Do Incentives Work for Food Choices in Children? A Guide for Parents
Getting children to eat a variety of foods—especially fruits, vegetables, and unfamiliar textures—can feel like an uphill battle. Many parents wonder:
“Should I offer a reward if they try broccoli?”
“What if they only eat veggies to get dessert?”
“Will they ever eat well without being bribed?”
Using incentives—rewards or consequences—to shape food behaviors is a common strategy. But does it work? And more importantly, does it build long-term healthy habits?
This blog explores what research says about incentives and food choices in children, and how parents can use behavior strategies effectively and compassionately.
What Are Incentives in the Context of Feeding?
An incentive is anything offered to encourage a behavior. In feeding, this might include:
Praise (“Great job trying that green bean!”)
Non-food rewards (stickers, small toys, screen time)
Food-based rewards (“You can have dessert if you finish your carrots”)
Privileges (e.g., staying up later after trying a new food)
Incentives may be external motivators, meant to increase exposure or reduce resistance. But their impact depends on how they’re used, the child’s age, and the overall feeding relationship.
Do Incentives Work in the Short Term?
Yes—many studies show that positive reinforcement can increase children’s willingness to try new foods, especially vegetables.
In a landmark study by Wardle et al. (2003), children offered small tangible rewards (like stickers) for tasting new vegetables increased their liking and intake over time. Follow-up studies confirmed that repeated exposure plus a small incentive led to better outcomes than exposure alone.
Other research has shown that:
Social praise alone can help some children, especially when it’s consistent and genuine (Remington et al., 2012)
Food rewards (e.g., “eat your peas to get cake”) can backfire by reducing intrinsic motivation and making the target food less appealing (Birch et al., 1980)
Non-food rewards paired with exposure appear to be the most effective and least problematic
Key Point: Incentives can be useful for encouraging food tasting and exposure, but not for enforcing full portion consumption or as a gateway to dessert.
Why Do Incentives Sometimes Backfire?
Incentives may reduce a child’s internal motivation to eat a food if:
The child feels coerced or pressured
The reward becomes the goal instead of the food itself
The food becomes associated with negative emotions (anxiety, power struggles)
This is especially important in children with:
Sensory sensitivities
A history of food anxiety or trauma
Underlying feeding disorders or ARFID
“When external rewards are used too frequently or with force, children may feel controlled rather than supported in developing autonomy around food.”
(Tanna et al., 2021)
Best Practices for Using Incentives to Encourage Healthy Eating
1. Use Positive Reinforcement, Not Pressure
Praise effort, not outcome. For example:
“I noticed you touched that new food. That’s a great step!”
“You were brave to try something new today.”
Avoid coercive statements like:
“You have to eat this or you won’t get dessert.”
“You’re not leaving the table until you eat that.”
2. Pair Repeated Exposure With Gentle Encouragement
Children often need 10–15 exposures to a new food before they accept it. Offering a small sticker, star chart, or high-five each time they explore a food can increase willingness over time.
3. Avoid Using Food as a Reward
Using sweets or preferred foods as a reward for eating vegetables teaches:
Vegetables are the “chore”
Sweets are the “prize”
This approach can increase preference for the reward food and reduce the appeal of the target food.
4. Use Non-Food Rewards Strategically
If you choose to use rewards, keep them:
Small and consistent (e.g., sticker, special story time)
Focused on the behavior (trying or exploring food), not eating a full portion
Removed once the behavior becomes more consistent
Research shows that rewards can be faded out over time as the behavior becomes internalized (Cooke et al., 2011).
5. Create a Positive Feeding Environment
Keep mealtimes calm and predictable
Allow for “no thank you” bites if your child isn’t ready
Include safe or preferred foods alongside new items
Model flexible, relaxed eating without pressure or shame
Special Considerations for Children with Feeding Challenges
If your child:
Has severe pickiness
Shows anxiety or distress at meals
Has a history of oral-motor delays, sensory sensitivities, or weight loss
…consult with a feeding therapist, occupational therapist, or dietitian. Incentives should be used with caution and professional guidance in these cases.
Final Thoughts: Gentle Encouragement Over Bribery
Incentives can be helpful in introducing new foods and reducing resistance, especially when used thoughtfully and paired with praise. But they work best when they support intrinsic curiosity, autonomy, and positive associations with eating.
Think of incentives as a tool, not a solution. They can nudge your child in the right direction—but what helps them stay there is trust, exposure, and connection at the table.
References
Wardle, J., Herrera, M. L., Cooke, L., & Gibson, E. L. (2003). Modifying children’s food preferences: The effects of exposure and reward on acceptance of an unfamiliar vegetable. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 57(2), 341–348.
Birch, L. L., Zimmerman, S. I., & Hind, H. (1980). The influence of social-affective context on the formation of children’s food preferences. Child Development, 51(3), 856–861.
Cooke, L. J., Chambers, L. C., Añez, E. V., & Wardle, J. (2011). Facilitating or undermining? The effect of reward on food acceptance. Appetite, 57(2), 493–497.
Remington, A., et al. (2012). A systematic review of interventions for children with selective eating. Appetite, 59(2), 556–572.
Tanna, S., Fisher, J. O., & Birch, L. L. (2021). Controlling feeding practices and their associations with child eating and weight: A review. Appetite, 162, 105204.
