Learned Food Preferences

<span style="font-size: large;">   Our food likes and dislikes are learned at early ages and these preferences, once instilled, are hard to change.</span>  <span style="font-size: large;">It is especially hard to change when you are as old as the Cookie Monster (He is 40 something<span style="font-size: large;">).  <span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">   Kee<span style="font-size: large;">p this information in mind when<span style="font-size: large;"> you are <span style="font-size: large;">responsible<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> for feeding <span style="font-size: large;">children (whether i<span style="font-size: large;">ts </span>every day, as a parent; some days, as a school or restaurant chef; or<span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-size: large;"></span></span>holidays <span style="font-size: large;">and special <span style="font-size: large;">visits, as a <span style="font-size: large;">relative</span></span></span>).  You can make a difference in their preferences- well you <b>will </b>make one,  I just ho<span style="font-size: large;">pe it's<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span>positive</span></span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho9GaUeeFeq4pcaowu9IN7mKZIWPC0ZjxYlMIUJfQHPm566OxehN889g_fc_2h3ZmQUaCT7efyv7duDJjGxHAtbQvQAyfguAwfLfCRkBuffTBjA5jl2hbb-hYN3tiKseRAocfaQqIIIziC/s1600/cookie+monster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="387" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho9GaUeeFeq4pcaowu9IN7mKZIWPC0ZjxYlMIUJfQHPm566OxehN889g_fc_2h3ZmQUaCT7efyv7duDJjGxHAtbQvQAyfguAwfLfCRkBuffTBjA5jl2hbb-hYN3tiKseRAocfaQqIIIziC/s400/cookie+monster.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Don't Let this Happen to Your Kids!</span> (ha ha )</td></tr></tbody></table><br />

Learned Food Preferences

   Our food likes and dislikes are learned at early ages and these preferences, once instilled, are hard to change.   It is especially hard ...

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Food Preferences

<span style="font-size: large;">   As I read a particular section from the article referenced below, I was reminded of something that I observed over 20 years ago.  I thought it was a mistake then and know that it was now.  I was barely 20 years old and attending a local community college (studying child development).  For spending money,  I cared for a little girl - like a nanny. I was with her from age 9 mos to age 3.  We were very close. Yes, I looked after her during the time of two major milestones.  The establishment of food preferences and toileting.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">   One day during her potty training, I remember arriving at the house and hearing that she had JUST "pooped" in the toilet.  She was rewarded for this big girl activity with an M&M cookie.  </span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">   In the article I read today, the section on food preferences (p S53) notes that children do not really need to learn to like high fat/high sugar foods because there seems to be a universal preference -taste wise - for fat, sugar and salt.  They don't have to learn to like the taste, but their <i>preferring</i> foods that are high in fat and sugar is shaped by their experiences.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">   When these tasty foods are paired with experiences that are also pleasant, children learn that they are special foods.  They think that the foods made them happy (instead of the people or situation)!  Obviously, the cookie story is an example of a food reward.  Other conditioning factors include celebrations and holidays which center around energy dense foods.  Seeing the people that you love (parents) eat these types of foods is also normative. The article offers this caution...</span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-size: large;">In situations where foods high in sugar, fat and salt serve as rewards, the functions of food can become confused. </span></blockquote><span style="font-size: large;">Though I had considered all of the above I had not thought of this additional concern noted by the authors...</span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-size: large;">Foods eaten in order to obtain rewards can often become disliked.</span></blockquote><span style="font-size: large;">   It took a long time for me to add spinach and mushrooms back into my diet.  I remember sitting at the table - the reward being leaving the table or dessert - but only after eating THAT food.  </span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">    These things are  worth bearing in mind as a parent OR grandparent but also in considering your own food preferences.  </span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">    Today's examples were on the individual level, but I assure you, the food industry is doing everything it can and spending billions to ensure that you prefer the foods that it sells.  Those foods are most often energy dense - high (sat) fat and sugar.   </span> <br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Nestle, M., Wing, R., Birch, L., DiSogra, L., Drewnowski, A., Middleton, S., Economos, C. (1998). Behavioral and social influences on food choice. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nutrition Reviews</i>, 56(5), 50-64. </span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span>

Food Preferences

   As I read a particular section from the article referenced below, I was reminded of something that I observed over 20 years ago.  I thoug...

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