How can I encourage speedier meal times?

[IWillOnlyEatBeans]

DS is 2.7.

He has a good appetite and happily eats a decent range of food. The problem is he does it so SLOWLY! Meal times can take up to 50 mins, as he wants to chat, wiggle about in his chair, look at the birds on the birdtable, cut up his food into teeny tiny pieces etc, etc.

I eat with him at breakfast and lunch, he eats dinner by himself (although I do sit with him).

I ask him about 60 times to eat up, eat nicely, etc but then he just wants to chat about whether I am cross or happy. If I ignore him and leave him to it he'll just sit and chat to himself!

I have been reluctant to just take his plate away as I know he is hungry. If I feed him (which I do resort to when we need to finish a meal by a certain time) then he'll eat it all and generally ask for seconds.

Any suggestions? Or do I just need to start mealtimes 90 mins before we need to leave the house??

[Beanbagz]

I had this with my DS when he was little and i had to resort to taking his plate away after a set amount of time (1hr) and resisting the urge to feed him. He soon realised he had to stop messing about.

He's still the slowest eater in our house by a mile apart from on risotto days which he wolfs down and will often have seconds (fave meal).

Apparently he's not the slowest eater at school!

[AngelDog]

Hello again: my DS sounds remarkably similar on this too (though he's a pretty fussy eater and doesn't eat that wide a range of food).

DS takes at least 45 mins per meal (though breakfast is faster).

I think he partly gets it from me - I'm a really slow eater too. Partly he's very busy talking about everything. If I took his plate away sooner, he'd just be hungry and go into meltdown later.

[Bravechild]

I have one like that too, he is 6. I bought a Kitchen timer, and i set him 25min from when his meal is placed on the table. After that time, he has to take his plates to the kitchen.. i despair everytime because he is so skinny, and has to have snacks afterwards, so i stocked up on Rice cakes, Ryvita's and pears.. When he needs a snack, or comes to me his Dad with a Sad, hungry long face, I remind him, he didnt finish his food within time, and give him a single rice cake/ryvita, and a pear. He doesnt really like them, but It encourages him to eat his delicious meal quickly rather than eating a dry biscuit later... did i suceed? you'll wonder. He still plays at meal times....but he eats a good quantity