One year old eats well at nursery but not at home

[chocolateandbooks]

Nursery tell me that my just turned one year old eats really well there, but over the last month he's become increasingly fussy at home. Some days it's difficult to get anything into him!

He used to eat really well at home, although we've always struggled to get him to eat meals like bolognese, cottage pie etc. Typical favourites for him are things like fish cakes, peas and broccoli, jacket potato and tuna, omelette and sweet potato wedges. At nursery they serve things like turkey tagine and pulled pork tacos and they tell me he eats it all, which is great, but I'm worried about where we're going wrong at home as now he barely even eats his old favourites.

He can't scoop with a spoon but usually eats off a pre-loaded spoon or straight from the tray with his hands, but now refuses to open his mouth for the spoon and chucks anything on his tray on the floor without even trying it.

I'm trying not just to stick to the narrow range of things he will eat and give him a mix of things but it's worrying to see him eating so little and frustrating to prepare food and see it ignored!

He's not always been the best sleeper either and I always worry that he'll wake hungry so I am guilty of giving him some toast or a banana shortly after he's refused his dinner...

So long, sorry... basically, any tips for a fussy eater who seems to only be fussy with his parents?!

I think he's playing you OP.

I'd stop the spoon feeding as I'm assuming in nursery they have to feed themselves?

If you give him finger foods and let him feed himself while you eat, the focus on him will be less and hopefully the atmosphere more relaxed

Ignore any food dropped on the floor and don't offer any alternatives.

For breakfast in the morning try him with a bagel, sausage ( cut lengthways) and beans, porridge fingers, scrambled eggs with chopped up cherry tomatoes or pancakes and see how you get on

This guide from the Caroline Walker Trust gives sample menus to try and even suggests portion sizes.

I agree with jilted.
As hard as it may be, I wouldn't offer an alternative meal.
My LO is also one, and can be very fussy with food, think it can be a phrase.
I just offer LO the meal, if it's not eaten, I just try not to make a big deal, and offer a banana usually for pudding, but then I always offer a pudding anyway, usually fruit or yoghurt. So giving him the banana is part of his meal I guess. Plus it's more filling then say, a piece of apple!
Just stick with it op! Sounds like your doing everything right, ie, not sticking to meals you know he would eat. Keep offering him a variety, he will eat when he wants too.
Massively frustrating though isn't it.

I thinks it very common.

I would give him food which contains a proportion of something you know he will eat.

I am assuming you are eating at the same time as time and not commenting on how much he is eating or making a thing out of it.

OP, what do nursery do differently to you? I wonder if it is that they don't give out toast and a banana if he throws his food on the floor?
Try and find out what they do do and copy it as it obviously works.

Totally normal I'm afraid. DS happily told me last week "I eat pasta at nursery so I don't eat it at home". His key worker says she hears it all the time.

I decided a long time ago to just enjoy knowing he was eating well 3 days a week and not worry if he picks the rest of the time.

He used to be an amazing eater. I'm enjoying DD now being at that stage and assuming she'll get picky soon too

Maybe give the banana at the same time as his meal. Then he gets used to the fact that what is on his tray is all he's getting.

How long is he at nursery for? Maybe he’s really tired/full by the time you’re feeding him? Mine won’t eat well if they’re too tired.

I sympathize, my DS would eat everything given to him at nursery. At home he was still a decent eater, but nowhere near as good as there. I think it’s just a phase unfortunately. They see the other kids eating and just get stuck in

My 15m DD is the opposite. She eats like a horse at home but barely eats anything at nursery. She’s only there one day a week though so I don’t worry too much about it.

And yes I give her a spoon or a fork with all her meals now. It’s usually a big mess, but she loves it and I think it helps her to eat more