Food Throwing: What’s Normal, What’s Not & How to Respond

Whether you’re in the thick of starting solids or navigating toddler mealtimes, there’s one behaviour that comes up again and again – food throwing. It’s messy, frustrating, and often confusing… are they full? Bored? Just testing you?

In today’s episode, Luka and Kate are joined once again by our brilliant in-house occupational therapist Rachael Smith to talk all things food throwing – why it happens, when it’s developmentally normal, and how to set boundaries without creating a power struggle at mealtimes.

This episode is for you if your lovingly prepared meal regularly ends up airborne… or if you’re just curious about how to make feeding your little one a little less chaotic!

For those who don’t know Rach, she is a mum to her daughter Olive and son Teddy, a Paediatric Occupational Therapist, and the owner of Therapy Time, a private practice based in Brisbane.

Even before having her own family, she has always been passionate about taking a big picture approach to child development. Rach strongly believes that what we eat has a huge impact on everything and sees this everyday in her clinical practice (and at home).

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why babies throw food (spoiler: it’s not personal!)
• The difference between exploration and rejection
• What food throwing can tell us about sensory needs, hunger, or emotional regulation
• How to respond calmly and clearly without turning it into a game
• Strategies for both babies and toddlers
• How to support autonomy while still holding boundaries
• When food throwing might signal something else and where to seek support
• … and so much more

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Our Spoon, Fork & Talk conversation cards
• Episode on Highchairs
• Our books: Milk to Meals and Toddler to Table
• The Catchy to reduce mealtime mess (use the code BOOBTOFOOD for 10% off)

Today’s episode is brought to you by Foraged For You. We’ve long been fans of Foraged For You and their beautiful range of food-based blends that make nutrient support simpler. Whether you’re in the thick of postpartum, toddlerhood, or simply trying to nourish yourself while chasing small humans – there’s a blend for every season. Made from certified organic ingredients, we love that these are gentle, effective, and food-first. You can use the code BOOBTOFOOD for 10% off until 21st May 2025. Visit foragedforyou.com