food neophobia in humans has been described as the fear of eating new or unfamiliar foods. it differs from selective eating disorder. food neophobia is particularly common in toddlers and young children. it is often related to an individual’s level of sensation-seeking, meaning a person's willingness to try new things and take risks. not only do people with high food neophobia resist trying new food, they also rate new foods that they do try as lower than neophilics.