Practical ideas for home and nursery
My child eats at nursery but not at home
Updated
A calmer conversation with the nursery can help you understand the difference.
Compare the situations before choosing a solution
If your child eats at nursery but refuses a similar meal at home, ask what the two meals actually look like. Time of day, company, tiredness, the food offered and the way it is served may differ. This pattern alone does not tell you why a child is refusing food.
Ask the nursery for a useful description
Find out which foods your child ate, how much was offered, whether they helped themselves and what the adult did. Ask about snacks, drinks and timing too. “A good lunch” means different things to different people.
Then compare this with one typical evening at home. You are looking for practical differences to explore, not deciding which adult is doing it correctly.
Choose one small change
You might try a familiar way of serving food, sit together at the table or review how close the meal is to a snack or bedtime. Change one thing at a time so you can notice whether it makes the meal more comfortable.
NHS advice includes offering small portions, eating together when possible, avoiding pressure to eat and trying foods again on another occasion. Keep the conversation about more than how many bites your child takes.
A handover that helps both places
Instead of “They eat everything for you!”, try asking: “Which part of lunch seems easiest for them? Is there something about the routine we could try at home?”
Agree what information is useful to exchange for a short period. For example: the food offered, the child’s response and anything different about the day. Keep comments descriptive and avoid comparing children.
When to ask for professional advice
Speak with your health visitor or GP if you are worried about growth, a very restricted diet, pain, swallowing or your child’s general wellbeing. Nursery eating does not rule out a feeding difficulty. This guide offers everyday routine ideas, not a nutritional assessment or feeding treatment.
A parenting consultation can help you think through communication and routines alongside advice from the relevant professionals.
Further reading
NHS: fussy eaters - general advice about food refusal and mealtimes.