Baby won't eat outside the house, only at home?

Refusing food in a different setting is very common in 8-24-month-olds. A few reasons:

Need for familiar surroundings: Babies are used to their own table, chair, dishes, even the lighting. New settings remove all these cues, so the brain first asks "Is this safe?" — eating comes later.

Distraction: At visits, there are new faces, voices, movement — all far more interesting than food. Baby's attention is elsewhere even if he's hungry.

Loss of control: At home, baby predicts what happens. In a new place, predictability vanishes, and refusing food is one way to regain control.

What you can do:

1. Bring familiar items: His own plate, spoon, high chair (if possible) create a comfortable corner.

2. Time hunger right: Offer a small snack before visiting so he's not overly hungry and stressed.

3. Skip pressure: Don't push eating at visits; it's exploration time. He'll eat next meal at home.

4. Model eating: Eat with enjoyment yourself in front of him — modeling works everywhere.

General rule: if he's only eating at home and weight gain is normal, it's a personality thing, temporary. As he grows, it usually passes.