Everybody's at the table. The food is new, the room is loud, and somebody's saying "just try one bite."
For a lot of our kids, food isn't about taste. It's texture, smell, and things touching on the plate. On a day that's already too much, an unfamiliar plate can be the thing that breaks it.
5 things that make the holiday meal work
1. Bring his safe food from home. Put it on the table like it belongs there.
2. Keep foods from touching. Use a divided plate or a few small plates.
3. Leave the texture alone. Plain roll, plain turkey, sauce on the side.
4. No "just one bite" in front of family. Today isn't the day to try new foods.
5. Give Grandma a heads-up before the day.
The text to send Grandma
Send it a few days before, not at the table:
"We're bringing his food. It's not about yours. Please don't push him to try things. Him being at your table is the win."
Prefer to watch?
I made a 5-minute video on how to tell picky eating from a sensory issue. Watch it here.
Free printable: the Holiday Plate Plan
One page: his safe foods, how his plate gets set up, and his "I'm done" signal. Fill it out before the day and bring it with you. Get the plate plan here.
Just hit reply and tell me how your kid handles the holidays. I read every one.
Be the advocate, not the adversary.
Chris
The Autism Journeyman