Is This Normal? Understanding Your Baby's Reactions to New Foods

We've been there, the moment you introduce a new food to your baby.  You are excited and they....make a weird face, or shudder or throw it.  It's easy in that moment to feel disheartened, but you don't need to be!  Here is what is really going on in their little bodies and brains.

Q: Why does my baby shudder or shiver after tasting food?

It's surprisingly common and almost always harmless. For months, your baby has tasted one or two things max: breastmilk or formula. Now they're suddenly experiencing a variety of flavors, textures, and temperatures all at once. That sensory overload can cause a little shiver as their nervous system adjusts.

Shuddering also tends to happen with foods that increase saliva production. Think tart or juicy foods like strawberries, watermelon, or even yogurt. It's the baby version of an adult biting into a lemon.

According to pediatric feeding therapists, this reaction is generally benign and part of normal sensory development as babies adjust to solid foods.

Q: Why do babies smash food instead of eating it?

Because they're scientists. At this age, babies have just figured out how to grab, squeeze, and manipulate objects with their hands, and they're thrilled about it. Smashing helps them learn: Is this soft? Hard? Squishy? What happens when I press it?

The American Academy of Pediatrics says that this hands-on exploration is a crucial part of developing fine motor skills and understanding their environment. Many babies also don't yet realize that food can be explored with their mouth, so they start with their hands. Even babies who know food goes in the mouth may feel more comfortable investigating with their fingers first. It helps them prepare for what it might feel like when they take a bite.

Q: Is spitting out food a sign they don't like it?

Not usually. Babies have spent their entire lives drinking. Chewing and swallowing solid food is a brand-new skill. It requires coordinated mouth movements and sensory awareness of what's happening inside their mouth without being able to see it.

Until they master these skills, babies have reflexes that push unchewed or partially chewed food back out to prevent choking. It's a protective mechanism, not a taste preference.

Research published in pediatric feeding studies shows that babies typically need 10 to 15 exposures to a new food before accepting it. If your baby spits something out, it's far more likely their brain is saying "not ready yet" than "I hate this."

Q: What about all those funny faces?

Babies make dramatic faces when trying new foods: scrunched noses, furrowed brows, looks of pure betrayal. But here's the thing: feeding therapists who've watched thousands of babies eat will tell you those faces don't mean much.

Babies who make a "yuck" face often keep right on eating. And remember, these are the same little humans who try to eat dog toys, dirty shoes, rocks, and dirt. If they can tolerate that, they can probably handle the blueberries.

Experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention remind parents that facial expressions during early feeding are often reflexive responses to new sensory experiences, not true indicators of food preferences.

Q: Why is my baby banging on the table or throwing food?

Babies love hands-on learning and experimenting with sound and touch. Around 6 months, they're hitting their stride with purposeful hand movements, and they love banging and throwing things. It's just another way to explore.

Dropping and "windshield wiping" food off the tray can signal "all done," but it's also worth remembering that self-feeding is hard. Food is slippery, oddly shaped, and tricky to hold. Babies often drop food accidentally or out of frustration because picking it up is more challenging than it looks.

Q: Should I worry about gagging?

Almost all babies gag when learning to eat solids, and it's actually a good thing. Gagging is a protective reflex that keeps food away from the airway while babies develop their chewing skills.

When food touches the middle-back part of the tongue or roof of the mouth, the brain responds by closing the airway, rhythmically squeezing the throat, and pushing the tongue forward. It looks scary, but it's doing exactly what it's supposed to do.

The American Academy of Pediatrics explains that the gag reflex in infants is positioned further forward in the mouth than in adults, which means babies gag more easily as a natural safety mechanism. In babies, gagging doesn't mean the food is repulsive. It just means their system is still learning.

Important: Gagging is different from choking. Learn the difference here and trust your baby's protective reflexes as they develop this new skill.

The Bottom Line

Most of the "weird" things babies do when trying new foods are completely normal. Shuddering, smashing, spitting, making faces, banging, dropping, and gagging are all part of learning to eat.

Your job isn't to control every reaction. It's to offer safe foods, create a calm mealtime environment, and trust that your baby is doing exactly what they need to do.

Want to make introducing solids easier? The Moss & Fawn Forage Feeder lets babies safely explore new tastes and textures while soothing teething gums at the same time. It's parent-approved, baby-loved, and designed to grow with your little one through every stage. AND it's on sale for Black Friday through 12/1!

Sources:

• American Academy of Pediatrics – Starting Solid Foods
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Infant and Toddler Nutrition