An article in today's NY Times about children's eating habits does 
not mention breastfeeding.  However, I think there are some highly 
relevant parts.  The article says that it isn't known why children 
tend to become much pickier around age 2.  One researcher speculates 
that it is related to the child's mobility: being able to walk around 
greatly increases the likelihood of finding and eating dangerous 
things.

It seems obvious to me, however, that an increase in pickiness around 
2 years ties in nicely with a minimum age of weaning of 2 years 
throughout human history (minus the past 100 years or so).  Children 
would be able to eat a variety of food and try unfamiliar flavors in 
relative safety as long as they still have the protection of 
breastmilk.  Once weaned it is much more dangerous to experiment with 
foods and flavors, so it makes sense that children would become 
averse to new things.

Article:  http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/10/dining/10pick.html

I did send an email to the researcher quoted in the article, Dr. Lucy 
Cooke, pointing out the coincidence of the evolutionarily-normal 
minimum weaning age and onset of pickiness.

Margaret
Longmont, CO

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