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Food · Five Quick Questions

Food for Thought

Fresh ideas for family meals—with no carrot contracts.

What helps children build a comfortable relationship with food? Familiar assumptions—and one carrot with unrealistic expectations—are on the menu.

Try five quick true-or-false questions—with a little humor and no timer. Check your answers to discover the ideas behind them.

0 of 5 answered

1 A little helping can go a long way

Helping grow or prepare food can make it more familiar and encourage a child's curiosity about tasting it.

2 Membership in the Clean Plate Club

Requiring children to finish everything on their plate helps them learn to listen to their hunger and fullness signals.

3 Not ready for a bite—yet

A child may need several relaxed encounters with a new food before feeling ready to taste it.

4 Let's make a deal

Offering a favorite food as a reward for eating another food is a good everyday strategy for building a comfortable relationship with food.

5 The carrot contract

A child who helps wash the carrots has signed an invisible contract to eat them.

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Growing Healthy Eaters

Curious about the ideas behind the questions? Start with the short overview or explore the complete article.

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This quiz explores ideas, not your worth as a caregiver. Adapt activities to the child's needs, abilities, allergies, and safety. It is general educational information and does not replace individualized feeding or nutrition advice.