Kids

How To Make Babies Eat Better: Use Their Flavor Window!

by Kevyn Gohu
October 21, 2024

Ever wonder how some kids grow up not to be fussy eaters while others do? The Flavor Window may be the reason!

Ever wonder how some kids are just open to trying to eat anything and everything? While we often claim it’s because of exposure, we also know that bringing them to a new restaurant with unfamiliar foods can result in a full-blown meltdown too. The truth is — it’s probably because their parents exploited what many developmental pediatricians call the Flavor Window.

What is the Flavor Window?

While there’s no exact time when the Flavor Window opens, some have estimated it between 4-18 months (Beauchamp and Mennella, 1998; Menella, Jagnow, and Beauchamp, 2001; Menella and Trabulsi, 2012). However, those months are when babies are the “most receptive” to new flavors and textures. They might scrunch up their faces a little, twitch their noses, and look a little confused at first but that’s our babies’ way of processing flavors.

Of course, our babies will still have their preferences since developing their palate starts while in utero. But with their brains developing rapidly as they experience the world around them, their five senses — sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch — will be more receptive than ever. It’s the perfect opportunity for parents to expose their kids to all sorts of food.

So, don’t worry too much if our babies start crushing a strawberry in their tiny fists. That’s their way of learning what the fruit is.

How does exploiting the Flavor Window help babies in the long run?

With their palate more developed, babies will be more open to more nutritious food and less taken in by junk food when they grow up (Beauchamp and Mennella, 2011). What makes junk food so appealing isn’t just the taste but how brightly colored it is. However, if we expose them to the food rainbow or a mixture of meats, vegetables, and other foods, they’ll be less inclined to sharper-tasting foods.

But our baby’s knowledge of food depends heavily on us parents, especially moms. Since moms are the ones breastfeeding, they’re more prone to trust mom with her food choices than dad (Ruotolo, Tommaso, Cetin, and Petraglia, 2021). But that doesn’t mean dads can’t try! They can help out especially when the baby’s handling more solids.

Besides, this also means we won’t be limited to eating in certain restaurants.

It doesn’t always present itself properly to everyone!

But what about kids who throw a tantrum whenever new food is presented? A common behavior present in kids who have Sensory Processing Disorder and some kids with autism, we can offer them various choices with their “safe food” among them. Our babies, especially when they mature into toddlers, are all about finding their boundaries and what they can control. So, they will investigate every little thing there is about the new food.

Though we don’t like it when people eat with their hands, we’ll have to let it slide with babies and kids. Kids and babies are sensorial learners; they learn via their five senses and will pull something apart just to completely understand it.

How can parents make the most out of this developmental period?

Making the most out of the Flavor Window may take some additional steps in our family meal planning. However, take note that this is best coordinated with the pediatrician. Some babies may have early manifestations of Diabetes Type I or allergy to gluten so always make sure we know what our babies can’t process.

1. Feed our babies the same food we eat.

Time to whip out the blender or food processor! If the family’s eating beef soup with vegetables, that’s what they’ll eat too. We may have additional washing since we’ll have to liquefy it but it pays off in the long run. Besides, it also gives them nutrients essential to their growth and it soothes our anxiety since we already know what goes into the food.

2. Avoid giving too many brightly colored foods.

The only food that’s an exception to the rule are some vegetables and fruits since they’re already brightly colored. Brightly colored foods sometimes can be too stimulating which is why some babies just freeze and stare at the food; they don’t know which one to start with. It may feel weird to do color-matching on our baby’s plate but doing so will make it easier for them to process things visually and let them focus more on the flavor and texture.

3. Eat with them.

Although our babies will have their own eating schedules, eating with them especially if the whole family is having the same thing will show them the food isn’t so bad. It’s an application of the “monkey see, monkey do” principle: a baby will eat the food if they see their parents eat it and nothing happens. While it may mean repeating some recipes (e.g. boiled, steamed, grilled, etc.), eating like that may help our own bodies too!

Reduce the chances of getting picky and fussy eaters!

While some would say picky eating is inherited, we can still reduce the chances. Besides, exposing our kids to all sorts of foods also reduces the amount of tantrums they have. Most of their outbursts are usually because they’re hungry. It’s not because they’re not always willing to try new food; it’s also because they don’t know what’s out there and it’s up to us to show them the ever-growing gastronomic world.

Besides, this is a chance to go to all the good restaurants before all the kiddie parties start with the holy trinity of kiddie food: fried chicken, pizza, and pinoy style spaghetti. Not saying they’re bad but, they do get addicting.

References

Beauchamp, G. K., & Mennella, J. A. (1998). Sensitive periods in the development of human flavor perception and preference. In Annales Nestlé (Vol. 56, pp. 19-31). NESTEC LTD..

Mennella, J. A., Jagnow, C. P., & Beauchamp, G. K. (2001). Prenatal and postnatal flavor learning by human infants. Pediatrics, 107(6), e88-e88.

Beauchamp, G. K., & Mennella, J. A. (2011). Flavor perception in human infants: development and functional significance. Digestion, 83(Suppl. 1), 1-6.

Mennella, J. A., & Trabulsi, J. C. (2012). Complementary foods and flavor experiences: setting the foundation. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 60(Suppl. 2), 40-50.

Ruotolo, A., Tommaso, M. D., Cetin, I., & Petraglia, F. (2021). How maternal flavor education may prevent childhood obesity?. Eur. Gynecol. Obstet., 3, 125-128.