Glossary · Systems
Dietary diversity
Eating foods from different groups, and different foods within each group, across days and weeks. Variety builds slowly, since many children need 8–15 tries or more with a new food, so it helps to look at the whole week rather than one meal.
What variety looks like across a week
Variety means foods from different groups (grains, vegetables, fruit, protein foods and dairy) and different foods within each group. Not just apples, but pears, berries and mango. Not just chicken, but eggs, beans and fish. A rainbow of colors across the week is an easy way to picture it. Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables count, which makes variety easier on a budget.
Building variety by age
From around 6 months, babies can try a wide range of foods and textures: iron-rich foods, common allergens, vegetables with stronger flavors like broccoli and spinach, and gentle spices. Toddlers often narrow their list for a while, which is normal. Keep offering a range anyway, next to favorites. Herbs and spices count as variety too: cinnamon in oatmeal, cumin in lentils, a little garlic in vegetables.
Easy ways to mix it up
- Rotate fruit at breakfast through the week.
- Swap within a group: brown rice one night, bulgur or quinoa the next.
- Give a familiar recipe a twist: oat pancakes one week, sweet potato pancakes the next.
- Shop by color once a week.
- Keep a short list of the foods your child has tried.
Week, not meal
A beige day is normal. Look at what your child had across the week, and add one new or less-loved food next to familiar ones. Many children need 8–15 tries or more with a new food, so variety builds slowly and steadily.
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References
Related terms
Miriel uses this concept across food scans, meal plans, and AI Coach responses where it is relevant to a child's profile. For the underlying clinical and scientific basis, see the research page.