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Trying new foods

Trying new foods is one of the first places a young child gets to say yes or no for themselves, and refusing something unfamiliar is a normal part of growing up, not a problem to fix. Watching a character sniff, poke, and eventually taste something new takes the pressure off the real table. A calm, well-made episode about food gives your child language for what they taste and permission to be curious in their own time.

For 2-year-olds

At two, food is mostly a sensory experience. Colour, smell, and texture matter more than flavour, and a new item on the plate can feel like a small surprise. Look for episodes that stay close to the everyday: picking fruit, stirring a bowl, sitting down together. Simple repeated words for foods help your toddler name what they see, and a gentle pace gives them time to look without being hurried along.

Bing

Bing

Smoothie

recommended age co-watching from 2

Bing hesitates ('hmm') over the unfamiliar carrot smoothie, then tastes it and decides it's 'yummy delicious'.

Ready Eddie GO!

Ready Eddie GO!

Picnic

recommended age co-watching from 2

Eddie is offered pineapple to try at the picnic.

Sea of Love

Sea of Love

Volcano Lunch

recommended age co-watching from 2

Wayu coaches Bruder to improvise with unfamiliar ingredients ('put in what you like'), and Mama tastes the new 'volcano lunch' and loves it.

Barney's World

Barney's World

One Ripe Tomato

recommended age co-watching from 2

The children discuss pico de gallo, marinara and tomato dishes new to some of them.

Bea's Block

Bea's Block

Best Square Chef

recommended age co-watching from 2

Ty and Lexi each taste an unfamiliar pizza topping and end up liking it.

See all Trying new foods shows for 2-year-olds

For 3-year-olds

Three is often the fussiest age, because saying no to a food is one of the clearest ways a child can be in charge. Stories help most when a character hesitates, then chooses to taste on their own terms, without an adult pushing. Watch for episodes where nobody is shamed or bribed at the table. A predictable story shape, with the same steps each time, lets your child follow the whole arc and see how it ends.

Jessica's Big Little World

Jessica's Big Little World

Jessica's Restaurant

recommended age co-watching from 2

Jessica tastes gumbo for the first time and later invents a new carrot dish.

Esme & Roy

Esme & Roy

Lunch Crunch

recommended age co-watching from 3

Simon resists new foods before finally tasting a carrot and more.

Phoebe & Jay

Phoebe & Jay

Fruit Juice Frenzy

recommended age co-watching from 2

The kids try unfamiliar flavour combinations like pineapple-cucumber and mango-cucumber juice.

Pretzel and the Puppies

Pretzel and the Puppies

Bowl Them Over

recommended age co-watching from 2

Dylan and Delilah taste the newly invented no-wheat dish.

Dinosaur Train

Dinosaur Train

Triceratops for Lunch

recommended age co-watching from 3

Tank tries fish for the first time and Buddy tries leaves; Buddy concludes 'I'll just have to keep on trying new things until I figure out what I like best.'

Caillou

Caillou

Caillou Hates Vegetables

recommended age co-watching from 2

Caillou refuses his peas and carrots ('I hate vegetables'), and the episode shows him learning to eat them by pretending they are bear 'berries'.

Jessica's Big Little World

Jessica's Big Little World

Big Grow

recommended age co-watching from 2

Jessica eats vegetables to grow, calling on them to give her power.

Go! Go! Cory Carson

Go! Go! Cory Carson

Cory Sleepover

recommended age co-watching from 3

Cory is hesitant about the unfamiliar dirt-filled Constructor's Pie, then tries it and decides it's 'good different.'

See all Trying new foods shows for 3-year-olds

For 4-year-olds

Four-year-olds want to know where things come from and how they are made. Growing, shopping, chopping, and cooking become as interesting as eating, and that curiosity often does more than any encouragement at dinner. Look for episodes that show the work behind a meal and let a character explain what they like and dislike in their own words. Humour helps here, as long as the joke is never at the reluctant eater's expense.

Pete the Cat

Pete the Cat

Three Bite Rule

recommended age co-watching from 2

Grumpy tastes a banana and several potluck dishes for the first time.

The Berenstain Bears

The Berenstain Bears

Too Much Junk Food

recommended age co-watching from 2

The family replaces treats with carrot sticks, nuts and raisins.

Doug Unplugs

Doug Unplugs

Bots for Dinner

recommended age co-watching from 2

The bots explore an unfamiliar menu and try dishes like salmon and spaghetti.

Puffin Rock

Puffin Rock

Dinner at Bernie's

recommended age co-watching from 4

The children discover that crabs will happily eat bark, a food they doubted.

Bluey

Bluey

Markets

recommended age co-watching from 2

Bluey and Indy explore German sausages, chutney, puffergees and a toffee apple at the food stalls.

Doc McStuffins

Doc McStuffins

Engine Nine, Feelin' Fine!

recommended age co-watching from 2

The episode stresses drinking water every day, especially when it is hot.

Mira, Royal Detective

Mira, Royal Detective

Mystery at the Cooking Contest

recommended age co-watching from 2

The contest features tasting rice pudding, bananas and coconut laddoos.

Let's Go Luna

Let's Go Luna

A Chopsticky Situation

recommended age co-watching from 3

The kids eagerly try unfamiliar Chinese dim sum and dumplings at Mr. Zhao's restaurant: 'I want to try everything!'

Let's Go Luna

Let's Go Luna

Loco for Cocoa!

recommended age co-watching from 3

The children explore Mexican foods made with cocoa (hot chocolate, mole, flan), tasting and learning about unfamiliar dishes from another culture.

Billy & Bam Bam

Billy & Bam Bam

Tasting Game! Who Will Guess the Flavor?

recommended age co-watching from 4

The game has Bam Bam taste several foods to guess them, including a sour lemon.

See all Trying new foods shows for 4-year-olds

For 5-year-olds

By five, eating is social. Your child notices what friends bring in their lunchbox, what is served at someone else's house, and that families do things differently. Episodes that show a character trying a dish belonging to someone else, and being polite about a taste they do not love, give useful practice. This is also the age where a child can grasp that taste changes, so stories showing a second or third try are worth seeking out.

Lyla in the Loop

Lyla in the Loop

Lyla's Snackateria

recommended age co-watching from 2

Lyla finally tastes the honey barbecue version and admits 'That's actually really good!'

Dee & Friends in Oz

Dee & Friends in Oz

Dee and the Ozberry Adventure

recommended age co-watching from 4

Dee is tasked with making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich a new way and adds berries.

See all Trying new foods shows for 5-year-olds

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