Here at Mummy Cooks, we explored how genetically modified food can change your children's taste buds and cause them to become picky eaters. The difference between real food and genetically modified food may be affecting our children's taste buds. The development of your child’s taste buds is impacted by everything they place in their mouths. This is why it is so important to introduce your baby to as many tastes, textures and combinations as possible at the weaning stages. This will promote healthy, varied eating habits and most importantly, avoid a fussy eater later on in life.

Offering foods that have been overly processed with unnecessary additives, colourings and flavourings to your child will impact on the development of their taste. This will have an effect on their ability to enjoy real food. Studies have shown that many children have become so used to the taste of genetically modified food and flavours that they prefer them to real food! These children are missing out on the opportunity to enjoy real fruit, vegetables, fresh meat and fish. Genetically modified foods are distorting our children’s ability to recognise and enjoy the taste of real foods.

So what exactly is genetically modified food? 

Genetically modified food is a new space in the food market where food manufacturers market processed products in a way that they appear natural and indeed, real.

One thing that really stood out for us was the perfect example of engineered food; the Chicken Nugget. Supermarket labels read "Made with 100% chicken breast" on a box of manufactured chicken nuggets. While the chicken might be 100% chicken breast, the packaging fails to point out that the ingredients show each 'chicken' nugget is only about 50% real chicken! The rest is made up 8-10 other ingredients.

Claims on packaging can be very misleading for parents trying to do a healthy supermarket shop for their children. Products that boast the use natural products, real fruit and have no added sugar may not be all that they seem. It can be very misleading, but from our explorations we realise that is essential to read every label, especially the ingredients list. This may not come as a huge surprise to you as we have Uncovered Hidden Sugars in the Supermarket before.

However, many parents are still being mislead about what is on both their own and their children’s plates.
Misleading claims about real and natural products leaves parents unable to make fully informed purchase decisions. Rather than scare people into thinking they are destroying their child’s taste buds, here are our top tips for reading labels and assessing if a product is in fact real.

For more information on healthy, nutritious meals check out some of our other advice articles;

How to ensure your child is eating right during the school week
Top Tips for Grocery Shopping
How to be Treat Wise with your Little Ones

Don't forget you can also check out our vast collection of recipes for inspiration in the kitchen!! You are sure to find something your family will love!