Mealtime Mania
- All Care Therapies
- Jul 15
- 2 min read
Does getting your child to eat a meal feel like a battle? Whether they’re a picky eater or
won’t sit down to eat, these strategies may help make mealtime more enjoyable for everyone:
Make a mealtime routine- Try to eat meals around the same time each day. Routines help a child to predict what their day looks like and can reduce some anxiety they may have about mealtimes.
Eat with them - Children learn by watching adults and eating is no exception. When they see you eating new or non-preferred food, they may be more likely to try it.
Avoid tech at the table- Distractions can make it difficult for a child to focus on eating. Make conversation with them instead, which is great for their social development too!
Keep mealtimes short - A meal for a child should 15-30 minutes. Longer than that, and kids get bored or even frustrated if they’re done eating.
Introduce a new food many times - Research shows that it takes 8-15 times for a child to accept a new food. Offer some of their preferred foods along with one new or non-preferred food.
Include them in meal preparation- When you let kids help you make the meal, they can see what ingredients go into their food and how it’s made.
Make it fun- Don’t be afraid to let your kids play with their food! The more they enjoy their meal, they may eat more and try different foods.
If you’ve tried these tips and you find you’re still struggling to get your child to eat a full meal, occupational therapy and/or speech therapy can work with you to give you both some extra support.
References:
10 tips to get your child to eat when they refuse. (2024, December 2). NAPA. Retrieved
April 25, 2025, from https://napacenter.org/just-eat-it-attaining-mealtime-peace/
D’Argenio Waller, J. (2023, June 30). Why you might want to let kids play with food.
Motherly. Retrieved April 25, 2025, from https://www.mother.ly/health-wellness/childrens-health/play-with-food/
Feeding a Picky eater: The do’s and Don’ts. (2019, October 30). Children’s Hospital of
Philadelphia. Retrieved April 25, 2025, from https://www.chop.edu/news/dos-and-donts-feeding-picky-eaters
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