• 85,4% of children have an intermediate level of food neophobia, reluctance to try new or unfamiliar foods.
  • According to research byUniversità Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, conducted on approximately 800 Italian children between the ages of 6 and 10, it was confirmed that a nutritional education program based on Nutripiatto guaranteed an improvement in eating habits.
  • Expert advice: Involve children in meal preparation, offer the same foods repeatedly, and create a calm atmosphere at the table to build a positive relationship with food.
  • Nutripiatto Senza Confini is a practical and intuitive tool that helps you create balanced meals, welcoming ingredients from all over the world.

Milan, July 23 2026 Summer is a time for travel, vacations, family meals, and new experiences. Even at the table. It's precisely during this time that girls and boys have the most opportunities to come into contact with different ingredients and culinary traditions. Yet, when faced with an unfamiliar food, many still react with a firm, "Oh, no!" "I'm not eating this."  It is the food neophobia, a physiological phase of childhood development characterized by mistrust and generalized reluctance towards new foods.

According to research by CREA (Council for Agricultural Research and Analysis of Agricultural Economics), the85,4 % of children have an intermediate or high level of food neophobia, a condition which, in the study, was found to be associated with a lower adherence to the Mediterranean diet and a greater rejection of foods such as fruit, vegetables and legumes. *

The good news is that taste can be educatedAnd summer, with its more relaxed pace and many opportunities for socializing, can be a great opportunity to help children expand their food repertoire. Introducing new ingredients without pressure, cooking together, telling the story of foods, and involving little ones in meal preparation are strategies that foster curiosity and a willingness to try new things.

Scientific research also supports this approach. A study published in the journal Scientific Reports from researchers of theUniversità Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, conducted on approximately 800 Italian children between the ages of 6 and 10, has shown that a nutritional education path based on Nutridish is associated with improved eating habits. After two months, the children involved increased their consumption of vegetables, whole grains, and water, while reducing meat portions and sedentary behaviors. In some of the regions involved in the study, Up to 83% of children increased their vegetable consumption, highlighting the potential of a simple, practical, and shared approach in promoting healthier eating habits.**

"Food neophobia can be a normal developmental stage and shouldn't worry families. It shouldn't be addressed with impositions, but rather supported with patience, curiosity, and consistency. Involving children in preparing meals, offering the same foods repeatedly and creating a calm atmosphere at the table helps build a positive relationship with food.. Educating taste also means educating curiosity and openness towards what is new." comments the Professor Laura De Gara, President of the Master's Degree Course in Food and Nutrition Sciences of theUniversità Campus Bio-Medico di Roma.

From these assumptions arises Nutripiatto Without Borders, the evolution of the Nutripiatto project. An intuitive and colorful nutrition education model that combines the principles of the Mediterranean diet with ingredients and culinary traditions from different cultures, helping families create balanced meals that respect their eating habits.

The professor explains De Gara: "In an increasingly multicultural Italy, Nutripiatto Senza Confini was created to celebrate the diverse food traditions present in families, demonstrating that nutritional balance and cultural identity can coexist on the same plate. The goal is not to change eating habits, but to offer a simple, balanced, and inclusive model, capable of adapting to different cultures and eating styles."

From couscous to noodles, quinoa to tofu, and ingredients like pak choi and millet, each recipe is an invitation to experiment with new flavors while maintaining the right balance of greens, grains—preferably whole grains—and protein. Meals thus become an opportunity for exchange, inclusion, and curiosity, where learning about a new ingredient also means learning about the history and culture of those who bring it to the table.

Because every new ingredient tells a story. Educating about taste also means teaching children that behind every food lie traditions, cultures, and different ways of enjoying the table. And what better time than summer to begin this journey?

Taste Education: 5 Tips to Help Children Discover New Flavors

  • Offer a new food several times, without forcing the child to taste it.
  • Involve your child in recipe preparation: Preparing meals together increases curiosity and can encourage acceptance of new foods.
  • Set a good example: Children observe and imitate adults.
  • It tells the story of the ingredients and the countries they come from.
  • Transform the meal into a moment of sharing, discovery and dialogue.

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* Source CREA

The data cited on food neophobia refer to the study "Food neophobia is higher in only children from families that don't follow the Mediterranean diet.", published by CREATE – Council for Agricultural Research and Agricultural Economics Analysis January 8, 2024. The study, conducted on 288 Italian children aged between 3 and 11 years old, noted that the 67,3 % of the participants presented an intermediate level of food neophobia and the 18,1 % a high level, for a total of85,4 % of children with an intermediate or high level of food neophobia. In the study, higher levels of food neophobia were associated with a lower adherence to the Mediterranean diet and to one greater likelihood of refusing foods such as fruits, vegetables and legumes.

** Scientific Reports, 26 November 2025 “Comparative survey of eating and lifestyle habits in Italian school age children using Nutripiatto as an educational tool”
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-26302-8

Chiara Spiezia 1, Claudia Di Rosa 2, Martina Monticone 2, Greta Lattanzi 2, Francesca La Farina 3, Laura De Gara 2, Yeganeh Manon Khazrai 2

1Research Unit of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Department of Science and Technology for Sustainable Development and One Health, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo 21, 00128, Rome, Italy. [email protected].

2Research Unit of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Department of Science and Technology for Sustainable Development and One Health, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo 21, 00128, Rome, Italy.

3Medical Consultation and Guidance Hub - LUISS Guido Carli University, Rome, Italy.