The Power of Sight: How Visual Familiarity Shapes Kids’ Eating Habits

When it comes to helping kids eat well, taste isn’t actually the first sense to show up to the party—sight is.

Before a child’s willing to try something new, they need time to see it, get used to it, and feel comfortable with how it looks. That’s called visual familiarity, and it plays a massive role in how kids learn to eat.

The good news? Building that comfort doesn’t have to involve nagging, bribing, or trickery. In fact, some of the best ways to help kids feel at ease with new foods come through play, stories, art, and everyday life.

Why Looking Comes Before Tasting

Some pretty cool research (Aldridge, Dovey & Halford, 2009) shows that just seeing a food over and over can make a child more likely to eventually try it. It helps reduce food refusal and builds a sense of familiarity and safety—especially with fruits, veggies, and whole foods.

So while your little one might not be rushing to eat broccoli on day one, regular, relaxed exposure to that broccoli—on the table, in a book, during play—can quietly build trust.

And trust is the first step toward tasting.

6 Easy Ways to Help Kids Feel Familiar with Healthy Foods

1. Play Farmers’ Market at Home

Set up a pretend market stall with real or toy produce. Give your child a shopping bag and let them "buy" and "sell" fruit and veg. Role play helps kids learn names, colours, and textures—all without needing to eat a thing. Or take a trip to visit the local farmers market and have a look around!

Switch roles now and then so your child becomes the shopkeeper—teaching you about the food!

2. Put Leafy Greens in a Vase Like Flowers

Pop a bunch of rainbow chard or herbs in a jar on the bench or table. It normalises seeing greens and shows them off as something fresh and beautiful.

Ask your child to help pick which ‘greens bouquet’ goes on display this week.

3. Choose Food-themed Toys

When kids play with food-themed toys, it helps build familiarity through repetition. Look for toy sets that include vegetables, fruit, legumes, eggs, and whole foods—skip the ones that are all donuts and pizza!

Try wooden or felt food—more durable and often more diverse!

4. Read Books That Feature Real Food

Stories are such a gentle way to introduce new foods. Look for books where characters enjoy a wide variety of fruits and veg, or where foods are celebrated for their colours and quirks.

Some great ones to try:

• “Rah, Rah, Radishes!”

• “Sylvia's Spinach”

• “The Ugly Vegetables”

Click here for a full list of great food-themed books!

5. Create a Food Art Gallery

Stick colourful fruit and veg pics on the fridge or make a food-themed craft wall. Better yet, have your child draw or paint their own favourites—even if they’ve never tasted them before.

Let them name their art too! “Spiky Spinach Dragon” or “Queen Broccoli” anyone?

6. Encourage Messy Food Play with All the Senses

Kids don’t just learn through tasting—they learn by touching, squishing, smelling, looking, and even hearing food crunch or sizzle. This kind of play builds comfort and curiosity.

Ideas to try:

• Make art with veggie stamps (e.g. cut potatoes or capsicum)

• Let toddlers finger paint with yoghurt or mashed pumpkin

• Fill a tray with dry lentils or pasta for scooping

• Build silly food faces and name each bit (“carrot eyebrows!”)

No pressure to eat—just play and explore.

Use Positive, Curious Language

When your child asks questions about these new foods or changes, meet them with warmth and curiosity—not pressure.

Instead of saying:

• “You have to try it.”
  ✨ Try:

• “That one’s called beetroot—what does it feel like?”

• “Smell this basil! It’s sweet and a bit peppery.”

• “It’s fine if you’re not ready to try it yet—you can just explore it for now.”

Use the language of wonder. Talk about:

• Colour – “Look at all the colours on this capsicum!”

• Texture – “This cucumber’s bumpy—feel it!”

• Smell – “This mint smells like toothpaste, doesn’t it?”

You're helping your child connect to food with all their senses—so tasting isn’t the only win.

From the Clinic

In my work with families, I see time and time again that when we remove pressure and add play, kids become more relaxed eaters.

You don’t need to force a taste or sneak spinach into everything. Just by letting kids see food regularly in different ways, you’re creating a safe, supportive space for curiosity to grow.

Final Thoughts

Every time your child sees a food—even if they don’t eat it—it’s a little seed planted.

Some sprout quickly, others take time. But with gentle exposure, positive language, and a bit of veggie-themed fun, you're helping your child build a healthy relationship with food that can last a lifetime.

You’ve got this. And if you ever need ideas, encouragement, or a fresh bunch of silver beet to put in a vase—I’m here.

Casey x