Tips to Quell Food Throwing

Food throwing is an extremely frustrating occurrence that can easily become a habit.

Generally, it is best to limit the amount of time your kiddo is at the table. Bring them to the table when food is ready and remove uneaten food promptly. This will prevent boredom and frustration while also taking away projectiles.

Sitting at the table and eating is a learned skill. Keep this in mind when food throwing is frustrating you. You are responsible for teaching your little the expectations of meal time and helping them master this skill.

If it helps you, compare meal time to potty learning. This isn’t meal time, it is table learning.

Just like with potty learning, you should expect this to take effort on your part and your littles.

There is a learning curve, and expectations take time to learn. There are accidents and bumps in the road. It is part of learning!

Modeling, repetition, and positive phrasing will be your best friend.

Below are some ideas to go along with why your little might be throwing food. Try implementing these strategies from the very beginning of your table training journey.

I don't however, recommend taking away a babies food/plate if less than 12-18 months old. You know your baby best- try it out when you think they are approaching readiness.

Do they only throw food when they are finished eating?

If this is the case your little is lacking the ability to communicate with you that they are finished eating.

Try implementing sign language for all done. Here is a quick video on how to sign all done/finished.

When implementing sign language your little will continue to throw food until this behavior is learned.

Teach your little to sign all done by modeling the behavior. If you eat as a family you can sign and say all done when you are finished eating.

You should sign and say all done each time you pick up your littles food or plate at the end of a meal. This takes time and repetition, but will help to quell food throwing at the end of the meal.

To help your little one catch onto the sign faster, use it when bath time ends, a book is over, or during other applicable times.

Do they throw food they dislike?

If you find your little throws food they dislike or don’t want, provide them a place to put it.

This can be a small bowl, plate, or a placemat. Say to your child, “You don’t have to eat it” and model placing the food in the desired location.

To make this easier to learn, you should use the same bowl, plate, or placemat at each meal. Do this each time your kiddo throws food.

Pick the food up off the floor and place it in the desired location while saying, “you don’t have to eat it.”

Do they throw food out of frustration or anger?

Using a combination of phrases is helpful here.

Try implementing, “Food stays on the plate/tray/table” while removing the food. For new eaters, repeat the phrase while replacing the food in the desired location.

If they aren’t eating or are too frustrated to eat, remove the food and try again later.

There isn’t use to keeping an angry kiddo at the table with ammo. Let them cool off and bring them back to the table 5-10 minutes later.

Do they throw food out of boredom?

Similarly to throwing food out of anger or frustration, if your kiddo is bored at the table they aren’t interested in eating.

Keep your kiddo from becoming bored at the table by placing them at the table only when the food is ready and removing the food when they are finished eating.

If you eat meals as a family and your kiddo needs to stay at the table when finished eating, remove the uneaten food and provide them with something they can play with.

A washable book or bath toy is great here as they can be washed after messy fingers get a hold of them.

Do they throw food to get a reaction?

Food throwing is incredibly frustrating, but showing your little how frustrated you are can accidentally encourage the behavior.

Keep your cool, take some deep breaths and retrieve the food and place it in the desired location while saying your go to phrase, “Food stays on the tray/table/plate.”

Keeping your cool and not giving a reaction can keep your little from thinking this is a fun or desirable behavior.

Do they throw food because it is fun?

When food lands on the floor you little is observing cause and effect in action. This can be interesting and fun!

Does food hitting the floor make an interesting sound? Does your pet run over to take a lick? Do they get a silly whoops or oops from you? Do they enjoy watching you bend down to get the food time and time again?

These things all make food throwing more fun and interesting to your little. While there isn’t much that can be done about a big juicy plop sound, keeping pets away during meal time, and providing the same reaction each time food is on the ground will quell your little’s desire to repeat the behavior.

Each time food lands on the floor repeat the same phrase day in and day out, and in every scenario. “Food stays on the plate/tray/table”. This will be your meal time mantra.

Do your part to take the fun and excitement out of food on the floor. If your little is making a game out of you bending over, wait to clean up until the end of the meal when food has been removed from your littles grasp.

Repeat your phrase. Stay level headed and calm. Food throwing should be as boring and uninteresting as you can make it.

For some kiddos it is best to not look at the fallen food at all. Repeat your mantra and keep the meal moving.

When in doubt, remove the food

If food throwing is a never ending cycle in your home follow the above tips, but implement a consequence.

If your little one throws food on purpose, pick it up while modeling where you want food to go, and say the following, “Food stays on the tray. If you throw food, meal time is all done.”

You must follow through here.

If food is thrown again the consequence has been earned. For older littles, think around 2 or older- remove all food and have them clean up the floor. For younger littles, remove all food and clean them up.

This doesn’t mean that they have lost their ability to eat until the next meal, it just means that they need a break. Try meal time again in 10 minutes (if your kiddo is hungry).

When you restart meal time, begin with less food accessible to your kiddo, and set the expectation. “I know you are hungry. Food is for eating, not for throwing.”

As the meal begins, reiterate where food belongs. “Food stays on the tray/plate/table.”

Stick with consequences and your positive expectations. You want your little to know what to expect when food throwing occurs- the mystery of wishy-washy follow through and reactions will keep the behavior interesting for them.

Remember! The important thing to keep in mind with food throwing is to keep things positive and consistent. Meal times carry enough stress with picky eating, deciding what to serve, timing, and safety. Use positive language and modeling to reinforce the behaviors you do want to see and give consistent consequences when needed.