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Embrace the 10-times rule with kids

Just 4.6 per cent of primary-school-aged children consume the daily recommended amount of vegetables – a statistic that impacts their life-long health and our community’s wellbeing. Yet, it can be an uphill battle for many parents if kids are constantly saying, “Ewww, yuk” to everything we serve up. 

Understanding why a child might be resistant to trying new foods, or may happily eat a food one day and refuse it the next, can help you find ways to overcome these common problems. Early food experiences can shape lifelong habits, so here are a few principles to help kids develop healthy eating habits:

Posted on

21 October 2025
Veggies first
Veggies First
  1. Fussiness is common

Around 30% of children under the age of six will refuse to try new foods or display “fussiness” regarding eating new foods. It’s normal for a child to enjoy a food one day and reject it the next. This doesn’t mean they don’t ‘like it’ or they won’t accept it on another occasion. 

  1. Don’t give up: offer it (at least) 10 times

You may need to offer an individual food 10 times or more before your child will choose to eat it. However, around half of parents only persist 2–3 times before giving up on that food altogether. Don’t interpret refusal as permanent dislike – keep going! Regularly offering a variety of new and familiar foods helps expand their diet and encourages healthy eating habits over time. Print this fun, easy-to-use chart that will help you and your child/children have fun while learning to love veggies.

  1. Processed foods are predictable, that’s why kids love them

The natural variability in fresh fruits and vegetables means they can vary in taste and texture from one experience to the next. This may cause your child to like a food one day and refuse it the next. Nuggets and chips usually taste consistently the same across experiences, so kids can be drawn to them not just for taste reasons, but because they know what to expect.

Remember, half of all 0-3 year-olds refuse to eat new and different foods at least half the time. It’s normal and persistence pays off.

  1. Don’t fill them up before dinner

It’s easy to forget in the rush of the day that kids do need to be hungry to eat a meal, and their stomach is small. Too many drinks of milk or other drinks may be filling them up. Some children prefer drinks as they don’t have to stop activities for very long to finish, so stick to water wherever possible and serve kid-sized meals. Try to serve their dinner early (no later than 5pm) so they are not too tired to eat properly. 

Download the 10 x Veggie table here to get your kids loving their vegetables in no time!

For more tips on kids and healthy eating, see the Better Health Channel website.