The Power of Example at the Table

The Power of Example at the Table: How Parents' Behavior Influences Their Children's Taste, Emotions, and Eating Habits

Nutrition education for children: the example  that nourishes (even before food)

Children learn by observing . Even before they understand words, they absorb the gestures, behaviors, and emotions that surround them. Even at the table, their parents' example becomes the primary " teacher " of taste.
If mom and dad show curiosity about new foods, enjoy fruits, vegetables, and varied dishes, their children will tend to do the same. Conversely, if they frequently see rejection, grimaces, or negative comments ("I don't like it," "that's disgusting"), they are likely to imitate them.

Several studies (see "For more information") confirm that children's food preferences are formed in the first years of life and are strongly influenced by the family context. Food, in fact, is not just nourishment, but an emotional language: through sharing meals, children learn what is "normal" to eat and how to relate to food.

The parenting model: between emotions, routine and consistency

Being a "positive role model" doesn't mean being perfect. Rather, it means demonstrating consistency between what you say and what you do.
If we talk about the importance of fruit but never put it on our plates, the message loses its impact. If we encourage our children to try a new food but we avoid it ourselves, they'll be less likely to be motivated to try it.

The way we experience meals has an equally important impact:

Eating calmly and slowly helps children associate mealtime with positive emotions.

Avoiding blackmail (“if you eat vegetables, I'll give you dessert”) or forcing (“you have to finish everything”) teaches you to listen to hunger and satiety signals.

Involving your children in preparing meals makes them more curious and willing to experiment.

Call to Action: 5 Practical Steps to Lead by Example

1. Eat together with your child: even just one shared meal a day builds connection and trust.
2. Show enthusiasm for healthy foods: comment positively (“This dish smells so good!”, “I love the colors of this salad”).
3. Suggest, don't impose: offer the same food several times in different ways, without pressure.
4. Involve him in the choice and preparation: shopping together or washing vegetables turns food into a game.
5. Create a consistent environment: Limit the constant presence of snacks and sweets in the house. Children learn to choose what's available.

In summary…

Nutrition education begins long before a child picks up a spoon: it begins with the looks, gestures, and habits of parents. Every time we sit at the table, we communicate something—and often, without words, we teach more than we realize.

Educating about taste is a family journey: step by step, example after example.

To learn more

If you have time and are curious to learn more about how parental behavior influences children's eating habits, here are two interesting scientific readings.

REMEMBER:

When it comes to nutrition and health, it is always important to get information from reliable and up-to-date scientific sources .

1. The correlation between different operationalizations of parental restrictive feeding practices and children's eating behaviors: Systematic review and metaanalyses (2022)

• It specifically analyzes restrictive parenting practices (e.g., limiting access to certain foods) and how they are related to “maladaptive” eating behaviors in children (e.g., increased responsiveness to food, selectivity, etc.).
• Interesting because it highlights that not only the “positive model” but also certain parenting practices can have an impact (often negative) on children’s preferences/nutrition.

2. The Influence of Parental Dietary Behaviors and Practices on Children's Eating Habits (2021)

• A narrative review that collects evidence on the link between parents' eating behaviors (what they do) and those of their children.
• She emphasizes that family meals and the presence of positive role models are among the most influential factors.

Bèbeboom's proposals for weaning made in Italy