Raise a Healthy Eater

A recent study has come out suggesting that babies' taste preferences are shaped very early in the womb through amniotic fluid. Many flavors (such as garlic, vanilla, carrot) have been proven to pass through to the amniotic fluid. The researchers suggest that a mother's diet choices while pregnant could shape the baby's taste preferences for the rest of that child's life by exposing the fetus to different and exotic flavors. In other words, if you want your child to grow up liking broccoli, eat broccoli while you are pregnant!

While it certainly won't hurt (and you should really try for your own enjoyment) to eat a variety of flavors while pregnant, I wouldn't count on doing this to ensure your child grows up a "healthy eater". Children from all different cultures learn eventually to eat what their parents eat. Chinese children learn to eat Chinese food. Indian children grow up learning to eat spicy Indian food. French children learn to eat French food.

What has been proven is that repeated and neutral exposures to different foods are necessary to help a child learn to eat. Don't give up on a new food just because the child doesn't like it the first time they are exposed. It can take MANY times of seeing a food before they will even try or accept it. Children who grow up to be "picky eaters" often have parents who continually only offer them a limited selection of "safe" foods (chicken nuggets, macaroni and cheese, hot dogs... sound familiar?) Or sometimes parents will make a whole separate meal for a picky child because they will not eat what the rest of the family is eating. This is a sure way to raise a picky eater.

So how can you raise a healthy eater?

1. Eat with your child as much as possible. Or have some responsible adult eat with them. Don't just feed them. They learn good table habits by watching you!




2. Offer new foods along with favorite foods. You can be child friendly and considerate of your child's preferences without catering to them or serving only "kid food". Serve a favorite or easy to like vegetable like corn with a less liked main dish. Serve a favorite main dish with a less liked side. That way if they don't want to eat the new food they can eat something else on the plate.
   



3. Do not pressure, bribe, or coerce your child to eat anything. This will make them back off of that food even more. Just present the new food as a "matter of fact". If they don't want to try it this time that is not a big deal. If it is something your family eats regularly they will likely accept it eventually.




4. We all have things we don't like to eat. Teach your child to politely turn down food they do not want to eat. It is OK to say "No thank you". It is not OK to say "Ew, YUCK!"
   

If you are a WIC client and have questions or concerns about your child's picky eating, call your local health department and ask to talk to a nutritionist.

Allison Leonard RD