Food waste!

[Justgettingbye]

The food my kids waste is frustrating. They're both 4 and under. Ones just bit around one layer of an apple the other has had one bite of a crumpet and left half a yoghurt. Yet the 4 year old always seems to finish the crisps/biscuits. I'm not one for forcing them to eat. I had the clear your plate thing and was overweight (still battling it) and don't want to put that on my kids. Anyone else?

My DC similar age are the same it can feel like such a waste. One thing I do is try to eat with them so if they aren't eating it I am. So for example I cut one apple for us all to share I only cut up another if they actually eat some of it. Obviously this doesn't always work and I don't always want the same food/snack as them.
Hoping to see some more suggestions that others have.
I completely agree that forcing them to finish everything is not good either. A friend of mine whose parent use to be like this said she use to make herself sick after meals as a way of coping with having to finish everything.

We’ve started using serving dishes for main meals. The rule is to take a reasonable amount to start with, second serving only if you’ve finished your first.

It’s not cured it entirely, but it is better. As any leftovers haven’t been in anyone’s plate, they ban be boxed up for another meal. I had the end of last nights salad for my lunch and the Turkey taco mince will make quesadillas for the kids lunch tomorrow or Sunday.

I agree with idea of having a ‘sharing plate’. If I put tomatoes and cucumber on a plate i between my two, they eat much more than if I put it on their individual plates!

Same as a PP, we start with an apple quarter etc and then give more if still hungry. Free access to the fruit bowl resulted in five apples all with just one bite taken out of them .