My child has food based sensory sensitivities

Understanding sensory sensitivities and supporting food exploration

Does your child refuse foods because they're "too crunchy," "too slimy," or "too lumpy"?

Perhaps they only eat foods of a certain colour, avoid foods touching each other on the plate, or become upset by particular smells or textures.

If this sounds familiar, you're not alone.

Many children experience food sensitivities, and for some, these sensitivities can make mealtimes challenging. While it's easy to assume a child is simply being "fussy," food sensitivities are often very real and can affect how safe or comfortable a child feels around certain foods.

The good news is that, with patience and the right approach, many children can gradually become more comfortable exploring foods over time.

What are food sensitivities?

Food sensitivities describe situations where a child finds certain characteristics of food difficult to tolerate, or have a strong preference for. These may include:

Texture (for example, crunchy, mushy or mixed textures)
Smell
Taste
Temperature
Appearance
Colour
The way foods touch each other
Unexpected changes in a familiar food

For some children, these experiences feel much stronger than they do for other people.

It's important to remember that this isn't about being stubborn or difficult. Your child's nervous system may genuinely experience these foods differently.

Food sensitivities are quite common in kids

Many young children have foods they dislike.

However, children with significant sensory sensitivities may:

Eat a very limited range of foods.
Become distressed when unfamiliar foods are offered.
Prefer foods that look exactly the same every time.
Avoid entire food groups because of texture.
Gag before tasting certain foods.
Refuse foods that are mixed together.
Notice small changes that adults might not even see.

These behaviours are often linked to how children process sensory information rather than how hungry they are.

Why pressure doesn't help

When a child feels overwhelmed by a food, encouraging them to "just have one bite" can actually increase their anxiety.

Pressure may make mealtimes more stressful and reduce their willingness to explore foods in the future.

Instead, focus on creating opportunities for your child to interact with food in ways that feel safe and manageable.

Food exploration doesn't have to begin with eating

One of the most helpful ways to support children is to remember that eating is only one part of learning about food. Children can explore foods by:

Talking about colours, shapes and textures.
Playing food-themed games.
Colouring food characters.
Looking at them.
Smelling them.
Touching them.
Washing them.
Stirring ingredients.
Cutting soft foods with supervision.
Helping prepare meals.

Every positive interaction helps build familiarity.

Helpful Hint: if you want access to our range of colouring books, check out this link: https://www.food-doods.com/shop/books

Follow your childs pace

Progress looks different for every child.
One child may happily smell a new food.
Another may only feel comfortable having it on the table.
Both are making progress.
Celebrate each step without rushing to the next one.
Confidence grows when children feel safe.

Keep offering food interaction opportunities without pressure

Children don't need to eat a food every time it's offered.

Continue serving a variety of foods alongside familiar favourites without drawing attention to what your child does or doesn't eat.

Repeated, positive exposure gives children opportunities to become more comfortable over time.

Helpful Hint: if you want access to more food games like this My Food Learning Adventure, check out this link: https://www.food-doods.com/for-parents/resources

Create positive meal time experiences

Children are more likely to explore foods when mealtimes feel relaxed.

Try to:

Eat together as a family when possible.
Keep conversations enjoyable.
Avoid using rewards or punishments related to food.
Focus on connection rather than how much your child eats.

Positive experiences help reduce anxiety around food.

Encourage food learning through play

Children naturally learn through play.

Activities like:

Colouring fruits and vegetables.
Reading food-themed stories.
Pretend cooking.
Matching food games.
Gardening.
Helping shop for groceries.

can all increase familiarity with foods without any pressure to eat them.

These experiences build confidence long before tasting begins.

Helpful Hint: if you want access to more food games, check out this link: https://www.food-doods.com/for-parents/resources

When should you seek professional advice?

While many children have favourite and least favourite foods, it's worth speaking with your GP or an Accredited Practising Dietitian if your child:

Eats a very limited range of foods.
Is losing weight or not growing as expected.
Frequently gags, coughs or chokes when eating.
Becomes extremely distressed around meals.
Avoids entire food groups.
Has nutritional deficiencies.
Has concerns related to autism, ADHD or another developmental condition that may affect eating.

A comprehensive assessment can help identify the factors influencing your child's eating and guide appropriate support. Some children may also benefit from assessment by other health professionals, such as an occupational therapist or speech pathologist, depending on the nature of their feeding difficulties.

A final thought

Food exploration is a journey, not a race.

For children with sensory sensitivities, every positive experience matters—whether it's touching a strawberry, smelling broccoli, helping prepare dinner or simply feeling comfortable having a new food on the table.

By creating a calm, supportive and pressure-free environment, you're helping your child build confidence around food one step at a time.

Small, consistent experiences often lead to meaningful progress over the long term.

Ready for more food exploration fun?

Download my free Food Doods Adventure Starter Pack to receive evidence-based resources that make food learning fun for the whole family.

It’s available by subscribing to the Food Doods community at:

https://www.food-doods.com/subscribe

Inside you'll find:

A Dietitian's Guide to Stop Picky Eating
Printable Food Learning Adventure worksheets
Food-themed colouring pages
Printable games
Food Dood mealtime placemats

These resources are designed to help reduce mealtime stress, encourage food exploration and support children in developing healthy eating habits that last a lifetime.

Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for more!

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse