Development of the Palette

According to a study cited in one of my favorite books "Molecular Gastronomy: Enjoying the Science of Flavor" by Herve This, most children begin their young lives preferring bland, carb-heavy foods such as pasta, breads, and simple meats. The study was conducted from 1982-1999 by the French (big surprise) at the Gaffarell Nursery at the Dijon Hospital. The children, ages 2-3, were given the choice of 8 difference foods per meal. Sweets were not a choice, but bread, 2 starters, meat or fish as a main course, 2 vegetables, and 2 cheeses (it was a true French study) were among the spread. The choices were recorded, and the results supported some familiar assumptions but also provided some surprising outcomes. Children did indeed prefer starches and meats on the whole, and most mild cheeses. The most popular choices were french fries, small sausages, quiches, pasta, breaded fish, rice, potatoes, ham and beefsteak. Spinach was the most popular vegetable choice (although it was covered in white sauce) and hard, fibrous vegetables were the least popular. The most fascinating conclusion of the scientists was that children choose the foods with the highest caloric value most often. We know that almost all children show pleasure when they encounter a sweet flavor; could this resemble our fruit-eating monkey ancestors, who associate sweetness with the presence of sugars (whose molecules have a high energy value)? Gradually children learn to condition and develop their diet, which is where my experience comes in.

I've had a lot of discussions with parents about healthy eating and how is develops. Luckily, all the families I have worked for put a high priority on good, healthy nutrition. I've learned that the solution is easy: connecting your children with food, before it reaches their plate. Any age child can begin an interest in nutrition and cooking before they speak, and I believe it will last a lifetime. Shopping for, cooking, and eating food is an experience. So many senses are alive and working during these processes: children can feel the food, smell it, smash it, organize it, destroy it, and of course taste it. Listen to the sound of the blender. Thrown some steel bowls around the floor. Shake that container of seasoning. The series is simple: if a child sees the vegetable in the store (or ideally, in your garden or from a farmer's field), sees it being washed and prepared, watches it change while being cooked, smells it being steamed, and waits patiently while it cools, they are much more likely to be interested in it than if it is unenthusiastically thrown onto their plate and expected it to be consumed.

Even if you live in a high rise condo in downtown Chicago, it came be done. When I was working with the Eschmeyer family, we would frequently take the young twins to the nearby farmers market, letting them eating the organic blueberries straight from the container or sample the array of local cheeses we had purchased. In El Salvador, 18 month old Katia and I would shop every Monday at an indoor produce market where she would look forward to her complimentary banana and handing the woman the 20 dollars that would feed our 5 mouths for the week. Katia and her sister Sofia happily ate plain steamed broccoli for every lunch and dinner, because in their house it was expected and normal. Even Sofia, at age 5, understood why vegetables and whole wheat were better than the junk her friends ate. She would say "I'm going to live to be 100". I even recall her handing me a piece of chocolate cake at a birthday party, saying it tasted weird and she wanted some "real food". Granted, she is not the average 5 year old, but she is a shining example of how knowledge can start young and last a lifetime. Katia once ate several cloves of raw garlic, and even claimed to enjoy it. I'm interested to see how her adult palette shapes out.

Here in Costa Rica, Niva has already developed some great eating habits and a strong interest in cooking. It's been interesting to see how her palette has been changing, and how her preferences have grown. We used to sling her around on our hip to keep her happy while we tried to throw together a dinner. But now, she is genuinely interested in what is going on in the kitchen. At 16 months, she stands on top of a stool to watch, and sample, everything that is happening. Think that uncooked pasta looks delish? Give it a try. Experience it. Even with her limited vocabulary, she can point to the oven and say "hot hot hot". She also joins us in our Saturday trips to the market and every Wednesday we go to the organic market in our neighborhood. Even though her shoes aren't muddy from seeing the farmer's field, at least not all of her food comes from a supermarket refrigerator or a brightly colored package.

I realize life is busy, and parents are busy. But taking time to let kids have a say in their meal, and "experience" the kitchen, to me, makes all the difference. Come on people, let's give those French kids a run for their money.

In the kitchen with Niva Smith from Lizz R on Vimeo.