Eight facts about the discovery of food, for young and old alike!

Trying new foods can feel like an unwelcome adventure for kids, and it’s sometimes a challenging one for adults too! Picky eating is a normal part of childhood, and learning to enjoy new foods takes time, patience, and positive experiences.

Here are some interesting facts highlighting how children learn about food and why gentle encouragement (not pressure!) makes all the difference!

It can take time to like a new food!  Children often need to see, touch, or taste a new food around 10 times before they start to like it. Patience really does pay off!

Presentation matters!  How food is presented can influence a child’s willingness to try it. Familiar shapes, fun names, or serving foods separately can help make new foods feel less intimidating.

Bitter flavours are, in fact, stronger to kids!  Children are naturally more sensitive to bitter flavours, which is why some vegetables may taste “yucky” at first. This sensitivity usually decreases as they grow.

Kids learn by watching others!  Seeing adults or peers eat and enjoy a food increases the chances that a child will want to try it too.

Helping in the kitchen builds confidence!  Involving children in washing, chopping, mixing, or serving food helps them become more familiar and comfortable with new foods.

Taste buds change over time!  Taste preferences change as kids grow, so a food a child disliked last month might suddenly taste great today!

Picky eating is normal!  Picky eating is a common phase of childhood. It often peaks between ages 2 and 6 and usually improves over time.

Even animals can be picky eaters!  Young monkeys are slow to try new foods when alone but are much more willing to take a risk when surrounded by family, just like kids!