Do You......

[Snowmom]

Does anyone know the psychology behind this action?
I'd be really curious to know why so many kids do this.

Maybe some form of discovery?

Drives me nuts too.
Today we ALL made french bread pizzas together. When they were done & sitting down to eat, three of them started picking off all the cheese and eating it, then the sauce, then the bread. Makes me wonder why we went through the trouble to melt it. ;/

[Hunni Bee]

I really try to discourage it because 1) it takes them longer to eat when they have broken it into 50 tiny bits and 2) it makes more of a mess, and 3) it increases the likelihood of them not eating everything when they suddenly have 7 components instead of 4 because they've separated everything.

We only have 30 minutes to set up, serve, eat, clean up and return the cafeteria to the way we found it.

It really has almost everything to do with not throwing my schedule off.

[Josiegirl]

As long as they're eating the food, I don't care how it gets done. The only problem I have is if the food lands all over the floor - then I'll ask that they be more careful. I work on table manners as needed but focus more on the older kids. The younger kids overhear what I say and learn as they go.

This is the way I feel about it. To me, 3 is still little. But if they're using hands to eat peas and rice, that gets corrected. I have 2 sisters, 3 and 4 who did that yesterday. I'm always telling them to use your silverware! I have 19 mos that were using their spoons yesterday better than those 2.

[LysesKids]

I try to serve in manageable portions. I cut everything prior to serving. I cut sandwiches into quarters or even eighths for the littles.

For some reason, they all like to take their grilled cheese sandwiches apart and eat them that way.

My almost 9 yo grandson has to tear everything apart whether or not it's cut.

Yeah, what is it with littles and the taking apart of grilled cheese? Mine do it but they are babies & toddlers . They like the cheese then eat the toasty parts

[Baby Beluga]

This is the way I feel about it. To me, 3 is still little. But if they're using hands to eat peas and rice, that gets corrected. I have 2 sisters, 3 and 4 who did that yesterday. I'm always telling them to use your silverware! I have 19 mos that were using their spoons yesterday better than those 2.

I HATE this! I swear the children here don't use silverware at home, because they always start to eat using their fingers vs the silverware sitting right next to them. At 3 and 4 years old. Also chewing with mouths open. Same children. No health issues. It's so gross.

As far as taking apart food goes. I don't mind. I usually serve things deconstructed with the exception of PB and deli meat sandwiches. The PB's are eaten whole and the deli sandwiches are usually taken apart. As long as they eat it, I'm okay with it.

[Josiegirl]

I HATE this! I swear the children here don't use silverware at home, because they always start to eat using their fingers vs the silverware sitting right next to them. At 3 and 4 years old. Also chewing with mouths open. Same children. No health issues.

I made my 4 yo very upset towards the end of lunch today. She wouldn't stop eating with her mouth fully open, putting a show on for all the other dcks. After warning her twice to stop, I took the rest of her lunch right out of her hand and threw it all in the trash. She'd had more than enough and so had I!

[Febby]

Well, in classroom it's usually 20+ kids with two teachers, so as long as it's either in their mouths or on their plates, I don't care if they eat it as a unit or deconstruct it! As far as it being bad manners, well, there are foods at my centers that I won't eat the way they're served so I don't expect my children to.

I do correct them when they're not using their spoon, chewing with their mouth open, etc.

[childcaremom]

I think I have a few different thoughts on this.

Why are they taking it apart? Easier to eat. Ok, fine, and next time I will present it in a way that is more manageable.

Is it because they don't like something in it and are avoiding it? Here is where I would waiver a bit. As someone else said, if it stays on the plate and/or gets in their mouth, then generally I would be fine. I have one whose table manners are questionable at best so I would discourage him from doing this, regardless of the why.

So I guess... I don't know! :: I guess I would view these foods as items that need to be eaten with hands, therefore might encourage a little rearranging.

[MissAnn]

I think I have a few different thoughts on this.

Why are they taking it apart? Easier to eat. Ok, fine, and next time I will present it in a way that is more manageable.

Is it because they don't like something in it and are avoiding it? Here is where I would waiver a bit. As someone else said, if it stays on the plate and/or gets in their mouth, then generally I would be fine. I have one whose table manners are questionable at best so I would discourage him from doing this, regardless of the why.

So I guess... I don't know! :: I guess I would view these foods as items that need to be eaten with hands, therefore might encourage a little rearranging.

I have a new girl who only eats bread. She wants to tear the food apart so she won't have to eat the hamburger patty. She has absolutely no protein in her diet. The rest of my kids are excellent eaters although that took some time. I'm hoping with the good examples surrounding her she too will come around. Today we are having spaghetti and she has already told me she wants no sauce on her noodles. I'm torn.....deconstruct or serve as I normally do.....noodles with sauce added to the top. I think the latter. She complains about every meal.....but I told her that when we dont like a food we need to keep it to ourselves. You don't have to eat it, but we use good manners here and don't say yuck or we don't like that.

[Unregistered]

I often serve items separately, with a suggestion that they might taste good eaten together. Toddlers like separated foods so that they are identifiable, hence the attempt to identify by deconstruction.
By serving separately they have, in essence, permission to play with their food, but in a polite way.
So they might have slices of cheddar and provolone, 1/2 slice of whole grain bread cut in half, slices of tomatoes and pieces of lettuce, and apple slices.
Or, spaghetti noodles, tomato sauce, meatballs, grated cheese, and some blueberries.
Or, stir-fried veggies, chicken shreds, rice and pineapple.
They are free to eat them separately, or put them together in any way they choose.
Sometimes the apple slices go into a sandwich with cheese, or the grated cheese is mixed into the tomato sauce. Some of our favorite combinations are things i hadn't thought of, like raspberries and chicken in a lettuce and cucumber salad.They are more invested in trying the foods they have "made" themselves.

[Lovisa]

As long as they're eating the food, I don't care how it gets done. The only problem I have is if the food lands all over the floor - then I'll ask that they be more careful. I work on table manners as needed but focus more on the older kids. The younger kids overhear what I say and learn as they go.

This. As long as they aren't making a big mess, they can eat however they want to. As they get older, they figure it out. Now, if they are taking apart food and purposefully throwing it on the floor or all over the table, they get one warning. If it continues, I tell them "Ok, I can see that you are done eating since you are throwing it on the floor, time to wash your hands and face and leave the kitchen".

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I don't care at all either way.

[AmyKidsCo]

I really don't care as long as they don't make a mess all over the table and eat their food. My grandson likes to have all his food mixed together, but he eats it so I don't care. Another dck has to separate everything then eat it one at a time.

[Silly Songs]

I have the three year olds. Every day it's a mess, but it's better than the 2 year old room. I do not care how they eat as long as
1) they eat their own food and not others food

2) they don't throw food around

3) they try to use manners and try to use plastic utensils

[delferka]

I solve the problem. I do not provide sandwiches and wrapped food.

Give me dinner ideas. What do you serve?