Get your preschooler to try new foods by having them help you in the kitchen. Give them small jobs to do and praise their efforts. Children are less likely to reject foods that they help to make. While the following suggestions are typical, children may develop these skills at different ages. 

At 2 years: 

• Wipe tables 
• Hand items to adult to put away (such as after grocery shopping) 
• Place things in trash 
• Tear lettuce or greens 
• Help “read” a cookbook by turning the pages 
• Make “faces” out of pieces of fruits and vegetables 
• Rinse vegetables or fruits 
• Snap green beans 

At 3 years:

(All that a 2-year-old can do, plus)

• Add ingredients 
• Talk about cooking 
• Scoop or mash potatoes 
• Squeeze citrus fruits 
• Stir pancake batter 
• Knead and shape dough 
• Name and count foods 
• Help assemble a pizza 

At 4 years: 

(All that a 3-year-old can do, plus)

• Peel eggs and some fruits, such as oranges and bananas 
• Set the table 
• Crack eggs 
• Help measure dry ingredients 
• Help make sandwiches and tossed salads 

At 5 years: 

(All that a 4-year-old can do, plus) 

• Measure liquids 
• Cut soft fruits with a dull knife 
• Use an egg beater