Why fussy eaters prefer beige foods
Crackers, bread, pasta, nuggets… It is pretty easy to guess what most fussy eaters will choose to eat if they are in charge.
I know this is a source of enormous frustration for many parents. They look at their child’s plate and everything is white and/or beige.
But why?
Reasons fussy eaters prefer beige foods
Why are these pale foods almost universally accepted over other foods?
1. Consistency and uniformity. Most beige foods are processed or pre-packaged foods and so there are fewer surprises.
A cracker will always be the same in terms of taste, texture, and consistency. Whereas, a lasagne, for example, will always be slightly different.
Pre-packaged foods not only have the advantage of being uniform, but they are also often ticking other boxes that make them desirable:
i) Texture. The texture is often appealing. Crackers and toast, for example, are crunchy and dry, which is a win for many picky eaters.
Pasta requires very little chewing, so it is easy to eat. This is also the reason nuggets are preferred over regular chicken, the consistency is easier to eat compared to the more chewy chicken (it’s essentially pre-chewed).
ii) Salt and sugar. These are often added to the beige foods. Fries, crackers, cereal, nuggets – all have those magic ingredients that make them moorish and have you coming back again and again.
iii) Bland. The flavour is usually bland. Pasta, bread etc. have very little flavour on their own. This makes them a safe and easy choice.
2. Comfort. Many of your child’s favourite foods are this colour – which is very chicken and egg. Ice cream, fries, nuggets, crackers, bread etc. are all common favourite foods and are white/beige so favourite foods are deemed to be white/beige.
Which comes first?!
3. Less overwhelming. From a sensory point of view these foods are often not as overwhelming as something brightly or multi-coloured. Muted beige is easier to contemplate.
4. In-built defense mechanism. From an evolutionary perspective these are foods that would, in general, have been safer. This is probably not even a conscious decision, but something that is wired from a time when toddlers did start to roam and could possibly eat poisonous foods.
Brightly coloured things were more likely to kill you, think deadly red berries!
5. Habit. Chicken and egg again! Eating foods that do not challenge a child, ensures they will feel safe eating them the next time. Beige/white foods are often those which are accepted and so a child looks for other things that are similar as a safety measure.
A child’s experience is positive and therefore it is a self-confirming circle. They eat a cracker and it ticks safety, colour, textural, moorish and non-challenging boxes so next time they feel hungry it is a natural choice.
The more they choose the same foods over and over, the more that becomes burned into the brain and the habit gets more and more entrenched.
Unfortunately, it also means foods that are less commonly eaten like brightly coloured vegetables look less and less appealing over time.
This may all sound a bit gloom and doom, especially if you are thinking of your child’s plate and know that colour is not a feature! However, although children do tend to prefer the beige/white foods, you can absolutely help them to move from these to other choices.
How can you help your fussy eater?
As a parent it can be really confusing to know what to do next. Although you desperately want things to change, it is challenging to find a way to make a difference. This can be particularly true if you have a child who is extremely anxious/stubborn/uncomfortable around food.
But, not doing anything, leaves you stuck with the same patterns, and those habits just get more and more difficult to shift. Therefore, often very small changes are the best ones to start with.
Or, it may also be about approaching the problem from a different angle.
1. Nutrient source. White/beige foods are not necessarily nutrient free or ones to put your head in your hands over (see ideas later in the article).
2. Colour changes. A change to a slightly different colour can often be okay for a child. The logical choice moving gently from white/beige would be yellow and light orange. For example, if cheese is a favourite, can we introduce a similar tasting cheese but in a slightly different colour?
3. Evaluate. Look at ALL the foods your child eats and see if there may be any doors you can open. For example, if they do eat some other coloured foods, what are they?
Or, which foods could you add that are a similar colour?
4. Build on the base. Use the familiar food as the base but introduce something that is a different colour to go alongside. Perhaps the colour is also similar to start with. For example, if crackers are okay, maybe you can offer a dip like hummus or some cheese. If that is okay, can you serve a different hummus with pumpkin or with a little red capsicum to change the colour, or cheese with that looks slightly different?
A word of caution:
Although many of the foods your child enjoys may be bland, do not assume all foods have to be mild tasting. I have worked with many families who have a child who eats under 10 foods but have in their repertoire something full of flavour (and unpalatable to many other children), such as blue cheese dip, curry, or calamari and aioli.
Yes, bland foods are often favourites, but it definitely does not mean that only those will be okay.
Other White/beige foods that may be acceptable
Let’s look at some other neutral-coloured foods that are outside the bread/cracker/nugget/pasta realm!
1. Bananas – if your child doesn’t eat these at the moment it is worth thinking smoothies, banana cake or muffins where you can add it in small quantities.
2. Apples – these can be easier to eat for some children when peeled, and I would advise thin, crunchy slices. Pureed apple can also be an option.
3. Pears – there are a few different varieties, which might tick the right boxes for your child. Tinned fruit that is sweeter and more uniform can be more easily accepted for some children.
4. Coconut – you can serve this fresh, dessicated or in liquid form such as coconut milk/cream/yoghurt etc.
5. Peeled zucchini/cucumber – if the skin is removed the green goes leaving just the paler insides.
6. Radish or daikon. Daikon is usually milder tasting than radish and is lovely and crunchy – think thin sticks. I have seen many children enjoy eating these like carrot batons.
Radish can be peeled so the flavour is not as spicy and the colour white.
7. Cauliflower – brassicas like cauliflower can be a bit of a challenge. However, if they are roasted or fried it can make them drier and crispy, ticking more textural boxes.
Or they can be cooked until soft and added into smoothies and sauces.
8. Mushrooms – uncooked these are white and texturally can be okay, especially with dip.
9. Parsnips – like potatoes these can be sliced thinly, par boiled and roasted until lovely and crispy.
10. Purple kumara (sweet potato) – if sliced very thinly and roasted in a little oil and salt at a high heat it can be like a potato chippy/crisp. The skin can be removed so they are a neutral colour.
11. Potatoes – they are super versatile as they can be cooked multiple ways.
12. Dairy foods – milk, cheese, yoghurt and smoothies are also an option and can be a great way to boost nutrients.
Although your child may prefer the beige foods it is possible to introduce new things. If you would like some help doing this, please get in contact. We can give you inspiration and simple plans to move forwards.
Judith, MA Cantab (Cambridge University), Post Grad Dip Psychology (distinction), Massey University, is an AOTA accredited picky eating advisor and internationally certified nutritional therapist. She works with 100+ families every year resolving fussy eating and returning pleasure and joy to the meal table.
She is also mum to two boys and the author of Creating Confident Eaters and Winner Winner I Eat Dinner. Her dream is that every child is able to approach food from a place of safety and joy, not fear.
Learn more about Judith here: https://theconfidenteater.com/about/