to charge dd everytime i have to throw away food

[AdmiralCLingus]

dd is 3. Its getting ridiculous now how frequently food is getting thrown away. She will ask for something, take a bite and then say she doesnt want it.

I think she needs to learn that food costs money. HMRC have stopped my tax credits so we now have £7 a week to buy food with and I just cant keep throwing food away!

So wibu to take 50p out of her money box for every meal that goes in the bin?

Yes you would be vu.
She is 3.
If money's tight, maybe stop giving her pocket money? That's unnecessary when your child is so young.

Yes YABU! She's 3...you can't start charging her for meals she doesn't eat.

What do you mean 'she asks for something'? Meals or snacks? If she's asking for snacks and wasting them, stop giving her them when she asks.

Stop giving her a choice. Or reduce it to once a week.

Shes only 3 acting as a 3 year old. Yabu. Stop her pocket money full stop if worried re money as a 3 year old doesnt need money

You don't need to keep throwing the food away. Box it and fridge for the next day.

Change how you serve food. When she asks for something, only give her a bite's worth. Or a few little chunks with something else. So a few grapes and a few slices or apple (cut up the rest and keep in the fridge for the next day).

If she wants toast, just give her a finger of toast and use the rest for something else.

I don't give her pocket money, its money frombirthdays etc.

She will say I'm hungry can I have cereal. So I give her the cereal and it ends up in the bin because she doesn't want it. She gets no snacks if she's refusedto eat a meal.

I'm at the end of my tether with it! Its every meal... Two or three forkfuls and nothing else and then she just screams about eating it!!!!!!!!

So don't give her a full bowl of cereal, just a v small amount!

I think you just need to give her v small amounts and not throw it away if she doesn't eat it. You can give it to her the next time she asks. Sorry you're under such pressure financially

Are you sure you're getting everything you're entitled to? £7 a week to spend on food doesn't seem feasible, even by MN standards!

She's 3, I thought this would be about a teenager!
Start using serving bowls, and give her a small bowl or plate.

Are you serious? Can't see it having any effect whatsoever.

Just give smaller portions.

YABU. I understand that it's frustrating though.

YY to what peaceofwildthings says. I don't really give snacks but if DS (4) asks for an apple, I'll cut a bit off for DD (20mo) as she'll want it when she sees him have it but wouldn't eat a whole one and would have a couple of bites then be done.

Meals wise, I dish up small portions and if they eat it all and want more, then I give another small portion and so on. Means the leftovers can be used the next day instead of having to be dumped because DDs had her hands in them.

I thought she was going to be 16 from the thread title! I think there is no need to make this into a big deal, you'll give her a complex. Just give her small sensible meals that match her appetite and very limited snacks of things she likes. Don't force her to eat every scrap but if she is hungry she will eat what she needs. Dont give her anything else until your next scheduled meal or snack. She will soon get used to this and it is much healthier than snacking too much.

Give her smaller portions, on the understanding that she eats it all.
Or, you could make eating more structured. Breakfast, lunch ,dinner, with a couple of snacks for in between. Put her snacks in a tupperware box in the fridge, then when they are gone,that's it.
Just noticed you only have £7/week for food. Is that permanent? Not sure how you're going to manage that, and I'm pretty good at cheap meals.

Also I agree £7 a week seems very low amount for food maybe you should contact CAB to see if you could be entitled to any help financially.

I know mumsnet is full of people who can feed six people on £1 but just the same £7 a week seems worryingly low to me. What's happened to make this occur?

I would double check that you are getting everything you are entitled to,£7 is far too small a food budget.
Your dd could be confusing thirst with hunger.

i came on here to sympathise, however my ds is 20.
never know whether he is going to be home to
eat or not.
but your dc is 3!

3 is far to young to know Food costs Money.
She is far to young to be aware of any money worries whatsoever.

you need to make meal times relaxed, have you tried putting a blanket down and pretending your are on a picnic for example?

My daughter was a grazer at that age, still is. She wasn't being deliberately naughty.
Can you decide on a snack food that is fairly cheap and easy to serve small? Whole meal bread and butter? You can just cut a quarter slice.

Why are you left with only 7 a week for food? Why have your tax credits stopped?

I'm guessing the tiny budget you have for food is ridiculously stressful and I can image how having to throw food away when you are on that tight of a budget must feel.

She's 3. She won't understand the concept of not eating = waste of money though. So I don't think it would stop her not finishing food IYSWIM.
And it might make her very anxious about food if she is seeing it as a punishable offence which is going to make it even harder.

I'm guessing that there's nothing you can do for the short term regarding your food budget? I think you're going to have to either cut out snacking or give tiny portions for now

Yep, I feel your pain. My dd is like this too.

Think you know she won't register the money thing, but also imho if you get really skint, you can use her money box money to feed you both. You can always replace it when you're better off.

Otherwise, everyone's posts about portion sizes seem like a plan :)