Many American children have developed a strong, stubborn preference for

sweet and salty processed food before their second birthdays. If they

haven’t, it could well be because they became accustomed to healthier

flavors much earlier, beginning in breast milk or even in utero. What

babies taste in the first weeks and months of life really matters, says

Dr. Julie Menella of the Monell Chemical Senses Center. Her research

suggests that school meals can only ever be just one of a much larger

set of interventions, and that some of them need to occur before

students are even born. This program was brought to you by Cain Vineyard & Winery



“During childhood we learn what to eat, how to eat, how food should taste. Many children aren’t getting the experience to learn to like (healthy) food.” [11:00]


“It can’t just be school, it starts in the home. As much as we’re focusing on the school nutrition program we have to focus on the barriers for healthy eating for families at home.” [13:00]


–Dr. Julie Menella on Inside School Food