Children Quote by Karen le Billon
““French parents are provided with very different information about food, and about children's eating habits, than American parents. This is because French doctors, teachers, nutritionists, and scientists, view the relationship between children, food and parenting very differently than do North Americans. They assume, for example, that all children will learn to like vegetables. And they have carefully studied strategies for getting them to do so. French psychologists and nutritionists have systematically assessed the average number of times children will have to taste new foods before they willingly agree to eat them: the average is seven, but most parenting books recommend between ten and fifteen.””
About This Quote
Source Article: Nutrition and parenting differences, 2015
French parents expose children to vegetables repeatedly, believing repeated exposure builds preference, unlike U.S. approaches.
In simple terms: Repeated tasting builds food acceptance.
Key Takeaway
Offer new foods many times.
Themes
parenting
nutrition
culture
Mood
informative
thoughtful
Type
educational
analytical
When to use this quote
- family meals
- school lunch programs
- health education
Key Concepts
taste exposure
behavioral conditioning
Questions to Reflect On
- How many times have you offered a new food?
- What strategies can respect a child's taste?
A Different Perspective
Assuming all children will like veggies may overlook individual preferences.
![“[French] Parents see it as their job to bring the child around to appreciating this [food]. They believe that just as they must teach a child how to sleep, how to wait, and how to say bonjour , they must teach her how to eat.” quote by Pamela Druckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b6b/pamela-druckerman-3030_children_french-parents-see-it-as-their-job-to-br_2737096.jpg)
