If your child struggles to try new foods, you’re not alone! Food chaining is a simple, gentle way to help them get more comfortable with new foods—one small step at a time.

What is food chaining?

Food chaining starts with foods your child already likes and introduces new ones that are similar in taste, texture, shape, or color to build a chain of foods. The idea is to make each new food feel familiar, so your child is more likely to try it.

For example, if your child likes chicken nuggets, the next step may be homemade backed nuggets, then grilled chicken strips, and eventually small pieces of roasted chicken. 

 

Why it works

Kids feel more confident when new foods look, smell, or taste like their favorites. Taking small, gradual steps helps reduce mealtime stress and builds trust between you and your child. Over time, this can expand what they’re willing to eat—without battles or pressure.

 

How to get started

  • Keep mealtimes positive and low-pressure.
  • Offer one new food alongside a favorite.
  • Let your child explore at their own pace—even touching, smelling, licking, or leaving it on their plate is progress!
  • Celebrate small wins. It can take up to 15 tries (or more) for a child to accept a new food.

Example food chains

Here are a few ways to build a food chain:

Vegetables: Fast food French fries → Oven-baked frozen fries → Homemade baked fries → Roasted potato wedges → Roasted diced potatoes → Mashed potatoes → Baked potato with toppings → Sweet potato fries → Roasted sweet potatoes

Steamed broccoli with cheese → Finely chopped cooked broccoli in a cheesy pasta or rice dish → Roasted broccoli with cheese dip → Roasted broccoli without dip → Raw broccoli with dip

Fruits: Oranges → Mandarin oranges → Orange juice → Apple juice → Apple sauce → Apple slices

Bananas → Banana slices with peanut butter → Banana-strawberry smoothie → Strawberry slices → Mango or peach slices

Protein: Chicken nuggets → Different brand of chicken nuggets → Homemade baked chicken nuggets → Chicken tenders → Grilled chicken strips with dip → Chicken quesadilla with cheese → Shredded chicken in a soft tortilla → Small pieces of roasted or baked chicken

Scrambled eggs → Scrambled eggs with shredded cheese → Egg muffin bites → Hard-boiled eggs → Omelet with cheese → Omelet with veggies or diced ham → Fried or poached eggs

Dairy: Milk → Strawberry milk → Strawberry yogurt → Plain yogurt with granola → Greek yogurt → Soft cheese on a cracker (like cream cheese or ricotta) → Mild sting cheese → Shredded mozzarella → Sliced cheddar or American cheese

Flavored yogurt → Greek yogurt → Cream cheese (regular or whipped) → Ricotta cheese → Small-curd cottage cheese → Large-curd cottage cheese

Grains: Plain dry cereal (like Cheerios) → Flavored dry cereal (honey nut, cinnamon) → Oatmeal (plain or flavored) → Cream of wheat or cream of rice → Old fashioned oatmeal with fruit or honey

Plain white sandwich bread → White rolls or hamburger buns → “White whole wheat” bread → Honey wheat bread → Regular whole wheat bread

 

Food chaining turns trying new foods into a positive experience. With patience and consistency, small steps can lead to big progress.