Flavor and Taste Development in the First Years of Life

Across the first four years of life, infants transition from a diet of liquids to solid foods. Flavor preferences affect the acceptance of novel foods. Fetuses experience flavors in the uterine environment, and some preferences appear to be innate. Sweet and salty foods tend to be accepted by most newborns, while bitter tastes are rejected. Breast fed infants appear to have an advantage over formula fed infants, as their exposure to a varying flavor profile is influenced by the mother's diet. Infants are fairly accepting of novel foods, but rejection of new foods increases across the initial years of life. Children learn to accept novel foods through a variety of experiences, provided within social contexts. Some children are more accepting of various sensory inputs present during mealtimes. Parents report a greater challenge getting multiple taste exposures when their child exhibits less sensory adaptability. The number of foods eaten as a young child has a strong influence on the food repertoire later in childhood. Foods eaten by parents significantly predict the number and types of foods eaten by children. Strategies to help parents be more successful in achieving taste exposures in a positive social environment need to be identified.