Another strategy was to target kids. “The human infant…
““Another strategy was to target kids. “The human infant enters the world without information about what is edible and what is not,” wrote psychologist Paul Rozin, who studied disgust for many years at the University of Pennsylvania. Until kids are around two, you can get them to try pretty much anything, and Rozin did. In one memorable study, he tallied the percentage of children aged sixteen to twenty-nine months who ate or tasted the following items presented to them on a plate: fish eggs (60 percent), dish soap (79 percent), cookies topped with ketchup (94 percent), a dead (sterilized) grasshopper (30 percent), and artfully coiled peanut butter scented with Limburger cheese and presented as “dog-doo” (55 percent). The lowest-ranked item, at 15 percent acceptance, was a human hair.* By the time children are ten years old, generally speaking, they’ve learned to eat like the people around them.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Children’s early openness to tasting reflects innate curiosity; cultural learning later narrows food preferences.
In simple terms: Kids try anything; culture later limits.
Key Takeaway
Encourage curiosity while guiding safe choices.
Themes
curiosity
learning
culture
Mood
informative
analytical
Type
educational
scientific
When to use this quote
- parenting
- education
- food marketing
- health education
Key Concepts
developmental psychology
gust
nutrition
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we balance safety with exploration?
- What foods shaped your early palate?
A Different Perspective
Over‑protectiveness can stifle exploration.