If your toddler’s diet looks like it was designed by a carb-loving ghost (bread, pasta, pancakes, repeat…), you’re not alone. The “white food phase” is a totally normal part of development, usually hitting between 18 months and 4 years. It’s all about comfort, predictability, and a dash of toddler control. The good news? With the right mix of patience, exposure, and humor, most kids grow out of the beige buffet by age five. Here’s why it happens—and what you can actually do about it.