Is Your Toddler Spitting Out Food? How to Manage Mealtime…

Babies and toddlers can be messy eaters, but many eating behaviors that parents might find frustrating and concerning are all part of normal childhood development. Yep, that includes toddlers spitting out food!

Toddlers spit food out for a variety of reasons. They may not like the taste or texture, or they're exploring new food. Although there's a bigger mess to clean up, it doesn't mean there's anything wrong most of the time. 

That's good news!

But, it’s also important for us as parents to encourage positive eating behaviors early on, as best we can. Studies show that negative eating behaviors in young kids can have long-term consequences on a child's eating behavior and even health.

Let's dive into why a toddler spits out food and what you can do to help curb it, so that meals are more calm and happy for the whole family.

Why Do Toddlers Spit Out Food?

Toddlers push the limits of their autonomy to see how much control they have over their environment. At around 2 to 4 years old, toddlers develop close bonds with their caretakers but also want more independence. The struggle between these two things can lead to some challenging behaviors for parents to manage, like food refusal and garden variety picky eating.

While some food behaviors are related to a child’s growing desire for independence, it's also important not to mistake potential feeding issues as misbehavior.

That’s why it is helpful for parents to learn how to pinpoint why a child might be spitting out food and what they can do to help.

Here are a few common reasons why a toddler spits out food.

Response to new foods

Food refusal and neophobia (fear of new food) are the most common reasons why toddlers spit out food.

Did you know that picky eating peaks at around 1.5 to 3 years old? (Fear not! Most kids grow out of picky eating with time and patience).

But picky eating isn't the only reason a toddler may spit out food.

Babies and toddlers use their mouths to explore the world. And spitting, licking, and smelling are sensory exploratory behaviors kids use when introduced to new foods.

They’re not hungry or they’ve overstuffed their mouths

You've probably noticed that toddlers spit out food when they’ve taken too much food in their mouth. This is protective against choking and a helpful way for them to learn how to take small amounts of food at a time.

Kids are natural intuitive eaters and will usually refuse food when they’re no longer hungry.

Babies turn away from the bottle or purse their lips closed when full. And often a baby spits out food while learning how to eat, but a sign of fullness in a toddler or older baby can often be throwing or spitting out food.

They don’t like it

During the toddler development stage, kids learn their preferences and express when they don't like something. Sometimes that expression comes in the form of chewing and spitting out food. 

Sometimes it's not the food a child doesn't like, but how it's cooked or presented, especially if it's mixed with other foods.

And sometimes they spit out food simply because the taste, texture or sensory characteristics of the food are unfamiliar and surprising.

They can’t chew or swallow it

Foods with mixed textures might be hard for little ones to chew and swallow. For example, some tender meats have tough parts that are too difficult for kiddos to chew until they have more advanced oral motor skills. You may have noticed your little one chew and chew on something until they eventually spit it out.

This also happens when they bite off a piece that's too big for them or put too much in their mouth at once. It's very common. As a parent, I can remember so many times when my girls gave up trying to chew a bite of food and spit it into my hand when they were toddlers. 

Tips to Curb Toddlers from Spitting Out Food

Healthy eating behaviors develop early, and parents play an active role in how kids eat and view food. But, unfortunately, there's so much emphasis on healthy foods and weight that the impact of positive feeding practices and parenting style on a child's relationship with food is sometimes overlooked.

Here are a few easy tips to help you calmly manage mealtimes when your toddler is spitting out food:

1. Stay calm

A sweet toddler enjoying her food and mealtime! Big thanks to her parents for sharing this photo!

It's important to keep mealtimes fun and relaxed! When a child spits out food, have a neutral response.

Studies show that fussy eating is associated with a negative mealtime environment, and it goes both ways. As a pediatric registered dietitian, I often see firsthand that when picky eating raises the stress level during meals for parents and we let that stress come out in the form of pressure to eat, etc., our kids absorb that stress - which can lead to more picky eating - and the cycle worsens.

Positive feeding practices can show your child that trying new foods is okay and will support healthy eating habits for the future. One tip that can help is role modeling the table manners you want to see from your child and eating together as often as possible.

2. Introduce new foods slowly

Introducing a few new foods at once or a large portion can overwhelm a toddler. Instead, go slow with new foods cut into small pieces, and served in smaller portion sizes. 

A good rule of thumb is introducing one or two new foods at a time along with a food or two you know your little one already likes. That way you're mixing things up and continuing to expose your kiddo to a variety of different foods along with some options that make them fee safe and comfortable.

3. Allow toddlers to self-feed

Allow your child to have more autonomy during meals. 

Most toddlers 2 to 4 years old can feed themselves with utensils and self-feed finger foods for meals and snacks, although most still need food cut for them until they're ready to use a knife. 

Continuing to spoon-feed at this stage is not recommended unless there is a clinical need, because it can impact a toddler’s innate ability to follow internal cues for hunger and fullness. 

For snacks or meals that are not being shared with the family, offering choice from a limited number of selections can help increase a child’s interest in what is being served. For example, ask them if they want a banana or strawberries. Then let them decide which they'd prefer. Keep options to only two choices and similar types of foods so that you can help keep meals balanced and they can feel involved. 

3. Try establishing a feeding schedule

I encourage responsive feeding and allowing kids to eat according to their hunger and fullness cues, but toddlers thrive on routine and it’s helpful for them when meals and snacks are served within a structured feeding schedule. 

Toddlers tend to graze and take a long time to eat. There's nothing wrong with that in and of itself. This eating pattern is only a concern when kids fill up on snacks and drinks and aren't hungry for nutritious meals (although ideally, a toddler's snacks and beverages are nutrient-packed as well).

When kids come to the table slightly hungry, they’re more likely to eat what you’ve served and they’re less likely to be bored and frustrated during the meal.

4. Teach by role modeling 

Table manners and how to properly eat at the table have to be taught. Kids mostly learn by watching parents and older siblings during meals. But parents may still need to remind kids to eat slowly and chew well. 

If you have older children, have them eat the same food you're serving your toddler when they're trying a new food for the first time. The food may seem more appealing when a big brother or sister eats it too. I recommend reminding the older kids to keep their feelings about the food at the table to themselves, so they don't negatively influence your little one.

5. Ask for help from a pediatric feeding therapist

If you suspect that your toddler is spitting out food because of a potential oral motor issue or reaction to certain textures or components of foods, speak with your pediatrician about the issue. Your doctor may recommend that you consult with a pediatric feeding therapist, see a pediatric allergist, or work with a pediatric dietitian to get to the bottom of it.

For more tips on feeding kids, grab my FREE guide to reducing picky eating, and if you are looking for help navigating picky eating behaviors in your toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age kiddos, check out my online course, Solve Picky Eating, a self-paced set of 12 modules that are delivered quickly in 5-15 minute videos. 

And if you're concerned about your toddler’s nutrition for any reason, I am currently accepting new clients in my virtual private practice and happy to offer personalized nutrition support. Looking forward to meeting you online…