Introducing the Flavor Window: Why Early Food Varieties are Important

Estimated time to read 4 minutes

As a parent, you might often feel like so much that comes with babies and kids is unpredictable and out of your control. Just as soon as you think you’ve got a rhythm, your little one decides to shake things up and keep you on your toes. But there is one thing that science tells us we do have some amount of control over - your little one’s taste preferences!

The flavors your baby is exposed to early on can shape his or her preferences for life. This period early in life in which taste preferences can be established and adapted is commonly referred to as the “flavor window.”

When is it?

The critical flavor window during which your little one’s tastes are most malleable is between the ages of 6 to 18 months. However, it’s not as if this is the only opportunity you have to influence your little one’s palate. In fact, tastes start to develop when in the womb, when a baby can detect the flavors from foods you eat through amniotic fluid. Palate development continues after delivery when the baby is exposed to flavors through the taste of your breast milk, which changes based on what you eat. Yes, that means what mama eats matters too! So embrace a range of savory flavors - you’ll thank yourself later!

Why does it matter?

So what’s the big deal about this flavor window? While it might not seem like that big of a deal, the truth is, baby’s first foods can determine their flavor preferences and eating habits for life. You read that right! We have a big opportunity to influence taste preferences, which can then influence the health outcomes, of our little ones!

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How to maximize the flavor window

Now, how do we make the most of this critical flavor window? Here are some tips:

• Spice it up: Herbs and spices are a great way to help prepare kiddos to enjoy healthy adult foods after the puree stage. PLUS, herbs and spices are nutrient-dense themselves, containing a number of micronutrients and additional health benefits. Try ginger, thyme, rosemary, oregano.
• Season differently: Rather than salt, use seasonings like dulse and kelp that are full of savory flavor, plus other important nutrients like iodine.
• Use bone broth: Offer bone broth for sipping and use it in cooking (to braise meats, steam veggies, etc.). It is savory and FULL of health benefits.
• Think outside the box: When thinking about foods that your little one might like, don’t just think of typical kid foods. You’d be surprised at some of the flavors little ones respond to. Some strong-flavored foods our daughter Della loved include limes, green olives, Prosciutto, sauerkraut, kombucha, liver bone broth, pork rinds, roam sticks (fermented pastured pork), and mushrooms.
• Scale back on sweet flavors: Humans are hardwired to prefer sweet tastes, and these flavors are already introduced and reinforced through breastmilk and formula, so we don’t need to intentionally introduce sweet flavors.
• Incorporate convenient and savory Serenity Kids options: It’s what we’re all about, after all! Healthy and savory doesn’t have to be time-consuming and stressful when you have these great options:
  • Bone broth pouches
  • Savory veggie pouches
  • Savory meat (and salmon!) pouches
  • Bone Broth Puffs (especially our Broccoli & Spinach and Tomato & Mushroom flavors)

Conclusion

Be sure to keep this important and influential flavor window in mind when it comes time to introduce your little one to solids. The journey will be that much more fun, and they’ll be thanking you for expanding their palate for years to come!

All content within this site is not intended as medical diagnosis or treatment and should not be considered a substitute for, nor does it replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions, you should always consult with a physician or other healthcare professional.

_Written by Hillary Bennett.