The flavors of food a woman eats while pregnant are present in amniotic fluid and swallowed by the fetus. Later, if she breastfeeds, her baby will taste the foods she prefers via her milk. This may be how cultural food norms are passed along well before a child ever eats solid food.
This was demonstrated in research published in Pediatrics over a decade ago. Filmmakers working on the documentary Carb-Loaded ask, what about today’s diets? Are babies learning to prefer soda, fries, and burgers?
Can unborn babies taste junkfood?
While it’s possible, babies also learn what to eat by what is on the table, so even if mom never eats green peppers, if it’s on the table and the child tries them enough, or sees dad eating them– then they’ll likely enjoy them, too.
I craved tomato soup by the bucket load while pregnant. My daughter came out of the womb craving it too. It’s one of her favorite foods.
I ate jars of olives, and I hate onions and peppers. What does my son like? Onions and peppers but not olives.
Why didn’t my kids LISTEN to that prenatal taste? Was my womb really such a horrible place that food tastes have nasty associations now?! *sigh* maybe they’ll grow out of it.