16 Months old - feeding time help please - throwing food / refusing to eat the main part

[pacempercutiens]

Hello!

My 16 month old has recently started this "thing" where she will just refuse/throw on the floor all the main part of the meal, and then expect to get the pudding part (9/10 times this is yogurt - which has a new novelty for her in that she can feed it to herself). I'm getting worried about how much she is eating / how fussy this might make her. She definitely likes the foods we're offering as she has had them plenty in the past.

The only other recent "big" change in her is a few weeks ago she went from 2 naps a day to 1.

Any tips on what to do? Should the yogurt be a some meals only thing so she stops expecting it? Should I change up the foods? Should I get a fork she could use to self feed the main in case its the novelty?

Thanks for your help!

I'd definitely get some toddler cutlery. Otherwise, sounds normal.

What I have found helps with my son is if his meal looks the same as mine. So I set out a knife and fork the same as everyone else.

Also, my DS eats better when he's given a choice over something. Usually it's something simple like where to put the sauce.

It'll pass if you just persevere.

Agree with pp to give her a fork and/or spoon to feed herself her dinner, I have a 14 month old as he likes to feed himself too. Maybe stop the yoghurt for a bit too as maybe she's holding off for it. I do think they all go through a throwing stage though, but feeding themselves, sitting on a toddler table so less fun to watch it fall and say 'uh oh', and giving a selection of things to chose from can help.

Don't put all the food on the plate, small amount at a time.
Get a plate that sticks well to your table.
If it's dropped I remove food for a minute.
If you've not eaten well no yoghurt, you could move yoghurts to snack times for a bit, pudding isn't essential.