Anyone's LO a "grazer" with food?

sunnydays99 · March 2014

DD is what I would consider a grazer and it drives the control freak part of me nuts!! She hates sitting at the table to eat. Would rather take a piece of food and walk around munching on it. Sometimes she'll leave the table without eating and if I don't clear the food away or if DS is still eating she'll occasionally go back to the table grab a bite then go on her merry way! I'm assuming there's nothing I can do about this right? I try to tell her that if she says she's done and leaves the table the food is taken away. She's fine with this and doesn't complain if that's the case. But I know she's still hungry because if I don't get to it right away then she goes back for more. I feel bad because we have a lot going on during the week and I'm not always able to accommodate her going back and forth! Sometimes we just need to eat and get out the door! DS was always a good eater and sits nicely until he's full. Any advice??

bhuffman · March 2014

DS2 is a major grazer. I try to limit it, but sometimes he just has a hard time settling down for meals. I have limited his between meal snacks as a way to cut down on his grazing at meal time. It has seemed to help a bit, but I think part of it is just his energy level. He has so much to do and eating gets in the way! I guess I would try to avoid giving snacks.

dmartin726 · March 2014

DD is a grazer as well and so mealtimes at our house usually last 1.5 hours. I will literally put the good out and she will sometimes come eat, sometimes not. She will sit for a few minutes with us but sometimes not even touch her food. I just leave it on the table for her. She will come back an hour later and eat cold pancakes. So whatever. I try really hard not to stress about it. If I have some place to go and she is dragging ass eating, I will give her a last chance, toss the food, or put it in the fridge. I'll pack a snack for when she looks at me hungry 15 minutes later. Either a granola bar, bag of Cheerios etc... Drives me nuts but it is what it is for now I guess.

juliane2004 · March 2014

IMO, try not letting her graze. Kids are smart. If you don't let her graze, she'll figure out that you need to sit to eat.

zbeesma86 · March 2014

Oh yes. Z is a big time grazer. She can usually adjust when we sit down for family meals with DH (2 times a week maybe?). We limit snacks & try to show her meal time is to eat & she gets snacks at snack time. Still a work in progress.

sunnydays99 · March 2014

Glad to hear I'm not alone! I try to be consistent with her,I'll just keep it up!

fancynewbeesly · March 2014

Since everything going on with Reese it has gotten WAY worse. She doesn't have much of an appetite anymore; she may eat sort of well one day and barely anything the next day. Because of this, I will do WHATEVER it takes to get her to eat---even if it means playing with her food and having her toys "eat" it, letting her watch tv and eat, walk around and eat, etc.

The only rule I have is popcorn, and other similar types foods has to be eaten at the table. She never had popcorn until the hospital, and when she was in the hospital, it was the ONLY food that would motivate her to get out of bed and move. So yeah, I hate that she has a love affair with popcorn, but if it gets her to eat, then she has to be sitting next to me eating one piece at a time.

jenniann87 · March 2014

DS is a major grazer. Most days he will eat a few bites at each meal and then go back and pick later on. Then there are some days where he eats like a horse. I know he will eat when he is hungry and not starve himself so I try not to worry about it but sometimes can't help it either.