Adding New Foods – Making Small Changes
Judy Benz Duncan, Occupational Therapist
For many adults, when it comes to preparing and serving foods, it is often frustrating and a source of anxiety when your child will not eat what you serve, only eat specific limited food items, only eats in certain situations, or is unable to tolerate any change or addition to their normal accepted diet.
No matter the struggle, anxiety, and frustration, it is helpful to try and remain calm. Easier said than done, however, a child may respond more positively if they feel they have some sort of control over what they are eating, and if they do not feel they are being forced to try something new, or being tricked into trying something different.
If you are able to plan out what you will be serving, you may find that following a process, with gradual presentation of new foods or drinks may help your child accept and tolerate changes to their diet and patterns of eating. Gradual exposure does not mean offering different choices every day as this may only serve to overwhelm and over-stimulate the child, which ends up with the possibility of behavioral outbursts, or even refusal to eat anything at all.
For children with sensory issues they may need time and repetition to become desensitized and able to tolerate first the new smell, appearance, taste, and texture of a new food. Some of the following ideas can be tried as you feel comfortable when it comes to adding new foods, new diets, or any new changes to the meal setting.
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o Start with adding in a food that is similar to a food that they already will tolerate such as texture, chew-ability, blandness or spiciness, shape, or color, etc.
1. For example, if your child only eats chicken nuggets from a specific eatery, try to add in nuggets that are a different brand or from a different location;
2. Try serving different condiments in separate bowls to see and hopefully try over time
3. Serve the same type of food but a different brand (for small change of taste or look)
o Offer the new food on a daily basis – I am not suggesting putting the food on the plate or bowl and expecting them to eat it, but rather put it on the table near where they eat so that they can see it, smell it, get used to seeing it. Making gradual changes can bring acceptance.
o Moving the new food closer to the plate as tolerated with the plan to actually put a piece, or bite of the new food onto their plate.
o Try not to make a fuss about them having something new on their plate, but let them get used to having this new item now in their space; if they flick it off, throw it, or display behaviors, try again the next meal.
o If they respond and understand, you may want to let them know that they do not have to eat the new item, but to just let it stay on their plate until it is time to clean up
o Continue to repeat offering the new same food item once or twice a day without expecting them to eat it. If others at the table are seen enjoying it, that may encourage your child to touch, smell, or taste the food – at their terms and with them in control.
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o Hiding new foods within the foods they already will eat may backfire – they may refuse to eat those foods they will eat thinking something else is “hiding” in there
o Ask for help in putting food on YOUR plate, asking for help with foods they will eat and foods they will typically refuse to try
o Ask for help in scooping, stirring, mixing, opening a jar or package of food that they will eat as well as those “new” foods they will not yet try
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