Food preferences in young Dutch children and recommendations for feeding intervention in developmental disabilities.

Amore et al. (2011) asked parents of Dutch toddlers to rate 107 foods. They wanted a master list of kid-approved items for feeding therapy.

The survey covered fruit, vegetables, dairy, bread, snacks, and drinks. No kids had disabilities; the goal was normative data.

Fifty-four foods scored high, including banana, cheese, and apple. Raisins, brown bread, and peach were the only items that changed with age or gender.

The list gives clinicians a quick menu of usually-liked foods to try first.

Villafañe et al. (2023) extends this idea to kids who refuse food. They showed that brief pictorial tests plus a tiny taste predict acceptance as well as full edible assessments, but without tears or gagging.

Kronfli et al. (2020) also extends the list. They found fruits and veggies can beat candy for kids with autism, so don’t skip healthy items when you build your tray.

Zonneveld et al. (2019) conceptually replicates the Dutch survey in the lab. They show quality or immediacy, not just name, drives choices, explaining why the same food sometimes wins and sometimes loses.

Use the 54 preferred Dutch foods as your starter pack when a new client sits at the table. Pair the list with quick pictorial or paired-choice probes to see which items survive the child’s first bite. If you serve a fruit or veggie and it’s rejected, test it again; Kronfli’s work shows it might still outrank chips once the child tastes it.