A puzzle game that forces you to make real-time decisions is a really tough thing to pull off. They usually fall into three categories:
(1) one where the player can adapt to the changing situation at hand (which usually means making the puzzle turn based so that they have time to plan ahead)
(2) one where the player can 'program' the movements in advance so that it's not a test of reflex, only planning
(3) a compact solution where the player can mentally plan out all of the physical actions and then be left to execute on them (puzzle platformers)
To that end, as the solutions got bigger they shifted from #1 --> #3, and what was reasonable to figure out in real-time ended up feeling like trial and error later.
Level design is really difficult during a jam, especially since you have a limited playtesting window, so it can be a real challenge to figure out when you've crossed the boundary for how much forward planning a human can (and wants to) do.
For me real-time puzzles are really engaging (and potentially even preferable), but I think your level design necessitated a 'pause' button.
Mechanically, you fit the theme really well. I did encounter pathfinding issues (I think maybe you weren't supposed to be able to place a wall over the food itself?), but they did not detract from the game itself.
I thought the story-book presentation was wonderful, even if the theme did not strike a chord with me personally.
There's a great kernel of a game in here and I'd be excited to see it expanded on.