will touch, lick, bite, chew, and swallow.

  • During cooking, let your child handle an ingredient (smell herbs, touch pasta shapes); notice whether they bring it to their mouth to taste.

  • At a picnic/outdoor snack, introduce a new crunchy or soft item; watch whether a different setting increases willingness to try.

  • At story time, read a food-themed book and then offer a matching taste (e.g., fruit); notice whether the story primes curiosity to try.

  • At mealtime, offer a dip or sauce with a new food; notice whether your child will try more readily when they can control the amount.

Connected behaviours

Behaviours that scaffold, follow, or co-emerge with this one.

Where this comes from

The framework source and supporting developmental research.

Framework source

  • Development Matters in the EYFS (2012), Physical Development: Health and self-care (16–26 months).

    The construct is framework-native and targets early food acceptance and willingness to explore tastes/textures.

Developmental research

  • Birch, L. L., & Marlin, D. W. (1982). 'I don't like it; I never tried it': Effects of exposure on two-year-old children's food preferences. Appetite, 3(4), 353–360. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0195-6663(82)80053-6

    Repeated exposure is a well-supported mechanism for increasing acceptance of novel foods in early childhood.

Five-level rubric (detailed)Show

The full progression underlying the three levels above. Used by the platform’s reasoning agent when planning activities and observations.

Not Yet
Strongly avoids unfamiliar foods or textures (pushes away, cries, gags) and will not taste even with support. Sticks to a very narrow set of familiar foods.
  • Turns head away, blocks with hands, or throws the food when a new item is offered.
  • Gags/retches or cries immediately when a different texture touches lips (e.g., lumpy yoghurt).
  • Will only eat familiar foods and refuses to have a new item on the plate/tray.
Emerging
Will briefly explore a new food (touch, smell, lick) or accept a tiny taste with high support, but frequently spits out or refuses after one attempt. Responses vary day to day.
  • Touches a new food with fingertips or taps it with a spoon but does not bring it to mouth.
  • Licks or takes a tiny nibble of a new food and then spits it out with a grimace.
  • Accepts one bite if offered by a trusted adult and then refuses further bites.
Developing
Tries small bites of new tastes/textures when offered alongside familiar foods and with calm encouragement. May need repeated offers and may accept one new item per meal/snack.
  • Takes 1–3 small bites of a new food when paired with a favourite (e.g., new fruit with crackers).
  • Chews a new texture (soft/lumpy/crunchy) and swallows at least one mouthful without distress.
  • Allows a small 'taste plate' item to remain nearby and may return to taste again later.
Secure
Regularly tastes unfamiliar foods and tolerates a range of textures, even if they do not end up liking them. Can recover from a 'surprise' texture without distress and continue eating.
  • Tries a new food at snack without needing to be fed; self-initiates a taste after seeing it.
  • Accepts mixed textures (e.g., stew pieces, fruit chunks) and continues the meal calmly.
  • If unsure, takes a sip of water and continues eating rather than refusing the whole meal.
Reflexive
Shows curiosity about new foods, asks to try what others are having, and can re-try a previously rejected food after later exposures. Expresses preferences without shutting down (e.g., 'no thank you' and chooses an alternative).
  • Points to an unfamiliar food and says/gestures to try it ('bite'/'try').
  • After initial rejection, later takes another taste on a different day without pressure.
  • Offers a new food to an adult/peer and watches their reaction, then tastes it themselves.