As a clinical psychologist specialising in eating behaviour, and a mom of three,I know firsthand how frustrating it can be when your baby enters the inevitable food-throwing phase. You’ve put time and effort into preparing their meal, only to watch it splatter onto the floor in seconds. It's demoralising.
But here’s the thing: throwing food is completely normal. In fact, it’s an important developmental stage. Before you despair, let’s take a look at why babies do it—and how you can respond in a way that supports their development (and your sanity!).
Why Do Babies Throw Food?
1. They’re Learning Cause and Effect
Babies are natural scientists. They drop food, it falls. They drop it again, you react. It’s a fascinating experiment in cause and effect—and your reaction is part of the fun.
2. They’re Exploring Textures
Food isn’t just food; it’s a sensory experience. Squishing, smearing, and yes, throwing, are all ways babies learn about different textures. Messy exploration now can actually help them accept new foods later.
3. They’re Communicating Needs
Since they can’t yet say, “I’m full” or “I don’t like this”, throwing food off the highchair is their way of letting you know.
4. They’re Looking for a Reaction
The more attention we give a behaviour, the more likely it is to continue. In psychology, we call this positive reinforcement—even negative attention (like reacting with frustration) can make food throwing even more fun for them.
How to Stop Baby Throwing Food
✔ Ignore It (Yes, Really!)
I know it's hard, but try not to react emotionally. Stay calm, neutral, and move on with the meal. Without a reaction, the novelty of food throwing eventually wears off.
✔ Limit Food Portions
Too much food on their highchair tray can be overwhelming and lead to throwing. Serve small amounts at a time and replenish as needed.
✔ Use Clear, Simple Language
Instead of saying, “Stop throwing food!”, try telling them what they can do:
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“Food stays on the tray.”
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Offer a “no thank you” plate, where they can place any food they don’t want instead of tossing it overboard.
✔ Model Positive Eating Habits
Babies learn best by watching others. Sitting and eating with them is the best way to encourage healthy eating habits.
✔ Redirect Their Throwing Instincts
If they’re really leaning into their throwing schema, give them plenty of opportunities to throw balls or soft toys outside of mealtimes.
How Catchy Helps with Highchair Food Throwing
We invented Catchy because we were deep in the food-throwing phase with our firstborn and needed a solution to handle the mess without stressing over wasted food.
Catchy attaches to your baby’s highchair and keeps the mess contained so that you can:
✅ Ignore the behaviour (without worrying about clean-up)
✅ Respond appropriately (without frustration)
✅ Keep mealtimes positive (without wasted food!)
And when food throwing stops getting a reaction? The phase passes much more quickly.
Hang in there - it’s just a phase! And in the meantime, Catchy has your back (literally).
