Let’s face it, getting toddlers to eat vegetables can feel like trying to put up wallpaper: frustrating, messy, and usually ends with someone crying. But June 17 is National Eat Your Vegetables Day, and it's the perfect reminder that you’re not alone in the veggie struggle.
If your toddler has ever thrown cauliflower across your kitchen or looked offended at the sight of broccoli, this guide is for you, with tips from the Parents as Teachers program.Tip 1: You Don’t Have to Win Every Mealtime
It’s okay if your child doesn’t eat all their veggies and it is okay to offer a little treat with dinner every once in a while! Making mealtime too strict can cause more stress than help. Focus on offering healthy foods - what they choose to eat is up to them. Know that bumps along the way are to be expected and that, as power struggles begin to fade, mealtimes will become easier. (This usually happens around the age of three - so hang in there!)
Tip 2: Serve New Foods in Small Amounts
New food on the plate? Keep it simple. Offering a tiny piece, without pressure, is best.
Research shows it can take 15 times or more of seeing a new food before your toddler even gives it a try. So keep serving it up and stay patient.
Tip 3: Talk About Food (Instead of Demand They “Eat It!”)
Toddlers learn by watching and listening. When you’re eating healthy foods, talk about them! Say things like:
“This carrot is really crunchy!”
“This corn tastes sweet.”
“Mmm, I love this green bean!”
You’re teaching them that food is more than just something to finish: it’s something to experience.
Tip 4: Get Toddlers Involved (Even a Little!)
Let your child help with simple tasks like rinsing vegetables or putting carrot sticks on the plate. When toddlers feel like part of the process, they’re more likely to try what they helped with.
Take them with you to the farmers market or grocery store and ask, “Which veggie looks fun to try this week?”
Tip 5: Make It Fun, Not a Fight
Try dipping veggies in hummus or yogurt. Cut them into fun shapes. Give your child choices related to their veggies, such as “Do you want to try your sweet potatoes with your orange or yellow spoon?” And if they still don’t want to eat them today? That’s okay!
The goal isn’t perfection - it’s progress over time. Remember that the small wins are the big wins.
Learn more about Parents as Teachers, a program supporting families like yours through early childhood. Families who participate in Parents as Teachers are assigned a Parent Educator who helps with parenting challenges, age-appropriate activities and materials for you and your child, developmental screenings and assessments, information to respond to your questions or needs, connecting you to needed resources and services in the community, and transitioning to a high-quality preschool or kindergarten program.
About the Author:
Heather Sakai has been a member of the Bright Beginnings team since early 2022, serving as the Social Media Engagement Coordinator. She holds a Master of Science in Social Service Administration and a Master of Arts in Contemporary Dance from Case Western Reserve University. Heather brings experience in social work and mood disorders research, marketing and social media, as well as dance instruction for children and adults in both the United States and abroad. Passionate about connecting people through social media, Heather strives to make it a safe space to ask questions, be vulnerable, and share successes and struggles. She is also the administrator of Cuyahoga Parents Connect and warmly invites you to join if you are a parent or caregiver of a child from birth to kindergarten, or if you are expecting a child.