Picky Eating Tips From Katie Kimball of Kids Cook Real Food 

Picky eating can turn a happy family dinner into a standoff. If you’re tired of short-order cooking or worried your child will never touch a green vegetable, you’re not alone. We spoke with Katie Kimball, educator, author, and founder of Kids Cook Real Food, to gather practical, compassionate strategies that work at real kitchen tables.

A mom of four children, Kimball has spent more than a decade helping families reduce mealtime stress and raise confident eaters. She teaches evidence-informed habits that parents can use right away and is known for helping kids build cooking and eating skills. In her TEDx talk, Kimball asks, “What if I told you picky eating isn’t all about food?”

Below, we’ll explore five easy shifts from Kimball that can help bring more connection, calm, and joy to family mealtimes.

1. Dig deeper — picky eating is not only about food.

“For most kids, there’s a physiological root cause of their apparent picky behavior,” Kimball says. “Sometimes it’s as simple as a sensitivity to texture or temperature. It might be a painful sensation after certain foods because of an undiagnosed food allergy. Kids could be constipated or have trouble chewing or swallowing well, and it presents like picky eating but it’s really pain or a bodily dysfunction.

Kids might even be simply overwhelmed by fatigue, anxiety, or a need for control after a long day. When you get curious, you coach instead of confront.” She encourages parents to ask gentle, specific questions.

Try:

“Is it the crunchy part that feels funny, or the soft inside?”

“Would you like it warmer or cooler?”

“Should we try a smaller piece or a different dip?”

“Once a child feels heard, their brain relaxes,” Kimball explains. “A relaxed brain is more willing to explore. That is a win even if no new food goes down today.”

Tip: Kimball reminds parents to keep their detective hats on and dig deeper into what the child’s body might be saying about the food, rather than assuming it’s a conscious choice to be picky.

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2. Dinnertime picky eating might start at snack time.

How do between-meal snacks affect dinner?

“If kids graze all afternoon, dinner loses its natural appeal,” Kimball says. “Many families see the biggest changes when they make snack time intentional.” She suggests two guardrails: timing and composition.

“Offer a solid snack, then close the kitchen for at least 90 minutes and up to 3 hours,” she explains. “Aim for protein and fat with a little carbohydrate. Think apple slices with peanut butter. Yogurt with fruit. Cheese and veggies. This keeps blood sugar steady and preserves appetite for dinner.”

Tip: Small scheduling tweaks matter. “If dinner is at 6 p.m., start protecting the 2 hours before it,” Kimball adds. “A child with an appetite is more open to new flavors.”

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3. Serve veggies first.

“Serve the most important food first, while kids are hungriest and their appetites are fresh,” Kimball says. “A small plate of raw veggies with dip can hit the table before the main dish, or a spoon of the new side can arrive as a ‘chef’s sample’ while they wait.”

She recommends using this tactic as a way to create structure, not to trick kids. “You are not hiding vegetables,” she clarifies. “You’re just giving them a fair chance. Kids naturally explore more when the plate isn’t crowded and the stakes feel low.”

Tip: Kimball also likes micro-portions. “A single green bean or one bite of roasted carrot feels manageable. Kids gain confidence with tiny wins.”

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4. Want less stress? Use less pressure.

“Pressure backfires,” Kimball says. “The more we insist, the more a child’s nervous system says no. Your job is to provide the what, when, and where. Your child’s job is to decide whether to eat and how much. When roles are clear, power struggles melt.”

What counts as pressure? To Kimball, it’s bribes, threats, and “one more bite” bargains.

“Swap pressure for patterns,” she suggests. “Serve a ‘safe food’ [that you know they’ll like] at every meal. Offer family-style when you can. Model tasting without commentary. Give a polite-no-thank-you option. When kids trust the system, they explore at their own pace.”

Tip: Kimball suggests trying this script: “That’s ok if this looks like it’s not your favorite. You don’t have to eat anything you don’t want to. I do want to see a bite — would you like a taster bite or a full serving?”

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5. Let the kids into the kitchen.

Kimball says that cooking helps prevent picky eating.

“Skills change everything,” Kimball says. “When kids wash, chop with a kid-safe tool, or stir a sauce, they shift from passive to active. Ownership reduces anxiety and increases curiosity.”

“Plus,” she adds, “there’s no pressure to eat in the kitchen, so the stress level kids may feel at the table isn’t an issue, and the exposure to food with all their other senses will increase the likelihood that they’re open to a taste.”

Start with jobs that match age and attention:

• Toddlers can tear lettuce and rinse berries
• Early elementary kids can measure, whisk, and start to learn knife skills and stovetop safety
• Older kids can level up to a chef’s knife, sauté at the stove without supervision, and follow more complicated recipes. “Three out of my four kids make dinner completely independently every week, so there are only [a few] meals left for me to make,” she says.

Kimball recommends starting by choosing one skill that a child can learn, teaching it in a low pressure environment, and then giving plenty of realistic opportunities to practice. “Let them plate whatever they’re making for the family,” she adds. “When they serve it, they want to see what people think. That moment opens the door to tasting.”

Tip: Worried about mess or time? “Pick low-stakes moments to teach a new skill,” she says. “Saturday after lunch. Sunday morning. Five extra minutes after snacktime while they’re already in the kitchen. The goal is confidence, not perfection.”

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Ready to practice these strategies with guided support? Join Katie Kimball’s No More Picky Eating Challenge and learn 5 simple routines to help achieve calmer meals, one action step at a time.

This article is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for medical advice. Talk with your pediatrician if you have concerns about growth, nutrition, or swallowing.