They said no before they looked
No is allowed. Put the plate down anyway, with the familiar food easy to see.
No can come before the look
You can say, “Your rice is here.” Then stop selling the meal. Pressure makes the no louder.
Some children refuse the idea of dinner and then eat once the plate is ordinary and quiet.
How to set it down
Place the familiar food in reach. Let the new food sit at the edge. Sit down yourself.
If they eat after the no, you do not need to mention the no. If they do not eat, the meal can end.
What not to add
Do not follow the no with three reasons, a song, and a new food. One sentence and the plate is the whole answer.
A no every single meal, with distress, is a reason to talk to your child’s doctor. A no at the start of an ordinary dinner can just be a no.
A sentence you can say
“Your rice is here.”