For a one year old, do you scatter food on the tray or feed one food at a t...

[LucyG]

I do a little of both, but I'm wondering whether there is a "right" way to present the food. Like, if she is having cheese, toast and green beans, I often just put pieces of each on her high chair tray, replenishing when she finishes something. She is quite good at picking up what she wants. Like many of the babies mentioned in other current posts, my DD is getting less accepting of foods than she was a few weeks ago. I want mealtime to be relaxed, and I don't want her to feel forced to eat certain foods. So is it better to just continue the "scatter" approach for a while, rather than putting out one thing at a time? What do you do?

[JElaineB]

Sounds like I do the same. I put out little piles of each food and give him more of what he eats. Lately it seems like he if I put out even 3-4 different things he gives me a look like, "what, that's it?". Definitely in the midst of picky eating!

Jennifer
mom to Jacob 9/27/02

[momma_boo]

If I'm giving her multiple things, I put down a mini-buffet on her tray. Sometimes if I'm bad and just give her one thing like last night, I had no time so I just gave her some tofu and she seemed bored with it after a while, I tossed some cheerios over.

[lfp2n]

I used to put 3-4 different types of food on the tray and liked watching her pick and choose. Now she is so fussy anything she isn't into eating gets thrown on the floor with a big sweep and then delicately picking up the last bits and throwing them too -which is pretty much everything, so we are now back to putting on a few bits at a time.
Yesterday all she would eat was some jarred baby food that I offered her after all other options failed, she ate half a jar that but I feel we going backwards as we've have been off baby food completely for a few weeks now.
Meals are soooo depressing, I just can't find anything she likes, added to that she's not hardly nursing either. I can't stand to see her so miserable about being offered food, maybe we need to visit the Dr.

lucy (3/03)

[missliss55]

My little one is 10 1/2 months old and I find that if I present small amounts of food she does great. She can easily become overwhelmed if there is a ton of food on her tray. She then will either smash them or drop them on the ground. So for dinner, I would give her a couple pieces of chicken and then when she is done give her some more till she has finished it or does not want any more. Then I will do the same with a veggie, then some fruit, then a bread/pasta. She is a great eater and she is always baby signing for more.

We have been off baby food for a couple of weeks and I always make sure to take her lead on when she is full or just dones't want any more. I think that is really important (even though it can be frustrating at times) :)

HTH.

Melissa and Emma (4/16/03)

[lizajane]

at 11+months we do a little everything. i usually put food on his tray as i have it ready! (i make all my own food, so i have to defrost some things, or cook pasta, etc.) i will put piles on the tray all at once and let him choose what to eat when. and sometimes i make him a "dish" that he can eat all at once. like pasta mixed with broccoli and tofu topped with shredded (melted) cheddar cheese. he will eat anything i give him, but if he does start to show too much preference for one thing over another, i will just start him with the least fav food and keep adding the favorites to his tray as he finishes the less favorite food. make sense?

[jd11365]

Tonight Kayla had some Rigatoni pasta, grapes, watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew and banana all on the same tray...(I bought a fruit salad so had perfectly cut pieces already prepared.) She ate it all like a champ and didn't care if it was on the same tray...

Jamie
Mommy to Kayla
May '03