Few people know that the size of a baby's plate plays a very important role in how much food a baby will eat. It's important to choose the right plate and cutlery for your baby before offering it at mealtimes. And this also applies to the tableware for the whole family!
The bigger the plate, the more you eat
Even before we taste the food, we eat a lot with our eyes . The size of the plate often the amount we'll eat at each meal. Even when we fill a large plate with reasonable amounts of food, we still find it too "empty ." So, we don't hesitate to add a few extra spoonfuls of starchy foods, for example. Consequently, large plates lead us to eat more unconsciously .
By filling a small plate with reasonable portions , it will already be quite full and we won't add any extra food. Consequently, the amount eaten will be less .
In order to properly listen to satiety signals, it is important to choose the right plate to avoid eating too much or, conversely, not enough.
The feeling of satiety in BLW
By letting your baby manage their own meals with BLW -Led Weaning), we teach them to listen to their body's needs . Your little one will be able to recognize their satiety cues and learn the different signals that come with it. During baby-led weaning, your child will be able to eat the amount they want and what they actually need to feel satisfied.
You might feel that at first, your little one is playing with the food more than eating it. This is perfectly normal, as they are discovering all these new flavors! Remember that your baby's nutritional needs will always be met by their daily milk intake .
The plate at mealtimes in BLW
At the beginning of weaning, foods in their raw form or recipes will be offered directly on the tray of the baby's high chair. Discovering new foods requires a lot of energy and concentration for a baby, so it's best to keep things simple by offering only the food on the tray. When your baby is 1 year old, a plate will eventually be introduced at mealtimes. Your little one will be much more comfortable with their fine motor skills , and food will no longer be a mystery . They will then be able to eat like a grown-up with a nice plate at mealtimes.
Don't rush to put food on a plate as quickly as possible. Your little one will let you know when it's the right time to introduce a plate at mealtimes .
Generally speaking, the size of the plate influences the amount of food eaten at mealtimes. However, a small dog on a BLW will more easily eat their fill , regardless of the size of the plate in front of them at mealtimes.
Photo: © Moon and the other
