Children develop their sense of taste As adults, we increase the number and variety of foods that make up our diet. It is very important that we offer our children all kinds of foods so that they can try and choose the ones they like best, respecting their rhythm and creating a relaxed environment.
Given that the sense of sight influences considerably in the selection of foods, it is good for the child to learn to identify and enjoy food through taste, reinforcing the olfactory perception and the texture with small comparisons.
This can be achieved with fun games For example, placing peanut butter, orange segments, potato chips, and dark chocolate on a table. We cover the child's eyes and ask him to taste the different foods and then guess their names. We shouldn't forget to remind the child of the words he needs to describe the flavors: salty, sweet, bitter, sour, etc. By tasting the foods, the child will also come to understand the meaning of these words. tudiscoverykids.
What is taste and how does it work?
Taste It is the ability to perceive flavors through taste buds, which are found mainly in the tongue, although they also exist in the palate, pharynx, and larynx. When chemicals from food dissolve in saliva, receptors transform that information into nerve impulses that travel through the gustatory nerves to the brain, where the signal is integrated and it is decided whether we like something or not.
The tongue is covered by different types of papillae (filiform, fungiform, circumvallate and foliate). All areas of the tongue can detect all flavors basic, although the sensitivity may vary slightly; the important thing is that the final processing depends on the brain, which also regulates preference and contributes to a more balanced diet. Specific receptors are involved in this detection sweet and umami and a wide family of receptors for it bitter, which explains some individual sensitivities.
Basic flavors: sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami
Four basic flavors are classically described: sweet, salty, acid y bitter. They are joined by umami, a flavor associated with compounds such as glutamate and nucleotides, which is perceived as intense and pleasant. Some umami-rich examples are ripe tomato, the Parmesan, anchovies or hamBitter food is usually initially rejected in childhood, while sweet food is preferred early on, a factor in childhood obesity.
To help children describe what they feel, it is helpful expand your taste vocabulary with nuances such as astringent, hot spicy (trigeminal sensation), creamy o crunchy, reinforcing the relationship between taste, smell and texture. It is also useful to compare similar foods (citrus fruits, types of apples, breads) to refine the identification.
How taste develops in babies and children
The gustatory system is innate and is refined with experience. During gestation, the baby already receives chemical information from the intrauterine environment and, after birth, lactation It is exposed to multiple nuances. In the first months, sweet, sour and bitter are clearly distinguished, and later the salty flavorsThe preference for sweet and energy-dense foods has a basis evolutionary and genetic, but everyday experience with food decisively modulates these inclinations.
The maternal diet modulates the taste of amniotic fluid and milk; therefore, early exposure to varied aromas This promotes greater subsequent acceptance. Experiments with sweet or acidic solutions show differential responses in infants, confirming this predisposition, without it being necessary to replicate these tests at home.
In the face of initial rejections (food neophobia), evidence suggests that repeated exposure works: may be necessary between 15 and 21 presentations of a food to achieve acceptance, always without forcing people to eat and in a calm and playful environment. The family modeling: Children accept better what they see their role models eat, and it is advisable to introduce one new food at a time to focus sensory attention.
Guiding milestones: From birth, there is a marked inclination towards sweets; around 8-10 months, salty tastes become more prevalent; until one year, sour and bitter tastes can generate moderate rejection; between 18 and 24 months, they become more strongly preferred. preferences and a phase of may appear neophobia which is usually temporary. Allow the child to touch, smell and handle food (even if it gets dirty) facilitates acceptance.
Taste, smell and other senses: a multisensory experience
The taste we perceive depends largely on the smellIf the nose is congested or the sense of smell is diminished, the taste experience is impoverished and it is difficult to distinguish foods that, being sweet, should be easily recognizable. texture (oral touch), the temperature and even the sound of chewing provides key information.
In addition to the five classic senses, child development is supported by systems such as the Proprioception (position and strength of muscles and joints) and the Vestibular (balance and movement). A well-integrated sensory profile promotes willingness to try new foods, to tolerate textures and enjoy the table; exercises such as scent bottles or paths of textures complement the work with taste.
Games and activities to stimulate taste at home
- Guided blind tastingThe original suggestion of peanut butter, orange segments, potato chips, and dark chocolate works very well. Add water between servings to clear your mouth and remember to ask for words like sweet, salty, bitter, acid y umami.
- Smell or taste: Offer small portions with your eyes covered so that you can identify them first odor and then taste, checking how perception changes.
- Classify and group: gathers food from similar flavors (for example, different citrus fruits) and have the child explain how they are similar and how they are different.
- Textures and temperatures: compare crunchy vs. soft, temperate vs. cold, encouraging rich sensory language and respecting the child's pace.
- Flavor Challenge: Prepare small portions that represent sweet, salty, sour, and bitter; blindfold them and ask them to categorize every bite. Reinforces vocabulary and sensory awareness.
- Rainbow menu of a fruit: offers varieties of the same fruit (red, green and yellow apple) first whole to explore with the hands and sight and then in pieces to compare flavors.
- Surprise drinks: serves different liquids (water, milk, juices) with food coloring so they can see how sight can deceive and learn to trust smell and taste.
- Creative cuisine: allows them to participate in Mix and assemble simple dishes; manipulating ingredients fosters curiosity, tolerance to textures and autonomy.
Safety Tips: Offers small portions, avoid allergens If there is a history of lack of professional supervision, adapt the textures to the child's age and oral motor development. Keep supervision constant and prioritizes safe postures to prevent choking.
A colorful table, predictable routines and the active participation The child's participation in shopping and cooking reinforces his curiosity and autonomy, promoting a healthy relationship with food and the flavors of everyday life.
Explore the flavors with patience, play and sensory language enriches children's food experience; with varied exposure, family support and a multisensory perspective, taste becomes a great ally of Healthy Habits and pleasant.