During the early stages of solid food introduction, most babies eagerly embrace vegetable purees, often delighting their astonished parents. Yet as they grow, they swiftly favor pasta and other starchy foods over vegetables.
“This is a normal developmental phase designed by nature to protect young humans,” explains Dr. Florence Solsona, a registered nutritionist, in Vegetable Desserts by Noémie Strouk (publishing January 27 by Editions Larousse). Vegetables often carry a bitter undertone, and many toxic plants are bitter too. A natural aversion to bitterness prevents children from seeking out potentially harmful foods. Historically, food scarcity far outweighed abundance—unlike in today's industrialized nations. Children's preference for energy-rich starches prioritizes survival by favoring calorie-dense options.
Start by serving vegetables daily, even if they go uneaten—and eat them yourself in their presence! This positions veggies like coffee or mustard: foods kids may not like now but will associate with adulthood and gradually adopt to emulate you. It's straightforward and effective.
To counter negative biases, get creative with plating—draw inspiration from Ida Skivenes' gourmet, artistic designs. Or serve vegetables... as dessert! Vegetable Desserts delivers on its promise of "healthier desserts with exciting new flavors" through 50 recipes for cakes, muffins, biscuits, and ice creams featuring fresh or dried vegetables like beetroot, zucchini, sweet potato, red beans, and pumpkin. These spark kids' interest and inspire adults to rethink veggie prep. Five fruits and vegetables a day? Achievable!
Discover 4 innovative vegetable dessert recipes in the March issue of BIBA magazine, on sale early February.
