Why Do Toddlers Throw Food?

(And How to Stop Wearing It)

Picture this: you've made a meal—maybe even chopped vegetables!—you plate it up for your toddler, sit down, and two seconds later… SPLAT. Peas on the floor. Sauce on your shirt. And your toddler? Beaming like they've won gold in the Olympic food-flinging finals.

So, why do toddlers throw food? Are they tiny food critics or is something else going on?

Let’s dig in. (Preferably with a spoon, not your floor mop.)

Although messy, throwing food is just a phase.

Limit how much food your child has access too in one go.

1. Food Throwing Is a Phase (Even If It’s a Messy One)

Toddlers throw food for all kinds of reasons:

• Cause and effect: They're scientists in high chairs. “What happens if I drop this grape?”

• Seeking attention: Your shocked face is very entertaining.

• Testing boundaries: “Will Mum still give me yoghurt after I launch this meatball?”

• Done eating: They don’t know how to say “I’m full,” so they say it with spaghetti.

What You Can Do:

• Keep meals calm and low-drama. Try a neutral response like, “Food stays on the plate. If you’re done, that’s okay.”

• Use a toddler plate with sections or a mess mat under the highchair for easy cleanup.

• Teach a simple sign or phrase for “all done.”

• Don’t turn it into a game. If they throw, the meal ends calmly and consistently.

2. Why Shared Meals Matter (Even If No One Eats Much)

Yes, your toddler may eat three bites and then start negotiating dessert, but eating together is about more than food.

Shared mealtimes:

• Are often the only consistent time in the day families connect—especially as children get older.

• Are when kids learn to model manners and conversations.

• Help kids develop a healthy relationship with food, by watching others eat at a calm pace, trying new things, and enjoying meals socially.

3. Skip the Toys and iPads—And Here’s Why

We get it. A screen keeps them quiet. A toy keeps them distracted. But...

Here’s the problem:

• Screens and toys teach distraction, not eating. Kids zone out and can’t recognize hunger or fullness cues.

• This sets up patterns of mindless eating, which research links to emotional eating and obesity later in life.

• Meals aren’t meant to be entertainment, they’re meant to be connection.

Instead:

• Bring kids to the table with realistic expectations: 10–15 minutes is a win for toddlers.

• Involve them! Let them help stir, sprinkle, or serve something simple.

• Have a rotating set of conversation starters or songs for toddlers.

4. The “Feeding on the Go” Trap

Feeding kids in the car, in the stroller, or on the go seems like survival—but it becomes a slippery slope.

Here’s why that’s not ideal:

• Kids miss the social and sensory learning of meals.

• It encourages grazing, which dulls natural hunger cues.

• Food becomes an emotional or distraction tool—something to soothe or pacify, instead of nourish.

Stick with regular meals and snacks, at the table, whenever possible. If you're stuck in traffic or at the park longer than expected? A banana is fine. Just don’t make it a habit.

5. Model the Manners You Want to See

Children learn table manners by watching adults. That means:

• Sit down and eat with them whenever you can.

• Say please, thank you, and “I’m full” out loud.

• Don’t make a big deal if they don’t eat—just model trying everything on your plate.

• Say “Food stays on the table” instead of “Don’t throw that!”

Even if you’re tired. Even if dinner is just toast and scrambled eggs. Your presence at the table matters more than the menu.

TL;DR – Your Cheat Sheet

ProblemWhy It HappensWhat to TryThrowing foodTesting, communication, curiosityNeutral response, end meal calmlyNot staying at the tableShort attention spanKeep it brief, engaging, screen-freeEating on the goBusy lives, convenienceStick to routine meals/snacks at the tableiPads/toys at mealsTo keep peaceReplace with conversation or involvementPoor mannersThey haven’t learned yetModel, narrate, repeat

Final Thought: Meals Are Connection, Not Just Calories

Yes, toddlers throw food. Yes, dinner might feel like a circus. But one day they’ll be older, busier, and eating with you less. The habits you build now—of sitting, chatting, eating together—will shape how your child feels about food andfamily for years to come.

So take a deep breath, put the mop away (again), and pull up a chair.

Even if all they eat is two crackers and a spoonful of peas—you showed up, and that’s what matters most.

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