Eating at nursery, not at home

[MintSource]

Baby Mint is 9 months. He started nursery this month and loves it. He eats tons of everything and the food is very similar in content and preparation to things we give at home.

I'm so happy he's thriving but at weekends, he refuses most savoury lunch and dinner food.

I know that a lot of the good eating he's learnt at nursery is prompted by peer group scoffing. But I feel like a lousy mother at weekends and worry that he's not getting enough to eat. He takes lot of yoghurt and milk on board though.

Does anyone have any experience or tips or this just one of those things that I need to chill out about and that he may grow out of/into?

I have experience of this but no tips I'm afraid.

My 3 year old DS does this. Whenever I go to nursery he has nearly always eaten the lunches and they provide a wide variety of food. I'm lucky if I can get him to eat half the things that they do.

I think the group setting is a big part of it.

Sorry I couldn't be more helpful just wanted you to know you are not alone!

My 15mo does this. No idea what the answer - it's so frustrating. It reassures me that she can eat but at home just chooses not go. I guess we just persevere till they get over it. Gah it's bloody infuriating though!

Agree with pps that it's v common. No advice, really, but just reassurance - dd was a great eater at nursery from when she was very small, and eats well both at nursery and at home now, at 3. I believe it just bodes well, if your child will eat!

I say chill. DD is almost 11 months, some days she eats loads, some days she doesn't. If they're taking on milk and eating well (quantity and variety) over a week then there's no problem. I refuse to make food an issue. I'll offer it, she can eat it, or not eat it.

Many thanks, all.

Really appreciate the reassurance and will focus on the many positives!

Act as if you couldn't give two hoots what he eats or whether he eats anything at all at home. Put the food out and clear it away without any further interaction around it. At some point he will start eating at home and the whole thing will become a non-issue.

The only way you can affect this is by getting stressed and trying to encourage him to eat. Don't offer this because he didn't eat that or praise him. That is very likely to reinforce the resistance and make your life and his quite stressful. The more invested you are, the more likely he is to refuse.

This, too, will pass

My DD who is 3 does this too, at the moment she is on a plain white rice, waffle and yoghurt diet at home! It's frustrating and heartbreaking when you just want them to eat a healthy balanced diet. But I would recommend reading 'My Child won't eat' it relaxed me about the whole eating issue a lot! The author talks a lot of sense so if you get the chance have a wee read at it

Same here. Drives me batty, though to be fair he usually scoffs either lunch or dinner at nursery not both. At home it's a blanket refusal of anything that isn't bread, sweetcorn, peas and beans.