Have you noticed that your kiddo gravitates toward crackers, veggie straws, and all foods crunchy? Why do they love these crunchy foods, and how can we use their preference for crunch to improve their eating over time?

Consider the crunch and texture of foods like croutons and cereal. What about this texture makes it irresistible?

Crunchy foods – oftentimes pre-packaged foods like crackers, veggie straws, puffed snacks, cereal, pretzels – are predictable in taste and consistency. Every. Single. Bite. You know what you’re going to get when you open the package. It always has the same flavor, smell, consistency and look.

Think about how different this is for veggies and fruit. A blueberry can be sweet, sour, firm or squishy. It can taste delicious or can be very off-putting if it’s overripe. Kids don’t always know how to spot a “bad” piece of fruit before they eat it and can have a really negative experience that might turn them off to it for the long run. A cracker is much more predictable and “safe” in their eyes.

Furthermore, your toddler may find that crunch gives them the jaw resistance that teaches their mouths where the food is located. They learn that when they feel this crunch, it feels good inside their mouth, and because of this they learn to seek out crunchy foods more often. (It also feels good on teething gums!)

As your baby and toddler experiences this jaw resistance that they practice in early chewing and biting, they seek to repeat this feeling because it gives them positive sensory feedback. Whenever our sensory system experiences positive feedback, something our body enjoys, we want to repeat it! Over time, young children develop a sensory preference for this crunchy texture.

Their sense of taste also notices the saltiness and flavor that many crunchy foods have. Let's face it, most of us like the taste of crunchy, salty foods - they taste good, and it's normal for toddlers to enjoy their flavors as well.

Want to learn more about sensory processing? Check out this interesting article!

Not surprisingly, we get this question often: “My child loves only crunchy foods. How do I progress them off crunchy foods?”

This is a little question with a big answer.

If your child seems to prefer crunchy, follow the tips below, based on their age.

Babies 6 – 9 months: 

1. Introduce a variety of colors, tastes, flavors and textures. Don't give up if they don't like something - they might need more exposure to it! Need help with this? Please check out our Infant Course.
2. Use dips with crunchy foods to introduce different textures. Try blueberry or raspberries blended with cream cheese or other soft cheese, hummus and guacamole, tzatziki, bean dip, and other savory spreads to add flavor, nutrients, and textures to a favorite crunch. Try to serve dips whenever you do crunchy foods.
3. Model eating different foods with your kids. If you want them to eat greens, then eat greens (and blues and oranges) with them too.

Older babies and toddlers/children (10+ months): 

1. If your toddler has the skills to identify colors and shapes, use that to your advantage and make shish kebobs out of different food shapes with fresh fruit and fresh veggies. Make it a production and play with the sound of the crunch! Then put your fingers into your child’s ears and have them crunch something and see how LOUD their crunch can be using the stuffed ears technique. Remember, play is key! Don’t be afraid to get messy and have fun with it!
2. Try unconventional crunchy foods - baked cheese, crunchy broccoli, freeze dried fruit and pea snacks are a fun way to eat veggies and fruits!
3. If your child is not interested in soups or smoothies, try a taste test! Pour them into small espresso or Dixie cups and cut straws in half. Older kids can even help blend smoothies themselves. Ask your child if they want to try the smoothie or soup to make sure it’s made to perfection. Remember, don’t ever force your kiddo to try something – it’s all about them having fun, becoming comfortable with that food, and making the choice on their own to try something new.
4. Try a spiralizer! This turns veggies and fruits into noodles. Try it with apples (we like the Granny Smiths the best for this). Kids especially like cold cucumbers or even jicama! Remember, kids love being involved in the kitchen with touching and smelling foods, as well as adding ingredients to recipes or choosing which foods to work with next.

As always, try to not make a big deal out of what your child is or isn’t eating. Instead, have fun with food, cook and shop together, and be OK with playing with food. They won't do it forever, and it can be really powerful in helping them branch out to new things. 

Still need help? Our Toddler & Kid Course lays out a specific step-by-step plan for reversing or preventing picky eating utilizing feeding therapy and nutrition strategies. Let us help your family make mealtime fun again!