Recipes for children: 4 ideas for small, demanding palates

Did you know babies begin developing their sense of taste while still in the womb?

Child-friendly recipes? “Oh yes, what do they know? The important thing is nutrition!” Nothing could be further from the truth.

Because few people realize that our little ones develop their sense of taste even in the womb. By birth, their taste buds are already well developed. Through the amniotic fluid, babies are exposed to the flavors and aromas of what their mothers eat, so when they are born, they already have a repertoire of taste experiences. Over time, children learn to recognize an increasing variety of flavors, associate them with certain foods, and store information about how they react to a particular taste. That’s why, if you have started weaning—or will be doing so soon—you’ll quickly realize that children already have a clear idea of what they want!

How does taste develop?

Initially, children can clearly distinguish between sweet and salty, and they tend to prefer sweet flavors. That’s why they love the naturally sweet taste of breast milk!

Between 3 and 6 months, children begin to explore the world. They do this by putting everything they find in their mouth and “tasting” just about anything: wood, iron, blankets... and each thing has a different flavor. When weaning begins, the real adventure with taste starts. New flavors, stronger savory notes: a whole world to explore!

How do preferences for certain types of food develop


Other preferences are learned gradually, but as mentioned earlier, experimentation begins while babies are still in the womb. That’s why it’s important for the mother to nourish herself in a correct, healthy, and balanced way. The taste of the foods the mother eats during pregnancy will be immediately recognized by the baby at first contact and appreciated because they are already part of their taste repertoire. Not only that: .

Quindi come insegnargli ad avere un'alimentazione sana ed equilibrata?

Simple: set a good example. And whenever possible, prepare child-friendly recipes that you can enjoy too. This way, you save time and won’t have to make separate meals. We know that, over time, their tastes will change. You might suddenly find yourself dealing with little gourmets who go from devouring fruits and vegetables to eating only plain pasta; don’t worry about it. , and you’ll see that little by little they’ll start eating everything again.

How to serve the food: the safe cuts

Pediatricians now largely agree in recommending so-called auto-weaning for babies—that is, offering the same food eaten by mom and dad for them to taste independently. However, it is essential to eliminate any risk of choking by offering safe cuts.

Le regole fondamentali da seguire sono:


  • long and cylindrical foods ( like carrots): should always be cut into sticks and never into rounds;

  • Round foods (come pomodorini o uva): devono essere tagliati in quattro spicchi per essere serviti singolarmente;

  • nuts, peanuts, and all tree nuts: they should be finely chopped;

  • prosciutto: avoid serving a whole slice; always cut it into small pieces;

  • apple/pear: grate in the first year of life, then cut into small pieces;

  • pasta: For the first time, the perfect pasta shape to serve is small fusilli, as they could be swallowed whole; their characteristic spiral shape would still allow air to pass through. Alternatively, pennette. In general, it is better to prefer small sizes.

Yes, but what should you prepare for dinner tonight?


If you're looking for tasty ideas that are also quick to prepare, here are 4 Easy recipes for children.

Hummus di ceci con stick di verdure e pane tostato

Take a package of pre-cooked chickpeas. Drain the cooking liquid and rinse them well under running water to remove excess salt. Blend the chickpeas with a splash of lemon and a tablespoon of tahini. Serve with vegetable sticks (carrots or zucchini, for example) or small, thin sticks of lightly toasted bread.

Pasta con pesto di zucchine

Puree a zucchini with two teaspoons of oil and one tablespoon of Parmesan cheese. Boil the pasta, drain it, and serve it with the prepared pesto.

Riso con uova strapazzate e piccoli cubetti di verdure

Boil plain rice together with seasonal vegetables cut into very small cubes, then drain and add a teaspoon of oil. In a separate pan, make a well-cooked scrambled egg. Add it to the rice once ready and serve.

Filetto di branzino, stick di polenta svelta e pomodorini

Prepare the quick-cooking polenta as indicated on the package, pour it onto a plate, and let it cool. Steam the fish fillet (cooking time varies depending on size) and cut it into pieces: watch out for the bones! Cut the polenta into sticks, peel and quarter the cherry tomatoes, and serve them together with the fish.

Foire aux questions

How to cut food safely?

The fundamental rules to follow are long and cylindrical foods (like carrots): should always be cut into sticks and never into rounds; round foods (like cherry tomatoes or grapes): should be cut into four wedges to be served individually; nuts, peanuts, and all shell fruits: should be finely chopped; ham: avoid whole slices, always cut into small pieces; apple/pear: grate during the first year of life, then cut into small pieces; Pasta: for the first few times, the perfect pasta shape to offer is small fusilli, as they could be swallowed whole, and their spiral shape still allows air passage. Alternatively, penne. In general, smaller shapes are preferable.

What should children eat in the evening?

Rice with scrambled eggs and small cubes of vegetables Cook plain rice together with seasonal vegetables cut into very small cubes, drain and add a teaspoon of oil. Separately, make scrambled eggs in a pan, well cooked. Add it to the rice once ready and serve. Sea bass fillet, quick polenta sticks, and cherry tomatoes Prepare the quick polenta as indicated on the package, pour it onto a plate and let it cool. Steam the fish fillet (cooking time varies depending on size) and cut it into pieces: watch out for bones! Cut the polenta into sticks, peel and cut the cherry tomatoes into 4 pieces, and serve together with the fish. Read the article for more recipes!

How does the fetus sense flavors?

Through the amniotic fluid, babies receive flavors and odors of what their mothers eat, so once they are born, they already have a repertoire of taste experiences. Over time, children learn to recognize an increasing variety of flavors, associate them with specific foods, and store information about the reactions caused by certain types of tasting.

When does the sense of taste develop?

Between 3 and 6 months, then, children begin to explore the world. They do this by putting everything they find in their mouth and "tasting" everything and more: wood, iron, blankets... and each thing has a different flavor. With the start of weaning, then, the real and great experience with taste begins.

How do preferences develop?

Preferences are learned gradually, and experimentation begins even when the baby is still inside the mother's womb. That is why it is important for the mother to be the first to eat in a correct, healthy, and balanced way. The taste of the foods that the mother eats during pregnancy will be recognized immediately by the baby at the first encounter and will be appreciated because they are already part of his/her taste repertoire.