Should a child finish his plate? This is what you think

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Only dessert when your entire plate is empty? Sometimes you are happy that your child takes one bite (or lick it). How important do you think that your child eats his plate? We asked you on social media.

A selection of the answers.

Emptying the plate: yes or no?

• Désirée: “No, if you have enough, you should be able to indicate that without being ‘pushed through’. Feel yourself better. That’s why I let my children decide for themselves how much to serve. And if there is still something left, I don’t mind.”
• Melissa: “I’ve already given up on that illusion. I am happy when they look at their food.”
• Loes: “I think it’s important that my child gets to know his hunger signal and therefore also the signal that he is ready and can act accordingly…”
• Marjolein: “All three of mine had to eat everything and empty the plate when they were little. Never had a hassle because they didn’t know any better. They are now all teenagers/adolescents and they like almost everything. They don’t have to eat much, but what they scoop up they have to eat, and they have to take a little bit of everything. And everyone always says they have such a great appetite and are such easy eaters.”
• Stephanie: “No, but that they taste enough. By that I mean that if they say I don’t like it with every dish, they have to taste 5 bites.”

Also read: ‘A child should eat what the pot is about’: this is what you think

• Fiona: “Of course it’s nice if they finish their plate, but just as I sometimes feel less hungry, so are children. Sometimes they want more and sometimes less. If you accept it, it will be much more fun at the table.”
• Marissa: “Yes, I think it’s important, but that doesn’t help. I have a 4 year old who has barely eaten anything for 2 years. I’m happy if he eats something, even if it’s really just the same.”
• Marjon: “No, I don’t think it’s important. Let them see for themselves how much they can eat. Whether or not on, dessert is always allowed.”
• Rebecca: “I think it’s important that they can indicate themselves when they are full and not eat overfull because they have to!”
• Milou: “I decide what we eat… my child decides how much extra to eat.”
• Amber: “No, not important, full=full, no struggle for food here at the table, it should just be a pleasant moment in the day. But if there is good food, of course a dessert (but actually it is always there haha).”

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