How to Stop Your Kid from Throwing Food During Meals

Written by: Jessica Diamond, MPH, RDN

Are foods routinely ending up on the floor and not in your child’s mouth? Is your kid getting a kick out of throwing their cup or dropping their utensils at mealtime? This can be so frustrating and a total mess…but we’re here to help!

This is developmentally normal behavior, but that doesn’t mean it’s not annoying. Here are 5 ways you can address this pesky behavior:

1. Play it cool: A strong reaction from you will encourage the behavior. If you don’t give it attention, your child will eventually lose interest in the behavior.

If your baby is 4-8 months old, you can tap the tray and say, “Food stays on the tray.” Don’t pick up whatever they have dropped because that may make it seem like a game or a positive reward for the behavior. 

If you have an older baby or child, explain that when they drop things it means that they are all done. Once you have communicated this boundary and they drop something, calmly and swiftly end the meal. If they say they’re hungry a few minutes later, tell them when the next meal or snack will be. We know holding this boundary is really, really hard, but when you don’t hold the line and give them food a few minutes later, you’re signaling that throwing food means they can eat “on demand” throughout the day. 

And with kids of any age, reinforce the positive behaviors when you see them. This might sound like, “Look how well you’re keeping your plate on the tray!” or “Look how hard you’re working on using those utensils.”

2. Use the sticker trick: Place a sticker on their placemat as if it were a cup holder, and make some sort of noise like a “click” when you place it there. This helps them know where their cup always goes.

If cup throwing is a major thing happening in your house, it’s also helpful to man their cup at mealtime. When your kid asks for a drink, hand them the cup and then calmly take it back. Do this until they’re skilled enough to handle the cup on their own.  

3. Let them play with gravity outside of mealtime: Dropping and throwing things from a high chair is so common because our kids are fascinated by gravity and they love experimenting with cause and effect. Here are some gravity play ideas:
   • Let them drop something appropriate like a ball from the high chair so they get it out of their system. 
   • Go outside and have them drop toys or have them play with gravity at bath time. 
   • Let them throw away their meal in the trash can and use “dumping” sound effects. 

4. Manage the mess: Fill their cup only ⅓ of the way up instead of all the way. A filled cup is much more interesting to them, which means they’re more likely to play with it and spill the contents. 

5. Engage their imagination during mealtime: Activate their imagination in not-so-messy ways by asking things like, “Can you dump the broccoli on your plate? Can you take the broccoli for a swim in the sauce? What does the broccoli look like to you?”

6. Make them your helper: Involving your child in pre- and post-meal rituals, like setting the table, washing their hands, and putting things in the trash, makes mealtime more distinct so they’re less likely to confuse it with playtime. This also helps build independence and self-esteem in the long run, so it’s a win-win!

Looking for other ways to bring harmony to the dinner table? Check out our article on How to Get Your Kids Excited About Mealtime and listen to our podcast on Picky Eating and Mealtime Struggles. And our Feeding Your Baby Solids course is a fantastic resource for raising independent and intuitive eaters. It’s filled with practical tips that you can watch at your own pace and on your time – even while doing the dishes!