Feeding a toddler takes patience for a number of reasons. Learn five tips to stop one of the biggest challenges, food waste.
Originally posted: March 30, 2015. Updated October 27, 2024.
Does your child turn every meal into a food festival? You are not alone! Throwing food is a common phase many toddlers go through as they explore their world and test boundaries. While it’s completely normal, it can also be incredibly frustrating for parents. Let’s dive into some proven strategies to help make mealtimes more peaceful.
Understanding the ‘Why’ behind toddler food throwing
Before moving on to solutions, it is helpful to understand why toddlers throw food. It can be:
- Cause and Effect Investigation (“What happens when I drop it?”)
- Attention seeking (even negative attention is still attention!)
- Signaling that they are full or not interested in certain foods
- Test the limits to see how you react
- I’m just bored at the table
If you are following me Facebook or Instagramyou’ve probably noticed that I recorded the food throwing fight at mealtime with all 4 of my toddlers. I love baseball, football, basketball, etc. any sport that involves some kind of throwing. But I don’t consider mealtime a sport.
That being said, I learned a few tips and tricks that reduced my child’s food throwing – when it was a scene. Because guys, I’m here to tell you that the food throwing stops once those kids go to school.
Here are the top 5 ways to stop your child from throwing away food:
Tip #1: Turn your back. This is MUCH easier said than done. You better believe I wanted to yell, “well shoot Joey,” when I saw a carrot go past my dining room table and into the living room. But like most toddler behaviors, smiles, laughter and praise mean it’s more likely to continue. Also, the nos, stop and don’t mean it’s more likely to continue as well.
Tip #2: Give your child your undivided attention. I realize this is the exact opposite of the previous advice. But I notice if I’m cleaning dishes, cooking, or talking on my phone when Joey is eating, then the food dropping increases. Can you blame him? I wouldn’t want to be ignored while eating a meal! I suggest sitting down with your child and modeling the behavior you want them to emulate at the table—and hey, enjoy a family meal, even if it’s just the two of you!
Tip #3: Limit the food on their plate or tray. The more the merrier, right?! Not in this case. The amount of food on your little one’s tray may just be too much for them, tempting them to try their hand at throwing food. Not everyone likes the all-you-can-eat buffet at every meal.
Tip #4: Make sure your child is REALLY hungry. Sometimes it’s hard to tell when Joey is hungry because he can’t come out and say “I’m hungry mommy!” just yet To make sure Joey has some appetite when it comes to mealtime, I limit snacking to at least an hour or 1.5 hours before a scheduled meal. This has significantly reduced food waste!
Tip #5: Redirect their attention. I started making food providing a learning opportunity for Joey. “Joey, let’s put the green apple in that bowl!” “How many apples are in the bowl now?” Also, while most of the food I serve for kids can go directly on Joey’s tray, I’ve started using plates and letting him eat meals with a fork and spoon. Both have distracted him enough that he doesn’t show off his right curveball with the ravioli for dinner!
If all else fails, I would suggest ending mealtime. There’s no point in continuing to give your kid ammo if it’s just going to end up on your floor. This does not mean that your child is excused from their table or high chair. Continue eating your dinner [or breakfast, lunch, and dinner in my case] set the example that just because they may have finished eating doesn’t mean everyone else at the table is.
What am I missing? Any other tips or tricks to help with food spoilage in your home?
