Even before birth, your baby's sense of taste begins to develop and continues to refine over the months after birth. Taste buds are responsible for detecting five basic flavors: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami. They don’t work alone, though—your baby’s sense of smell adds nuance and helps enhance these flavors. In this article, we’ll explain in detail how the sense of taste develops and how it influences whether certain foods are loved or rejected.

What exactly is "taste"?

When we talk about the sense of taste, we mean the flavors we perceive through our taste buds. Taste buds are sensory organs located on the tongue and distributed unevenly: most are found in the grooves around the large papillae at the back of the tongue, while the rest are more dispersed—on the front part of the tongue and at the tip. There are also some taste buds on the palate, in the nasal cavity, and in the larynx. Do you know how many there are in total? Science has found that there are around 10,000 taste buds, a number that gradually decreases to about 5,000 after the age of 50. This could explain why the desire for foods with more intense flavors tends to increase with age.

The sense of taste allows us to distinguish between sweet, salty, sour, and bitter flavors. But taste doesn’t rely solely on taste buds: the way we perceive flavor also depends on the senses of smell and touch. Through the interaction of these senses, we experience an infinite range of nuances. In other words, without the combination of all these senses, the tasting experience becomes less rich, and it becomes harder to identify and distinguish between different flavors.

How does the sense of taste develop?

The sense of taste is innate and begins to develop around the seventh week of pregnancy. Little by little, your baby has their first taste experiences in the womb, until, in the third trimester, their sense of taste is developed enough to perceive variations in the flavors of the amniotic fluid.

At birth, your little adventurer can already distinguish between sweet, bitter, and sour flavors. Around four months, salty flavors also become perceptible, and by three years old, the development of the sense of taste is complete.

So, how do taste preferences develop? Many taste preferences are influenced by our genes. Our fondness for sweet and calorie-rich foods goes back to our ancestors, who lived by hunting and gathering. They recognized ripe, edible fruits by their sweetness, and the fats from the animals they hunted provided vital energy. Today, the preference for these comforting tastes remains rooted in those early human beginnings and often seems especially strong in children, whose preference for sweet flavors is very common. Compared to adults, young children have less experience with flavors because they have tried fewer foods. For this reason, they rely more on genetic tendencies than on what we offer them. Over time, they gradually learn new taste experiences, usually during the first years of life through the foods they begin to eat. While, in the first months, breast milk—or, if not available, formula—provides pleasant sensations, your baby will expand their flavor repertoire as they try new foods during the complementary feeding stage. Little by little, your little adventurer will build a rich memory of taste experiences.

Why doesn't my child like certain foods?

Why are some children obsessed with sweet flavors? Why do some children reject vegetables? As we’ve seen, the development of the sense of taste is a long and complex process. And although introducing foods during the complementary feeding stage may feel promising at first, the truth is that preferences can change a lot—and quickly.

At first, babies tend to prefer flavors they experienced in the womb, which are influenced by the mother’s diet. Breastfeeding, which begins after birth, allows your baby to gradually experience new flavors. When complementary feeding begins, around six months, soft and sweet foods (but not sugary!), such as fruit, can be a great start because the change in flavor is less abrupt compared to the milk they’re used to. As your little one grows, you can gradually offer other foods, but our recommendation is not to insist if they refuse. It’s normal for babies to reject foods they don’t recognize or find unusual, especially because they perceive flavors more intensely than adults. This can make certain foods taste particularly bitter, sour, or too salty.

But don’t despair! The sense of taste develops over time, and your baby will gradually become more open to new foods. You can help by introducing new dishes in a safe, playful environment—always without forcing them to eat or even taste. Also, remember that, according to the dietitian-nutritionist, it may be necessary to offer a child a new food between 15 and 21 times before they agree to try it. Research also shows that the eating habits established in childhood can influence food choices for the rest of our lives. So, our advice is to be patient and support your baby with plenty of love and respect as they develop their sense of taste and explore new foods.