Picky eating is a challenge for the entire family, and in extreme cases it can have social and even health consequences for your child.

Ideally, you want to prevent picky eating behaviors before they take hold.

You’ve probably heard that a child needs to be repeatedly exposed to new foods before they accept it, but have you heard of favor training for infants?

Flavor training is exposing a 4-6-month-old infant to new flavors, especially the bitter taste of vegetables, so they’re more likely to accept a variety of healthy foods as they grow.

I’ll show how to prevent picky eating with a safe and easy way to introduce a variety of flavors to your infant!

The Flavor Window and a Child’s Food Preferences

Babies are very sensitive to flavors at 4-6 months old, and frankly through the first two years of life. Researchers call this the “flavor window,” a critical window, or time, when babies and toddlers are very open and accepting of new tastes.

Between 4 and 6 months is an excellent time to prime a baby’s palate before introducing first foods at 6 months. This is especially important for the bitter flavors of vegetables- the one food kids usually have the hardest time accepting.

Many factors affect a child’s flavor preferences. Early exposure to different foods and flavors is one.

In utero, different flavors are transferred through the amniotic fluid. Breastfeeding babies are exposed to the flavors of the mother’s diet through breast milk. In fact, research suggests breast-fed babies may be less likely to become picky eaters later because of this.

Both amniotic fluid and breast milk tend to contain sweet flavors, so babies are, in general, familiar with sweet tastes when they are born, and if they are nursed. But babies aren’t exposed early to bitter tastes or sour flavors – these have to be learned through exposure in the diet.

[LISTEN to the Podcast: Children’s Preference in Flavor with Dr. Julie Mennella]

In a study of 75 breastfed infants and their mothers, moms drank a variety of vegetable juices, like carrot juice, daily. Once the infants were ready to eat their first solid foods, the infants whose mothers drank vegetable juice were more accepting of baby cereal flavored with carrot juice. They were familiar with, and enjoyed, the flavor of carrots.

Conversely, infant formulas have one flavor profile. As such, babies taste the same flavors day after day. Taste training with other flavors may be especially useful for these babies.

Flavor Training with Your Baby

There’s evidence that introducing vegetable tastes at around 4-6 months of age may increase a child’s acceptance and liking of them during complementary feeding.

In a randomized control study, 18 infants (> 4  months old) received a vegetable puree in formula, then in rice cereal. The amount of vegetables given to the infants was gradually increased during the 35 day intervention. The infants given vegetable puree showed an increased intake of the target (carrots and green beans) vegetables during complementary feeding.

Another study showed that repeated exposure to vegetable purees during baby’s first foods introduction increased vegetable intake (and liking) for at least up to 3 months after exposure.

What can you do at home to increase your baby’s vegetable intake?

Expose them to a varied diet of different flavors before they fully start solids. At around 4-6 months of age, you can give your baby a tiny amount of pureed vegetables frequently.

That’s it!

Watch my YouTube video for more tips on how to flavor train your baby!

[Watch Flavor Training for Babies on YouTube!]

Follow these easy steps below to get started.

1.   Puree Vegetables

Cook a vegetable so it’s soft enough to puree in a blender or food processor.

You can use broccoli, sweet potatoes, green beans, or any vegetable you’d like. Only offer one vegetable at a time (no blends).

If you need to add liquid to get a smoother consistency, add a little formula or breast milk. 

2.   Offer a Tiny Amount of Pureed Vegetables

Here are two ways to give your baby a tiny smidge of puree to taste.

• Swipe a little bit of vegetable puree on your baby’s lip.
• Or, put a little on your finger and let your baby suck on your finger.

Tip

Use vegetables you’ve pureed at home, not jarred baby food. This way your baby learns to like the flavors of the food he’ll eat when he starts solids.

[Learn How to Make Your Own Baby Food step-by-step!]

What About Giving a Taste of Your Meal?

You can give your baby a dab of your food if it’s a pureed consistency, such as a sauce.

Carefully choose what you give your baby to taste. You don’t want to set him up for failure (like offering something too spicy) or create a negative experience. It should be very small amounts so your baby gets the sense of taste.

Is Flavor Training Safe?

It’s recommended to introduce babies to complementary foods (real food) at around 6 months when they show signs of readiness, such as an ability to sit up, hold their head up, and show an interest in eating.

[If you need help with starting solids, check out my book, The Smart Mom’s Guide to Starting Solids.]

Given these guidelines, is it safe to introduce vegetables to a 4-month-old?

Remember, we’re talking about a tiny smidge of pureed baby food on your baby’s lips, not a spoonful of food, or transitioning to solid food at this point.

It’s not even enough food to add nutrition to the diet. Vegetables aren’t one of the top food allergens, so a tiny swipe should be safe.

A Word About Food Allergies

Some young children with a family history of allergies may be more vulnerable to food allergies. Talk to your pediatrician about early flavor training to introduce some of the top 9 allergens, as this early exposure has been shown to aid in food allergy prevention.

Flavor training is a valuable tool to prepare babies to accept flavorful foods, especially when babies consume baby formula.

The more flavors children are exposed to, the more likely your child will develop taste preferences for nutritious foods and a lifetime of healthy eating habits.

Resources

• The Ultimate Guide to Baby’s Nutrition in the First Year.
• The Ultimate Guide to Feeding the Picky Eater!

References:

Hetherington, M. M., Schwartz, C., Madrelle, J., Croden, F., Nekitsing, C., Vereijken, C. M., & Weenen, H. (2015). A step-by-step introduction to vegetables at the beginning of complementary feeding. The effects of early and repeated exposure. Appetite, 84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2014.10.014

Mennella, J. A., Daniels, L. M., & Reiter, A. R. (2017). Learning to like vegetables during breastfeeding: a randomized clinical trial of lactating mothers and infants. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 106(1), 67–76.

Remy, E., Issanchou, S., Chabanet, C., & Nicklaus, S. (2013). Repeated exposure of infants at complementary feeding to a vegetable puree increases acceptance as effectively as flavor-flavor learning and more effectively than flavor-nutrient learning. The Journal of Nutrition, 143(7). https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.113.175646