Do you struggle to convince your child to try a new food? You’re not alone. As many as 30 to 50 percent of parents say their kids are picky eaters. Getting your child to try new foods is a common parenting challenge and a normal part of child development.

Kids often prefer tastes and textures they’ve had before, according to Judy Delaware, an occupational therapist, feeding specialist, and co-founder of Feeding Littles. But with some patience and positivity, parents can help kids become more adventurous with food.

Here are 12 ways to encourage kids to try new foods.

Kids can become overwhelmed by a lot of food on their plates, especially unfamiliar foods. Delaware suggests starting with small, bite-sized pieces of new food. You can always offer more if your child likes it.

Try to use phrases like, “This food is creamy” or “This food is crunchy” instead of words like “yucky” or “yummy.” The more descriptive you are, the more you may spark your child’s curiosity. Delaware says that using descriptive language can also help your child identify different textures and sensations.

Children are more likely to eat something new if they can examine it first. Encourage them to smell and touch new food before taking a bite.

When my kids are unsure of unfamiliar food, I turn to one of our favorite songs from “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood.” Together, we sing, “We gotta try new food because it might taste good!” It’s a good opportunity to talk about how food looks and smells and what it might taste like.

Sharing meals as a family is a great way to encourage kids to try new foods. Even if they start out as picky eaters, they are more likely to experiment with new foods if a variety of healthy foods are seen as normal parts of a meal.

“Kids watch you,” Delaware said. “They want to see you enjoying the same food you are asking them to eat.” Instead of telling them to eat their vegetables, let them see you eating and (and genuinely enjoying!) those vegetables. Soon enough they’ll want to try them too.

Studies show kids are more likely to eat food they help prepare. Invite your child to help you grocery shop or cook. Young kids can mash bananas or avocados. Older kids can h

elp prepare a fruit salad or stir pancake batter. You may spend extra time cleaning up, but your child may feel encouraged to try a food you prepared together.

Invite your child to join you when cooking for a holiday or using a family recipe passed down to you. Many PBS KIDS shows highlight different cultural food traditions. Watc

hing these shows together can help you talk about the special foods in your family.

In “Lyla in the Loop,” Lyla’s mom, who is Jamaican, talks about her mother’s vegetable garden. In an episode of “Alma’s Way,” Alma sings along as her family prepares a traditional Puerto Rican dish called mofongo.

Having fun with food can help open your child’s mind to trying something new. This can be as simple as introducing utensils (like Leo using chopsticks in the “A Chopsticky Situation” episode of “Let’s Go, Luna!”), or you can serve food in a unique way. Try using a muffin tin to serve different foods or let your child pick a new dip to scoop with their veggies.

It can be frustrating when your kids show little interest in a meal you made. But piling on the pressure — and pleading with kids to eat — can backfire in the long run. “When kids see you stressing or sense that it’s a big deal, their food refusal is more likely to continue,” said Jennifer Friedman, a pediatric dietitian.

It can be tempting to offer your kids a reward (like dessert) for trying a new food, but this isn’t the best way to develop healthy habits in the long run. The goal is for kids to try new foods because they want to and are curious about them, not to earn your approval or a sweet treat.

While adding chopped spinach to brownie batter might seem like an easy way to give your child nutrients, this approach could send the wrong message that brownies are a complete meal.

Some kids need to see a new food as many as 10 to 15 times before trying it. This might feel like a lot, but remember that developing healthy eating habits is a lifelong journey. “Like any skill, learning to eat new food doesn’t happen overnight,” Delaware said. “It takes time to learn and develop.”

It’s natural to worry about your child’s nutrition. But rest assured, picky eating is a normal phase of development most kids eventually grow out of. Developing healthy eating habits takes time. You can help your child get excited about new food by eating a well-rounded diet yourself, talking positively about food, and encouraging them to cook with you.