Tasting Flavors: Importance for Babies
The first thing we think you should know is what we mean by tasting. Tasting is the perception of flavor on the tongue. (Touch a banana and then lick your finger. That’s tasting.)
Eating, on the other hand, involves a measurable amount of food or liquid that you move around in your mouth and swallow. Babies need to be developmentally ready for eating; read our post on when and how to start solids for more details.
Babies don’t need to be “ready” for tasting. In fact, they start tasting before they are born, by about the 9th week of gestation. Studies have shown that what the pregnant person eats during her pregnancy affects the smell and flavor of the amniotic fluid and appears to shape her child’s food preferences for years after!
Parents who give their babies human milk are continuing to expose their babies to different flavors from birth, because a breastfeeding parent’s diet influences the smell and taste of her milk. This is taking advantage of what appears to be a developmental window during which babies are most receptive to a variety of flavors.
Regardless of whether your baby is fed human milk or formula, you can start exposing her to the tastes and flavors of your family food culture. Rub your finger on a banana, a strawberry, or a steak. Dip your finger in any kind of sauce or soup you happen to be eating, and lightly touch your finger to your baby’s lips or tongue, or just allow her to smell it. Get your camera ready for the priceless expressions your baby will make as she learns about the wide world of flavors. You’re giving her a BIG helping hand in learning to like a wide variety of flavors and grow into a healthy eater for life.
DISCLAIMER: We know when you surf the web for information, you can get conflicting results, and it’s not easy to know whether you are finding evidence-based, high quality recommendations. That’s part of our job here at Kodiak KINDNESS; we are here to support your informed decisions about infant feeding through your baby’s first year. We’ve done some background work, and to the best of our knowledge, this post reflects current best practices. However, the information contained in this post and any links contained herein is for your informational use only; it is not a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Furthermore, Kodiak KINDNESS is not responsible for the accuracy of any information contained in this post or links contained herein; it is for you to review at your own risk and discuss, as needed, with your health care professional in order to make a plan that suits your individual circumstances.