Moving to family meal times

caliandjack wrote: Jaune wrote: At this age they still don't really know that the food will fill them up...it's more of a game/learning experience. when does this change?

My ds2 is around the same age as your dd, caliandjack and he definitely knows when he hasn't had enough to eat (and also when he is full). I think, like everything, it's different for all kids. D is pretty clear on when he is full (will put something in his mouth and then take it out or spit it out and then swipe everything off the table) and also when he's hungry - he complains till he gets more food . He has always had a combination of purees and finger food and being spoon fed doesn't make a difference.

D has been eating regular meals (sometimes chopped smaller to make it easier for him to pick up) for a couple of months. I started by kind of chopping the meat portion into his veggies - eg with the sausage i'd take the skin off and cut it up with the fork then give him a spoonful of sausage and mashed kumara. Rice is great for moving onto "normal" food as it's easy to eat and also sort of sticks to the spoon.

We eat breakfast as a family but I give the kids lunch on their own and then eat once they're in bed for their nap. Same at tea time, they eat together and then DH and I eat once the kids are in bed. Weekends we all eat together when we can though.

A few months ago I remember thinking "how did I move on from this stage with C?" and I couldn't remember! (and it was only 2 years ago)... But it kind of just happens if you keep offering "normal" food. Have fun and don't stress

We are just working on this transition at the moment.

What I am doing is making sure the meals I plan DS can eat, for example meatballs/bologneise with pasta, fish/chicken/beef with veges (peas, mixed veges or mashed veges), etc and what Im doing is giving him the food cut up into little pieces he can manage to eat, as he loves to feed himself, but then also spoon feeding him some mashed veges where possible or yoghurt/dessert/pureed fruit afterwards so I know he got something, as it can be impossible to tell how much he's eaten as he throws so much of it on the floor. But he loves variety of things to try, so I give him lots of choices eg mixed veges with different kinds of veges to try, and so I figure if he eats a little of everything, he'll eat enough overall. I can definitely tell when he doesn't want anymore, so I try toi take that as he's full hehe. It is hard though.

I have been cooking around 5:30 for dinner at 6, which has been an adjustment as we are used to eating after he goes to bed so by the time it's cooked it can be after 8pm, but I like sitting down at the table together and Im saving a lot of money not buying baby food jars. Then he has his bath and bed about 7.

we are slowly getting there with shared family meal times - finding food that we can all have and isn't the same old meatballs and sausages every night

sitting down with us in general has been fun hoping the more we do it the tidyer DD will get with her eating