Baby nutrition : a matter of practice

The palate is like memory: it needs practice. It needs to get used to the savours of healthy food. You’ll see: if you put less and less salt on your dishes, you will be more sensitive to salt in a few months. The same goes for sugar: your perception of the sweet taste will change progressively as you reduce your intake, and soon, an industrial cookie will taste very bad. It is the same for your baby: if you train his palate at an early age by eating healthy food, he will ask for more! As long as he likes what is in his plate…

Advice : the importance of thinking long term

We know that thinking long term and not only about the “here and now” in your busy life as parents is not an easy thing… However, it’s ok if you haven’t been a Top Chef candidate, you can turn healthy food into incredible delights! You just need to know a few tips to transform a simple recipe into a firework of savours and textures. 

A lot of parents think that their baby will not be able to appreciate the spices-flavoured dishes we only serve to adults. This is a mistake. In a study conducted at the end of the 1970s on a panel of Mexican and American children, two researchers, Paul Rozin and Deborah Schiller, refuted the assumption that chilli becomes less spicy if we eat some every day. Actually, the sensitivity to chilli remains the same, children just learn to taste it and then to like it. It is just a matter of gustatory practice!

Advice to parents, let loose!

As long as his age and his tolerance to foods allow it, do not hesitate to use and overuse of everything that can spice healthy food and make it delicious for your toddler.

Here are our top tips for baby nutrition:

• Herbs are your friend: some basil in a plain tomato sauce, chives in an omelette, parsley with fish, some spread on a piece of bread, thyme with meat…

• Spices, more spices, again and again! Associate food with a sweet spice, curry, curcuma, cumin and coriander…

• Sprinkle your meals with seeds: sesame, pumpkin, pomegranate… 

• Let your kiddo squeeze a lemon! Some lemon zest on broccoli or green beans will add some peps to these foods that are very often not liked.

• Don’t be afraid of garlic: crushed with a bit of olive oil, it will perfectly complement your sauces.

• Same for onion! We gladly spice up a dish, a soup or a sauce with some onion. Simple and effective!

• Dare to flavour your compotes with a vanilla pod, a little bit of grated ginger, a zest of orange or a pinch of cinnamon.

Keep in mind to vary the oils and cooking methods… 

And... Trust yourself! 

All these little extras will soon become automatic and will boost his pleasure. #Enjoyyourmeal

Baby nutrition advice: conclusion

As you've just discovered, you don't need to be a top chef to turn healthy food into the ultimate delicacy! Remember: the palate is like the memory: it needs training. So start introducing your baby to the flavours of healthy foods now. This is the best advice we can give you. Have you already discovered our healthy and tasty meal aids for baby?