refusing food

[wormmcd]

Hello,
Just wondering what everyone does if their baby refuses a family meal? My daughter is 1 next week and quite often refuses to even try meals. She just smushes it round, throws it on the floor and cries.
Do you then give an alternative you know they like? When I do this she will eat the alternative, but she won't even put the first meal near her mouth. With other things (like stews and casseroles) she usually just picks out the bits she like, which is never much, then thow's it on the floor. There isn't much she does like atm, mainly cream cheese, puff pastry and beans on toast!

No, I don't offer an alternative. I always offer whatever I had planned for pudding (nearly always fruit or yogurt) regardless of how much main course is eaten. And I do take account of genuine likes and dislikes eg DS doesn't like rice and has never eaten it, so I wouldn't serve up a plate of it and say it's that or nothing. I'd make sure there were other things on the plate he generally eats.

But if the meal includes food he usually eats or has eaten before, I leave him to it and if he doesn't eat after a reasonable time, just clear it away and move on. I've always tried to avoid giving the message that it's not worth trying the first thing offered as something better will turn up if he doesn't!

Agree absolutely with Cornish. Dinner is dinner and unless there's an obvious reason why not to eat it, then no fuss but move onto yoghurt. If you're worried, looking at overall food intake over a couple of days usually reassures me he's eating plenty and variety. Don't forget that at that age, they will approach food very matter of factly and evolution will make sure their body gets what they need. I might be overly simplifying it but I am happy that I cook and offer a good range of generally healthy food with a decent balance in it - plus this approach means we're very relaxed around food and so far have avoided the battle ground dinner table.

That said, he's only 2.5 so could still all change

Thanks, that's the way I really want to go, I'm definitely of the same mind and don't want to be giving alternatives. I just get worried that she does it so much! Last night from fish pie she ate one pea and from tonights sausage casserole it was one piece of sausage. I'll make sure she has more things she rearly likes on the plate and try writing down what else she has to make myself feel better!