toddler food nonsense!

[feekerry]

dd has just turned 2. typical toddler in many ways! the current issue is around food surprise surprise!
dd is obsessed with cutting/spreading/preparing her own food. fair enough. don't mind that.
she is insistent that i dont help. she has to hold everything. i am not allowed to even assist in any way or touch anything. she then makes a huge mess which i tolorate as i understand she is trying to be independent. but then we sit down to eat and she starts saying she doesn't like it even tho she insisted on making it.
she then doesn't eat anything and 10 mins later says she wants something to eat and the whole process is repeated!
i have tried shutting her out of kitchen whilst i prepare food or say she can watch/help but this causes a major tantrums as she wants to do it

oops!
what can i do? food waste is crazy.
another example would be she asked for a snack so i gave her a choice of two things. she chose a baby bell cheddar. she was absolutely insistent that she unwrapped it. as she did it i kept reminding her once she unwrapped it she could eat it. she unwrapped it. threw it on the floor and said i don't like it!!

If she prepares something and then says she doesn't like it or chooses a snack and throws it away, I'd just leave her until the next time you planned to gove her something. If she says she's hungry, just offer the offending item again

Standard toddler behaviour, I'm afraid! Bless her. "Do it mine self!!"

I've got one of those at home too.

It'll get easier as she gets on the way towards 3.

For now just keep trying to pick your battles, be firm on the non-negotiables like road safety, hitting or wilful bad behaviour, be indulgent to the extent you can bear it with the "do it mine self" stuff.

Its blooming frustrating but if you let them do their thing you end up with a less frustrated toddler who is easier to deal with. Its in your interests too, in end!

Good luck

PS. In terms of eating, you have to display nonchalance as if you couldn't give two hoots whether she eats it all or not one bite. Focus on your own food and on chatting about what you can see out of the window. Don't talk about how much/little she is eating, just ignore it. DON'T get drawn into a fight over food (that is one fight you will NEVER be able to win short of force feeding her, which is probably illegal and certainly unethical!)

lol. do it 'own self' is the phrase in our house!

Why, when she asks ten minutes later for food are you repeating the whole process? Simply take the earlier un eaten food and put it infront of her.

i do usually just put her back in front of the plate of whatever it is but she just spreads/cuts it even more then says i don't like it.
i don't think she is actually hungry when she asks for something. i think she just wants to play with it. if she was hungry suppose she would actually eat it

at it getting better. My 6.5 year old still says I'll do it myself!

Does has its benefits though, especially when she wants to iron

If she likes doing things herself, have you thought of introducing some Montessori type activities?

Just been on another thread and remembered doing this with my DC.

Got one of these Knifes and get her to chop her own fruit salad, tell her its for pudding later and she can keep it in the fridge.

Have you tried making ice lollies with her too? There are also some recipes on the cbeebies website or if you have a look on bbc food, there are some cooking with children recipes on there too.

She might stop the crazy snack business if she gets to help out with proper meals

My son plays with homemade play doh at the table. I give him a little knife and plate to make 'food' with. Then I get on with making lunch etc.

I think babybel is evil. Such interesting wrapping for a boring reward. 'I no like it'

those are some great tips thanks. esp like the playdo one.
i agree baby bells are crap!

You can buy cheddar babybels now. They are purple.

Another disliker of baby bel here too. Both my DC have always given them back to me with a "where's the flavour" look on their face

Have you got a playboy recipe feek?