Your toddler’s hunger & fullness cues

Your Toddler’s Hunger & Fullness Cues

Your Toddler’s Hunger & Fullness Cues

12-18 months
Article
Nov 4, 2016
2 mins

Got a hungry toddler? Here are some hunger and fullness cues to watch out for during your toddler's development.

Knowing when to feed

Your toddler wants to be heard. Expressing his desire to eat and having you respond is important to his social and emotional development. Accommodate him best as possible, but don’t let him make the rules.

Hunger signs

  • Banging toys and temper tantrums if hunger takes over.
  • Sounds, words and hand gestures are ways to get your attention and say “I’m hungry.”
  • Enthusiastically reaches for food wanting to feed himself.
  • Expresses desire for specific foods with words or gestures.
  • May resort to crying, or fussiness.

TOP TIP: Your toddler is learning independence, so feeding himself is a great way to practice.

Knowing when he’s full

Being independent means letting you know very clearly that he’s done eating and wants to move on. Your toddler will shift gears, becoming uninterested in his food from one bite to the next. It’s his way of making decisions and taking control.

Fullness signs

  • Turns away or shakes his head to say “no more” or “all done.
  • Playing with or throwing food means mealtime is over. It’s playtime!
  • Covers his mouth or face with his hands.
  • May cross arms to show refusal of more food.
  • Chewing slows done and his attention is off somewhere else.
  • May spit out foods that he usually likes.

Related articles

View details When Can Babies Have Cow's Milk
Article
Child drinking milk from cup

When Can Babies Have Cow's Milk

If your baby is under 12 months old, they aren't ready for cow's milk. If they're over 12 months, you can begin to introduce it. 

6 mins to read

View details Feeding a Fussy Toddler
Article
Feeding a Fussy Toddler

Feeding a Fussy Toddler

If you thought feeding your baby had its challenges, then eating with a toddler is going to be even more amusing for you.

5 mins to read

View details Filling a Toddler’s Nutrition Gaps
Article
Filling a toddler’s nutrition gaps

Filling a Toddler’s Nutrition Gaps

It’s important to understand toddlers’ eating habits and nutrient intakes to ensure they’re meeting their needs for healthy growth and development.

3 mins to read

View details Your Toddler, the Independent Eater
Article
Your toddler, the independent eater

Your Toddler, the Independent Eater

By now your toddler is really getting the hang of self-feeding. And you're probably used to messy mealtimes!

3 mins to read

View details Leaving Babyhood Behind
Article
Leaving babyhood behind

Leaving Babyhood Behind

His ability to grasp now means your child will be easily picking up his food with two to three fingers instead of his entire hand.

2 mins to read

View details Short of Menu Ideas?
Article
Short of menu ideas?

Short of Menu Ideas?

It’s difficult to find well-balanced meal ideas every day for your toddler.

1 min to read

View details Your Toddler’s Nutrition From 12 to 24 Months
Article
Your toddler’s nutrition from 12 to 24 months

Your Toddler’s Nutrition From 12 to 24 Months

As you probably already know, toddlers are incredibly active and energetic! For their body size, toddlers need to make every bite count with nutritious meals and snacks.

2 mins to read

View details A Guide to Family Meals with Toddlers
Article
toddler eating noodles from a bowl at a restaurant

A Guide to Family Meals with Toddlers

Mealtimes are a time to bring everyone together and for your toddler to learn how to eat at the table with you. Here are some tips to having a successful family meal with a toddler.

3 mins to read

View details Eating Together
Article
Eating Together 2

Eating Together

Eating is an essential human function. Every country and every civilisation has created its own eating habits and cuisine.

2 mins to read

View details Healthy Eating Habits Are Set Early in Life
Article
Healthy eating habits are set early in life

Healthy Eating Habits Are Set Early in Life

By two years of age, dietary patterns of children start to become established.

1 min to read

View details Your Guide to Toddler Meals and Nutrition
Article
toddler girl smiling eating with 2 spoons

Your Guide to Toddler Meals and Nutrition

As you probably already know, toddlers are incredibly active and energetic! For their body size, toddlers need to make every bite count with nutritious meals and snacks.

6 mins to read

View details Your Toddler’s Essential Shopping List?
Article
Your Toddler’s essential shopping list?

Your Toddler’s Essential Shopping List?

As your little one grows and becomes more independent, you may find they use food preferences as a way of exerting their authority! Making sure they have a healthy selection of foods to choose

1 min to read

View details Toddler activities: Entertaining playtime ideas for 12-18-month-olds
Article
Illustration of an infant playing with a cardboard car.

Toddler activities: Entertaining playtime ideas for 12-18-month-olds

From crawling to standing and taking their first steps, your baby is now moving quickly into toddlerhood and becoming more active and mobile all the time.

3 mins to read

View details What are Toddler Tantrums?
Article
Toddler Tantrums

What are Toddler Tantrums?

Toddler tantrums can be stressful for everyone. Read our tips on how to understand your toddlers tantrums and how to make them less likely to happen.

3 mins to read

View details Effective Co-Parenting Strategies for a Healthy Family Dynamic
Article
Mother waving at Father and Son

Effective Co-Parenting Strategies for a Healthy Family Dynamic

Wondering what co-parenting means and how to co-parent successfully? Here are some straightforward tips and strategies to make it easier to agree on and work in a parenting partnership.

10 mins to read

View details What To Do When Your Toddler is Constipated
Article
Constipation in toddlers

What To Do When Your Toddler is Constipated

Your toddler may poo once a day or once every few days. This article explains the possible causes of constipation and how to help alleviate it.

2 mins to read

View details What To Do When Your Toddler Has Diarrhoea
Article
Diarrhoea in Toddlers 2

What To Do When Your Toddler Has Diarrhoea

Diarrhoea is characterised by very frequent, liquid stools.

2 mins to read

View details How to Handle Toddler Sleep Problems
Article
Toddler reading a book on mums lap

How to Handle Toddler Sleep Problems

You know they’re tired, but no matter how hard you try, they won’t go to sleep. Here are a few tips and tricks to help your toddlers sleep problems.

3 mins to read

View details Toddler Sleep
Article
Toddler Sleep

Toddler Sleep

As your baby grows and becomes a toddler at around 12 months of age, they are much more active. They may find it difficult to switch off and unwind.

5 mins to read

Join

  Join

Supporting both you and your baby’s wellbeing and nutrition

eNewsletter Icon

Personalised content

Weekly + monthly e-newsletters based on baby's development straight to your inbox, plus a personalised browsing experience.

Help Icon

Tips & advice

Chat with our Nutrition Experts or browse our FAQs, anytime, anywhere.

Updated Recipe Book SVG

Free e-recipe books

Enjoy over 50 delicious recipes for the whole family. Download our pregnancy, baby and toddler recipe books, or print at home.

Dashboard Icon

Handy tools

Interactive tools to help you keep track of complex things - like fertility, ovulation and growth