13-Month-old Food Thrower

Hi Crystal! I have the exact situation going on right now with our 13 month old daughter. She is very picky and has a few foods that are her favorite that she could live on if we let her. She will spit out food she doesn't like and then push the rest onto the floor. I know it's frustrating, but remember that it takes time for them to experiement and try new foods. What sometimes works for us is to put the food she likes on her tray so she can feed herself and be "distracted" while I feed her the new food. Sometimes I can at least get a few bites in her, and occasionally she will realize that she does like it and will eat it. Other times she still spits it out. As long as he's getting some veggies, fruit, cheese/dairy, grains, and protein, he'll be fine. Don't stress yourself out about him not eating exactly what you've prepared. Our 4 year old does the same thing sometimes - well, doesn't throw it on the floor, but won't eat certain things. It's just part of them growing up! Good luck!

From a behavioralist point of view: What your son is pairing is you taking the "bad" food away and replacing it with "good" food. So, when he throws food, he eventully knows he is going to get the food he likes.
When my daughter, who is now 20 months, started throwing food. She didn't get anything else, but what was origionally on her plate. We did remove the plate from her for a minute, but then slid the same plate back to her with the same food, with a reminder that we don't throw food. Also, if you know he doesn't like a certain food, stop putting it on his plate until he can learn not to throw the food. Supply food that he will eat, taking away the chance to throw the "bad" food. Lastly, remember to praise him sitting nicely and eating like a "big boy". Praise goes a long way.

What don't most women know about the word "NO!"? Seems modern women don't know that word. It doesn't hurt a child, it doesn't hurt the adult. Say NO, and don't give more food until unacceptable behavior ceases - tell the child that No means no more food!!!

Sounds normal to me. My daughter would eat only fruit. What we do is save it as dessert. She gets a plate with what ever mommy and daddy are also eating.

At two, I'm still using the mantra, please leave what you do not want on your tray. Also, you have to eat something else before you get more potatoes. Wash rinse repeat.

Get a splat mat, let him pick and choose. Eating is messy. He's not doing it intentionally to be bad, but to find out his likes/dislikes. And they will be totally different in six months/1 yr. And honestly, he's really too young to understand that it's unacceptable behavior. By two, he'll get it.

He won't starve himself. I would suggest taking him down from his high chair whenever he throws his food on the floor and telling him no. Try again in 15 minutes feeding him the same thing. Provide him with at least 2 foods if they are new or ones that he doesn't really care for so that he has a choice. The more he tries them the more likely he will be to like them. I would also try to start with one meal at a time and make the others foods that he generally likes. My girls are not allowed to have seconds of anything until they eat everything that is on their plate but we have never actually required them to eat anything they didn't want to. He's a little small to really do that and understand but it has worked very well for us so far. (They are 3 and 4).