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Many things trigger a child’s like or dislike of a food – taste, color, texture, mouth-feel, appearance, and smell. Tastes vary, but most infants and children love sweets and have an aversion to bitterness. Children’s taste buds are more acute than adults. What is unusually sweet to us is appealing to kids. And, bitter is more magnified, making many vegetables – spinach, broccoli, bok choy, kale and turnip - a hard sell. Over time these taste aversions will modify but in the meantime many kids steadfastly refuse to eat vegetables. Because kids’ taste buds are more acute, many children dislike combination dishes and foods with sauces. They are perceived as unpleasant rather than a flavorful blend. Simple foods, like “naked” spaghetti or food that don’t touch each other on the plate are more readily accepted. But even this rule doesn’t always hold true. Many children who won’t eat casseroles will happily eat vegetable soup. Similarly, meat sauce is often a favorite while meat is rejected. Often preschool children shun meat, possibly because it takes more time to chew than other food. Interestingly, by around age 9 most children list meat as a favorite. As children grow and become exposed to different foods, their preferences will change and evolve. In the meantime, don’t worry too much. When one food is rejected, chances are there is a nutritional equivalent that can be offered instead. If your child won’t eat meat, a good protein substitute for one ounce of meat is: 1 medium egg, the meat from one chicken leg, 1 ounce of any fish, even tuna, 1 ounce of any cheese, ¼ cup cottage cheese or ricotta cheese, 2 tablespoons of peanut or any other nut butter, ½ cup baked beans or cooked beans, 3 ounces of tofu, or 3 tablespoons of nuts (not recommended for children under the age of 3). If your child is a dedicated vegetable hater, try raw vegetables instead. Offer vegetables, either cooked or raw with low calorie dip, hummus or even warm cheese sauce for dunking. If vegetables are still a no-go consider these nutritional swaps. To get the vitamin A and C found in spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, and peppers swap for watermelon, papaya, cantaloupe or persimmon. Sweet potatoes, carrots, winter squash and pumpkin are excellent sources of vitamin A, but so are apricots, mangos, peaches and nectarines. If your child turns their nose up at green peppers, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and cauliflower you can get in the same amount of vitamin C by swapping for oranges, tangerines, strawberries, grapefruit or guava. Bananas, apples, pears and grapes round out the fruit swaps offering fiber and a good source of a wide number of vitamins and minerals. As children grow and become independent, they have more say over what they will eat. Some foods are rejected and some are accepted. Not all meals will be as balanced and nutritious as you might hope. But the cornerstone of good nutrition is to make good choices most of the time. One poorly chosen food or meal won’t compromise your child’s health. The goal is to offer your child a variety of food that over time will add up to healthy choices. © NRH Nutrition Consultants, Inc. Jo-Ann Heslin, MA, RD, CDN is a registered dietitian and the author of the nutrition counter series for Pocket Books with 12 current titles and sales in excess of 6 million books. The books are widely available at your local or on-line bookseller. Current titles include: The Healthy Wholefoods Counter, 2008 The Cholesterol Counter, 7th Ed., 2008 The Diabetes Carbohydrate and Calorie Counter, 3rd Ed., 2007 The Calorie Counter, 4th Ed., 2007 The Compete Food Counter, 2nd Ed., 2006 For more information on Jo-Ann and her books, go to www.TheNutritionExperts.com. www.HealthNewsDigest.com Top of Page 
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