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Throwing Food

AnyaBellaAnyaBella
in Northern California Babies

G has recently started throwing his food off of his high chair. For a while he would just kind of drop the food over the edge and that was a sign that he was done. Now it's full on throwing and it's not really anything to do with being done. He does it at the start of a meal when I know he's hungry. He'll throw a berry and then pick another one up and eat it and then throw the next. Normally when he's done he says "all done." I just don't get it.

This morning I've had both blueberries and raspberries thrown at me. I really try to limit my use of the word "no" but I am struggling to figure out how to correct this behavior. Today as a handful of berries were being thrown at me I did say in my serious mom voice, "no! food goes in our mouth." and he laughed. So yeah... thoughts/tips/tricks? At this rate were definitely going to lose our security deposit because of all the berry stains on our carpet.

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Re: Throwing Food

  • Lesley423Lesley423
    Lucas went through this phase.  We would tell him not to throw food and if he continued to do it then we said meal time was over and took him out of the high chair.  It was so frustrating!  If he was still hungry we would try feeding him again after a little bit but once again if he started throwing we took him out of the highchair. 
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  • StructenggalStructenggal member
    We have that problem too.  Usually when he starts throwing food, I take it away and give him one piece at a time.  If he continues to throw that, I deem that he's done eating and take him out of the high chair.
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  • secretkeeper321secretkeeper321
    I've tried both strategies as PP and yes, it is so frustrating. I find that H throws a lot less food if I give him a fork or spoon to try and eat with. He's really good with the spoon (until he get's bored). The fork is usually used a few times and then he'll hold it with one hand while eating off the tray with his other. Lately he is trying to assert his independence and ends up out of the high chair before he's eaten too much. He usually comes back to the high chair while we are still eating and we'll try it again. When we had carpet in the eating area I always used a spill mat underneath, definitely helped our carpet.
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  • Mrs.BoomBoomMrs.BoomBoom
    imageLesley423:
    Lucas went through this phase.  We would tell him not to throw food and if he continued to do it then we said meal time was over and took him out of the high chair.  It was so frustrating!  If he was still hungry we would try feeding him again after a little bit but once again if he started throwing we took him out of the highchair. 
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  • tiki_ttiki_t

    But, but, but.. throwing food is fun! Hahaha! 

    I chose my battles. At that age, I only gave my kids foods to feed themselves that I was willing to have hit the floor. For everything else, I gave them something to hold (or throw) and fed them. Especially stuff that stains.  



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  • tiki_ttiki_t
    BTW... if you are renting and having to put the high chair over carpet.... after you clean the berry stains (check out Resolve foam), try hitting up a local carpet store and ask if they have an remnants that they will sell you for a low price. You can get vinyl or carpet squares in a size that is just a bit bigger than the high chair for next to nothing. That way after the high chair phase is over, you just dump the remnant and the carpet underneath is as good as new. 


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  • AnyaBellaAnyaBella

    imagetiki_t:
    BTW... if you are renting and having to put the high chair over carpet.... after you clean the berry stains (check out Resolve foam), try hitting up a local carpet store and ask if they have an remnants that they will sell you for a low price. You can get vinyl or carpet squares in a size that is just a bit bigger than the high chair for next to nothing. That way after the high chair phase is over, you just dump the remnant and the carpet underneath is as good as new. 

    excellent idea, thanks!

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  • lukafacelukaface

    imageStructenggal:
    We have that problem too.  Usually when he starts throwing food, I take it away and give him one piece at a time.  If he continues to throw that, I deem that he's done eating and take him out of the high chair.

    We did this exactly.  I can't say it was totally effective and it was a battle for a while, but she eventually got it and I can happily say she no longer throws her food :)

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  • SweetiePSweetieP

    Both of my kids were food throwers.  I just would tell them "no no...we don't throw food." and then tell them:  "if you don't want it, put it here" and point to the little cup holder on the tray (or give them a bowl if I wasn't using the removable tray).  Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.  When it doesn't, I take the tray away and let them sit in the high chair with no tray and no food.  When they squawk, I ask them if they want their food back...when they say "yes' or "more", I bring it back and say "food stays on the tray or in your mouth"....and then compliment them when they do it right "good girl Natalie".  

    Like I said, it doesn't work all the time.

    Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it.
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  • amyfeliceamyfelice
    I did the same as Donna, I said " Mommy doesn't like it when you throw the food, if you don't want it please give it to me" And miraculously that worked, after a while. She generally threw things she didn't like so if I noticed she didn't like it I would just take it away to avoid the issue. Also we have the tarp like thing under the chair to prevent a lot of damage. As above, when she does give it to me I say "thank you so much," and make sure not to push that food on her, since she clearly doesn't want it. DD doesn't eat much so I can't just take all the food away to discipline her so I am glad my tactic worked well. I was surprised though. 
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  • AnyaBellaAnyaBella
    Yeah it's definitely not an issue of not liking the food. He pretty much eats anything. He'll put the food in his mouth and say "mmmm" one second and then be throwing it the next. I guess I'll have to try taking it away.
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  • soon2Bkranzsoon2Bkranz member
    I did taking the food away if it was thrown at me. Thrown on the ground they clean it up and dont get to play right away since they have to clean up
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  • Kellina71Kellina71

    I actually completely ignored the behavior and cleaned it all up after they were done eating w/ no comments about it.  It seemed like it was more for the reaction- or they liked seeing my butt as I bent over to clean.  The phase passed fairly quickly since they didn't get a reaction.

    I would 2nd the idea of getting some sort of covering for your carpet under the high chair. Even a tarp of some sort is good, so you can easily pick the whole thing up and dump out the scraps after dinnertime.

    One thing I recall from a Toddler Class I took was a suggestion to let kids explore & get messy during mealtime.  (I realize throwing is a different issue)- but I think it is important to try to avoid conflict/ power struggles during mealtimes.  I have no idea if there are studies about eating disorders and early childhood food struggles, but I do know eating disorders are about having control.  I don't know if that stems from pre-teen power struggles around food or if it starts early....  just some "food" for thought. That all being said- I still bribe them with dessert only after you eat X amount of veggies, Y amount of fruit, etc....  SO I know I am trying to control things too.  In theory I wouldn't do that.... but we do what we think we hafta do.  I just tell myslef I will change that habit of mine as they get older and hopefully they will be okay.  (Sorry I went on another tangent.)  Embarrassed

    GL in general! Meal time can be a huge mess!! 

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