Ask the Therapist.

This is very rarely behavioral defiance; it is almost always rooted in oral-sensory processing. Crunchy chips and plain rice have predictable, consistent textures and mild tastes. Cooked vegetables change texture with every bite, triggering a genuine sensory gag response in sensitive children. Strategy: Never force or bribe. Start with non-ingestion exposure: 1) Place a tiny pea on their plate without requiring them to eat it. 2) Next week, ask them to touch it. 3) Later, touch to lips. Desensitization happens in stages.