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Feeding and mealtimes
Learning to eat is a developmental skill. Many feeding challenges can improve with supportive mealtime routines, repeated food exposure, and opportunities to practice new skills. These resources help families build positive mealtime experiences while recognizing when additional evaluation may be beneficial.
Exploring new foods
- Offer one new food alongside familiar foods.
- Allow children to explore foods by touching, smelling, licking, or kissing before expecting them to eat.
- Avoid pressure, bribing, or forcing bites.
- Continue offering foods multiple times, even if they are refused.
- Keep mealtimes calm, predictable, and enjoyable.
Feeding and mealtimes
Open the food chaining handoutSource Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
Chewing and oral-motor skills
- Offer developmentally appropriate food textures.
- Encourage chewing on both sides of the mouth.
- Practice drinking from an open cup or straw when developmentally appropriate.
- Model chewing and taking small bites.
- Encourage self-feeding whenever possible.
Mealtime success
- Eat together as a family whenever possible.
- Maintain consistent meal and snack times.
- Limit grazing between meals.
- Minimize distractions such as television or tablets.
- Focus on enjoyable family interactions rather than how much your child eats.
Feeding and mealtimes
Open the establishing mealtime routines tip sheetSource Arlington Public Schools
Feeding and mealtimes
Open the feeding your family handoutSource Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians
When to ask for help
You know your child best. Raise any of these with your pediatrician or your child's therapy team.
- Frequently coughs, chokes, or has wet breathing while eating or drinking.
- Has difficulty chewing or progressing to age-appropriate food textures.
- Has a very limited diet that continues to become more restrictive.
- Frequently gags or vomits during meals.
- Has poor weight gain or nutritional concerns.
- Has difficulty transitioning from bottles or purees.
- Is suspected to have a tongue tie affecting feeding.
- Has persistent pain during feeding.
- Loses feeding skills they previously had.
- You have concerns about your child's feeding or swallowing.