Baby’s early development is fueled by food!

It’s incredible to learn that baby’s taste development begins in utero. In fact, your baby will have more taste buds in the belly than at any other point in life!

Babies can experience the flavor profile of what mom eats through swallowing amniotic fluid, which means that foods and flavors introduced in the womb may be remembered later on. Knowing this can be exciting and overwhelming, so here’s a list of go-to foods to help ease the challenge of pleasing two palates.

The First Year

Throughout the first year, baby is growing and learning at incredible rates. Starting around four months, your little learner may start to take notice of the foods you eat, becoming far more likely to try these foods (when they’re ready!) after seeing YOU eat them! This all contributes to what we call “Nutritional Intelligence” – the idea that early exposure to a wide variety of colorful and flavorful foods helps little ones to develop an appreciation for healthy foods later on.

The Second Year

When little one starts to walk, introducing new foods can become a challenge. Rest-assured, Food Neophobia, or fear of new foods, is completely normal behavior and only a phase. One way to help tots overcome this picky eating hurdle is to engage them in the process of selecting and preparing foods. The more they understand about a fruit or vegetable’s journey from farm to table, the more likely they will be to take a bite!

Big Kids

Whether baby or big kid, it’s never too late to start your little one on a path towards adventurous eating. Even you can learn to like a new food at any point! Introducing new foods, colors, and flavors has a tremendous impact on your child’s budding palate. There are so many ways to inspire your child and no greater time to start than the present.