Keeping mealtimes positive

What does positive mealtimes mean?

It is important for mealtimes and snack times to be a positive experience for everyone. Your child will start to learn that food times are not stressful times if they remain predictably positive.

It can be helpful to think about your child as a whole:

• What sort of day have they had?
• What helps them to feel calm or relaxed?
• What else is happening for your child?

Lots of factors can impact your child’s eating and drinking.

Consider you child’s sensory needs and if these need to be supported. It can be useful to look at the whole sensory environment of the mealtime, not just the food. You can find information on how to understand your child’s sensory needs on our sensory service website.

How to support a child with a restricted diet at mealtimes

Position

Make sure your child is seated in a supportive position when eating and drinking. This allows them to put all their energy into eating and drinking, rather than putting energy into sitting.

If your child will accept others sitting with them during mealtimes sit at the same height as your child.

Environment

Make sure you are in an environment which is comfortable for you and your child, for example, some children need a quiet space whereas some children need distraction available to reduce their focus and anxiety on the eating process.

It can be helpful for mealtimes to be predictable so that the child knows what is going to happen. Pre-warn your child before a mealtime. Using visual cues such as objects or pictures to support them in understanding what is going to happen. Make sure the routine of the mealtime is the same every time.

Food

Offer your child food they feel safe and calm with. This could be the food your child will accept or  food at a texture which is in line with their feeding plan or recommendations from the speech and language therapy team.

Some children need things to be offered in the same way each time. If your child would benefit from this, make sure to offer them food on the same plate or in the same way each time. This will help reduce their anxiety during mealtimes.

When introducing new foods offer them on a separate plate and away from their safe foods

It is important to offer any new foods without pressure. Avoid commenting or encouraging your child to eat or touch that food. Instead, talk about the properties of the food you are eating such as “can you hear the sound this cracker makes when I bite it?” or “crunch, crunch, crunch!”