There are 33 steps before eating. A person must be able to tolerate food in the room, on their plate, on their lips, and in their mouth even before taking a bite and swallowing. Work with your picky eater on feeling safe during meal times by playing with food items, providing an all done bowl at meal times, and spitting foods out.
- Fun Food Activities
- Painting with carrots and broccoli to make a picture. The more a person is introduced to non-preferred foods the more interaction they have with it.
- Roll a dice to tell the kid how many licks, smells, bites, and kisses a child should give to non-preferred food. Be aware of how far too push child with this game so it is still enjoyable
- “all done” bowls on the table to promote a safe space. Everybody has the same food on their plate but is allowed to say no to food and put it in the all done bowl which promotes more interaction with non-preferred food items at meal times
- Play hot potato of passing the food around the table to increase interaction and smelling of food
- Spitting of food increases interaction with taste and helps with oral motor skills needed for eating.