Opinion piece:

Having raised (dragged?) three children through the baby and toddler eating stage myself, I can confidently say this: feeding kids is tough.

And often, the hardest part isn’t the planning or the cooking — it’s the reaction.

The “yuk.”
The “I don’t like it.”
The occasional plate pushed away (or worse… onto the floor).

It’s enough to make anyone reach for bribery just to get something nutritious into them.

In our house, it has definitely sounded like:
“Just a few bites of broccoli and you can have dessert…
Ok, two bites…
Ok, one bite…
Just lick it.”

Not because it’s good practice — it’s not.
But because sometimes you just need to get through the meal.

If this is (or has been) you — you’re not alone. And there’s no judgement here.

At some point (somewhere between broccoli battles and endless sauce blending… “no green bits!”), I had a bit of a lightbulb moment: 

Our job isn’t just to feed our children healthy food — it’s to help them want to eat it.

Because one day, they’ll be making those choices on their own. And while nutrition in the early years is important, there will (hopefully) be many more years where they feed themselves than where we feed them.

Which means how we feed them matters just as much as what we feed them,

If you’ve parented a child who refuses vegetables (or any key food group), you’ll know that simply asking them to eat it rarely works — and can often make things worse.

But they can learn. It just might not start at the table.

Simple, low-pressure exposure is a great first step:

• Let them choose vegetables at the supermarket 

• Get them involved in prepping meals 

• Plant some seeds together at home 

• Play food-based games (shops, cooking, etc.) 

From there, you can build gradually to touching, then licking, smelling and perhaps one day: tasting. The goal isn’t to get the food eaten today, it’s to build familiarity and acceptance over time.

Nutrition matters — but so does the bigger picture

Yes, nutrition matters. But so does the bigger picture. If your child is generally happy, growing, and full of energy, they’re likely doing just fine — even if their diet isn’t perfect every day.

(And if you’re concerned, it’s always worth checking in with your GP or maternal child health nurse.)

How we talk about food matters, too

When foods are labelled with words like “good,” “bad,” or “junk,” children can start to see:

• Healthy foods as a chore 

• Treat foods as more desirable 

• Eating certain foods as something to feel guilty about 

In summary

We’re not just raising kids who are fed well in childhood.

We’re raising kids who feel relaxed and confident around food — and who can choose a balanced way of eating for themselves as they grow.

And that matters far more than a few bites of broccoli at dinner.

Written by Zoe Taylor: Dietitian and mum of three young children.