Babies’ genes determine the foods they like before birth - but you can help avoid fussiness

From sweet tooth science to weaning tips, here’s how to raise a confident little eater.

Toddler eating a green pepper

Published: February 24, 2026 at 12:22 PM

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Babies are born with a sweet tooth, and it is not your imagination. From breast milk to mashed banana, little ones are naturally drawn to sugary flavours and often pull a very different face when something bitter lands on their tongue.

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Scientists believe this preference is protective, because sweet flavours usually signal calories and energy, while bitter tastes can indicate toxins.

But while biology plays a part, it is far from the whole story. The good news for parents navigating weaning is that taste preferences are shaped by experience too, and there is plenty you can do to help your baby learn to love a broader range of foods.

Why some flavours are harder to love

In addition to our inbuilt sweet preference, certain genes influence how we experience taste. Around 70% of people are especially sensitive to bitter compounds found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli. Those with this sensitivity may also dislike foods like black coffee or grapefruit.

Another well known example is the gene that makes coriander taste soapy to up to 20% of people, due to sensitivity to aldehyde compounds.

However, genes explain only a small part of our food preferences. As decades of research into behaviour has shown, what we learn and repeatedly experience plays a powerful role in shaping what ends up on our plates.

Babies start learning about food before birth

In one 2022 study, pregnant mums who consumed sweet carrot capsules had babies who smiled on ultrasound, while those who ingested bitter kale capsules had babies who grimaced, suggesting that our reactions to flavour begin before birth.

Flavours from a mum’s diet can pass through amniotic fluid, meaning babies are exposed to elements of their family’s cuisine before they are even born. Research from 2001 found that babies whose mums drank carrot juice during pregnancy or breastfeeding were more accepting of carrot flavoured cereal when first offered it.

Once babies begin solids, their experiences continue to shape their preferences. Positive associations, such as feeling satisfied and calm during mealtimes, can increase liking for a food. Negative experiences, including pressure or stress, can have the opposite effect.

That is why how you approach weaning matters just as much as what is on the spoon.

How to help your baby enjoy vegetables

Lucy Wood, a paediatric dietitian and early years feeding specialist at The Early Years Dietitian, shares practical ways to build confident, curious eaters, especially when it comes to bitter green veg.

baby in high chair feeding itself while weaning

1. Sit and eat together

“So often you see highchair in the middle of the room, with parents sat in front of their baby, just feeding them,” she says.

But babies learn by watching, so modelling how to eat, chew and enjoy food helps babies understand what to do, which they will then copy.

“If there's a dinner table, ideally use it to sit and have dinner together,” she says.

2. Give them autonomy

“The second thing is to allow them autonomy and independence when eating — so allowing them to eat to their own appetite and stop when they're full,” Lucy says.

She warns against pressuring children to eat or letting them graze all day, both of which can fuel fussiness.

Instead, stick to a consistent routine and follow the idea of division of responsibility in feeding: “parents are responsible for what, when, and where food is given, while the child is responsible for whether to eat or how much to eat,” Lucy says.

Parents are responsible for what, when, and where food is given, while the child is responsible for whether to eat or how much to eat.

Lucy Wood, a paediatric dietitian and early years feeding specialist at The Early Years Dietitian

3. Focus on variety, not numbers

There is a popular idea that babies should try 100 foods before they turn one, but Lucy is not convinced.

“We should definitely be aiming for variety, but you don’t need to aim for numbers and just tick foods off,” she says.

Instead, think about how foods are prepared. “Cook things differently, give them in different combinations, and prepare them differently because that's going to help a baby to get used to eating a variety rather than just one type of food," she says.

To use the example of carrots agin, you can try giving your baby carrot grated, roasted in batons, or mashed, for example.

4. Start with green vegetables

Current guidance is to start your baby’s weaning journey with just green vegetables, like broccoli, spinach, and cauliflower.

There's quite robust evidence now to show that babies who do a week or two of just green veg with no other foods to start with eat vegetables better in toddlerhood.

Lucy Wood, a paediatric dietitian and early years feeding specialist at The Early Years Dietitian

“Essentially this is because we are born with a desire to eat sweet things because it’s more rewarding in the brain. Breast milk and formula are sweet,” Lucy says.

Serving vegetables on their own, rather than mixing them with sweeter flavours, helps babies learn to genuinely enjoy them before being able to compare them to sweeter foods or expecting them mixed with breast milk.

5. Let babies get messy

“Weaning is very sensory, so allow them to get in a mess,” Lucy says.

Resist the urge to constantly wipe hands and faces mid meal. “Let them get in a mess, let them explore, let them take their time, and then once it's done, clear them up,” she says.

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The bottom line for parents

Babies are born loving sweet tastes, and a few of our taste preferences are informed before we're even born. But preferences are not fixed. With repeated exposure, a calm environment and a little patience, even broccoli can become a firm favourite.

Authors

MadeForMums team

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