Develop Your Young Child’s Palate Today!

It’s never too early to expose your young children to the wide world of plants! The first 1000 days of life have an enormous impact on your child’s health, both now and later on in life. Children who eat more whole plant foods, such as fruits and vegetables, have a lower chance of obesity and chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer, later on in adulthood. But you don’t have to wait until the future to reap the rewards. Children who include more of these healthful plant foods early on have immediate benefits during their childhood, such as fewer GI issues, allergies, and elevated cholesterol levels, according to research. This makes perfect sense, as these whole plant foods are packed with healthy proteins, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds.

With all of this good news about the rewards of well-balanced, plant-based eating, it’s time to invest in your child’s health by developing their palate early on so they can enjoy a diverse range of plant foods their whole life long.

In fact, the time really is now, as studies show that children are more apt to accept new foods in the first year of life, compared to exposing them later on when they are older in the second year. Though young children are born with a predisposition to sweet, high-energy foods, they can modify these preferences through exposure. That means simply introducing a variety of foods to young children so they become familiar with them. Parents can make a big impact by getting a jumpstart on introducing a range of savory flavors in plant foods, such as beans, chickpeas, spinach, peas, and quinoa. And if you don’t do it now, kids are more likely to limit their veggie intake as they get older, according to scientists. Even if your young child spits it out the first time, have no fear. It may take up to six exposures for kids to become familiar enough with a food to enjoy it. So, keep on trying!

Go ahead, get ready to introduce your kids to the rainbow of vibrant, aromatic, flavorful plants today!

Plant-Powered Eating Guide to Expand Your Child’s Palate

By 4-6 months, infants can start enjoying simple, single-ingredient plant foods, such as iron-fortified cereals mixed with breast milk, and single ingredient purees of whole fruits and vegetables, one new food at a time, such as prunes and sweet potatoes.

At 6-8 months, you can start adding more complex plant food purees, such as beans, grains, cereals, fruits, and vegetables. Try carrots, chickpeas, spinach, peas, zucchini, brown rice, and oats.

At 8-12 months, you can introduce them to even more flavors with more varieties and textures of plant foods as they grow and develop, which will also help meet their growing nutrient demands. These foods include a variety of pulses such as red lentils and black beans, different grains, such as quinoa and oats, and more vegetables, such as corn and beets.

During their toddler years (1-3 years), continue to expand their palates with new plant ingredients, like Brussels sprouts, asparagus, persimmons, coconut, chia seeds, butternut squash, and kiwi. Toddler pouches made with   100% plant-based ingredients   offer on-the-go convenience so your kids can enjoy a nutritious snack wherever you go. You can also rely on more healthful, low-sugar, plant-based snack foods during this time, such as Wafflez and Crinklez.

One way to introduce your infant or toddler to an array of diverse plant foods is to try Sprout Organic Foods pouches and snacks. I’m a big fan of these plant-based children’s foods because they are made from 100% natural, organic whole vegetables, fruits, pulses, and grains, without the use of preservatives or additives. In addition, Sprout Organic Foods offers a rainbow of different types of flavorful veggies and grains, including beets, chickpeas, spinach, and quinoa, in their lineup to help expose your kids to new tastes and flavors at a young age. Exposing your kids to a range of plant foods, with unique flavors, colors, and aromas, is an important step in powering your kids with healthful eating habits for life.

Note: This blog post is sponsored by Sprout Organic Foods.