Eating

This refers to the ability to feed oneself

PURPOSE

The learner will self-feed developmentally appropriate foods in order to support a healthy and diverse nutritional profile.

• Step 1

  Sit down and have a family meal together where everyone eats the same foods. Majority (at least 50%) of the meal should be foods that the learner enjoys eating (i.e., butter pasta, cucumber slices, and chicken nuggets). *The foods need to be pre cut or sliced into manageable bites.

• Step 2

  Serve the meal “family style.” Pass each dish around the table. Everyone should take some food and put it on their own plate.

• Step 3

  Over exaggerate your chewing movements. Talk about the experience of eating.

• Step 4

  Praise to the learner for every attempt at self-feeding. ** If the learner is used to having an iPad or television screen on when mealtime begins, try to delay turning the device on by 1 minute, then 2 minutes, then 3 and so on.

• Step 5

  Introduce a spoon to help with self-feeding.